A programmer from Nevada is testing the old probability axiom that a million monkeys on a million typewriters would eventually compose the complete works of William Shakespeare.
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The point of Facebook has always been to make friends. Now it wants to buy some—so long as they are American politicians—thanks to the company’s new political action committee.
Empowering girls to become fearless women starts with “a changed paradigm about how we see young people in general… as leaders, as change agents who are moving our culture forward.”
More women than ever are choosing to pursue a life in science, but high-ranking positions are still held disproportionately by men. What does it take to rise to the top – and why do so few make it?
According to psychologist Dan Ariely, Google’s policy of giving employees free reign over 20% of their work week – one full day out of five – makes for happier, more passionate workers and a better, more creative company.
If the Chinese are so good to business, why doesn’t Muhtar Kent just move the Coca Cola Company’s Atlanta headquarters to Beijing? Or just go whole hog, relocate to a […]
They might not know it yet, but some of the most educated workers in the nation are engaged in a fierce battle with machines. Doctors and lawyers beware. Here come the robots.
The Internet may provide a kind of immortality: Numerous websites now offer professional services to make it easier for the bereaved to create an online presence for a departed relative.
Taking her husband’s name at marriage suggests to potential employers that a woman is less intelligent, less ambitious, inclined to work fewer hours and more focused on family. Recent evidence […]
Digital communication technology has made it possible for individuals to consult a therapist online but the service is not without its drawbacks and pitfalls. Not everyone is eager to sign on.
Wine maps are appreciated mainly by the select few who are both cartophiles and oenophiles. Those who are either or neither face a formidable obstacle to cartographic enjoyment, inherent in […]
Is the frequently drawn distinction between online bookstores (efficient, convenient, innovative) and traditional bookstores (old-fashioned, communal, curated) a false one? This fall, Molly Gaudry and her fellow staff at The […]
The ground shook violently in L’Aquila, Italy, early in the morning of April 6, 2009, more violently than it had during the tremors the area had been experiencing for months. […]
Who would ever think of aging and retirement as something new? The baby boomers are certainly not the first to grow old – but they are certainly headed for a […]
Big changes are afoot for Eruptions – I’m on the move. After a year here at Big Think, I’ve decided to move the blog to Wired Science. Needless to say, […]
Investment decisions are no longer being made by financiers, but increasingly by Ph.D. mathematicians and the immensely complex computer programs they devise.
Berkeley scientists say with MRI and computer models they can reconstruct our visual experiences, paving the way to reproduce our mental movies, such as dreams and memories.
After four years of wielding power indirectly as prime minister, former President Vladimir Putin has announced that he will be the Kremlin’s next master, just as some argued he would.
Humans are hardwired to get a pleasure buzz from uncertainty. Neuroscientist David Linden explains how tweeting is like watching the ball spinning in the roulette wheel.
As the world economy shifts from West to East, the rich world is losing some of its privileges like the ability to dominate world affairs thanks to having an industrialized economy.
Thunderous applause followed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech at the U.N. asking for statehood. But what will the bid for recognition really accomplish?
The growing influence of Arab public opinion on the actions of Arab governments will make it much tougher for the United States to pursue its traditional policies in the region.
A former British Prime Minister, James Callaghan will forever be remembered for the words ‘Crisis? What crisis?’ eventhough he never actually said them. Callaghan had the misfortune of having his […]
Days after dramatically returning from Saudi Arabia, President Ali Abdullah Salih did what he does in these situations: he gave a speech. The international media will likely lead with the […]
Berkeley scientists say with MRI and computer models they can reconstruct our visual experiences, paving the way to reproduce our mental movies, such as dreams and memories.
Sociologist Steve Fuller says we’re headed for a new humanity which will no longer take as given the “normal human body”. Our self-enhancements will include ‘cosmetic neurology.’
Before I start with this post, apologies for the past weeks of silence here on Disrupt Education. I had to travel a lot and moderate an event in Germany so […]
Black and white thinking gives us a (false and temporary) sense of security and control over life’s uncertainties but in reality it narrows our vision and creates insecurity.
Neuroimaging has revealed the neural basis of the intense imagery induced by the “spirit vine”, a hallucinogenic brew long used by rain forest shamans to provoke mystical visions.
Why do some survive a breakup without deep distress, even if sad or worried about money? Research shows one thing—having self-compassion—uniquely predicts good outcomes.