As the manufacturing industry left American metropolises for the east, our cities became something even greater: idea factories. Cities are the engines of innovation and they are growing.
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Yesterday, Republican politician, conservative advocate and definitely not-a-witch Christine O’Donnell “walked out” on an interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan. She was there to promote her new book, Troublemaker, when she […]
If glaciologists and engineers can somehow harness flotillas of icebergs at the frozen corners of the Earth, it may signal hope for the throngs of thirsty people around the world.
New and less invasive technologies are helping to harness the power of the tides in Eastport, Maine, next to the Bay of Fundy which has the highest tides in the world.
By changing how light refracts off on object, new cloaking materials can hide tiny microphones placed on a wall—and they will do the job at all visible wavelengths.
The recent controversy in Manila over local artist Mideo Cruz’s Kulo exhibition raises the question of how far an artist can go in terms of religious art in a religious […]
It’s not the technical challenge posed by dealing with an asteroid collision with Earth but the social and political issues that most trouble us. Inevitably, an Earth-shaking rock will hit again.
Over the coming months, I will be blogging regularly on the topic of polarization, highlighting research and trends on the nature, causes, and possible solutions to the nation’s political paralysis. […]
A Russian company has revealed plans for a space hotel. It will cost $785,000 for two days on a Soyuz rocket to it and a 5-day stay will rack about up about $157,000.
OMG. I better tweet this. Or post it on Facebook. Or click that oh-so-tempting like button. Maybe tumblr? Stumbleupon? Some other sharing service that I’m too slow to have noted, […]
Britain’s Opposition leader, Ed Miliband has emerged from two national crises with flying colours. He may have been a little late coming to the first – the Murdoch hacking scandal – but […]
The Sidney Hillman Foundation announced Tuesday that Tom Gogola has won the August Sidney Award for excellence in socially conscious journalism for his story, “Bycatch 22: As a twisted consequence […]
Harvard University product Mike Fucito scored two clinical goals last night for the Seattle Sounders in their 4-1 victory over CONCACAF Champions League opponent Comunicaciones of Gautamela. Fucito was a […]
Yesterday, TIME named Big Think 2011’s top News & Information website! [Photo credit: Lindsay Beyerstein, all rights reserved.]
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal suggests that technology and, more specifically, time spent online might actually be helping people be friendlier, more empathetic, and in general, just […]
King Farm in Rockville, Md., could be an example of ‘new urbanism’ and ‘smart growth’ but instead locals are opposing one of the key elements—a central shuttle train.
Word is China’s first full-fledged space station could launch this month. Is it part of a bid to become a world strategic power or a modest increment in space prowess without military meaning?
The “democratization” of space, including more involvement of amateur astronomers, is underway thanks to a ballooning and publicly accessible global astronomical database.
Pet owners are a unique breed. Even those that hadn’t wanted a pet often find themselves enthralled once they join the ranks of proud possessors of a furry (or not […]
President Obama and the Democratic National Committee raised $86 million through the first half of this year. With unemployment high and disposable income stagnant, Obama faces a tough road to […]
The Fukushima nuclear disaster has offered the world a lot of important lessons. We can only hope that one of the most important…a lesson that’s staring us all in the […]
Well, this is the first time ever that I’ve taken the “cultural studies” approach of featuring the themes of race, class, and gender in talking about a work of art. […]
In the information age, there is power in being able to reduce a complex problem into simple steps and take decisive action to make it happen. Seizing opportunity is simpler than it seems, says Mark Cenedella, founder of the TheLadders.
What a wonderful surprise it is for us to find today that Time magazine has rated Big Think number 1 in News & Info in its list of The 50 […]
Social media ‘flash mobs’ are becoming integral to the organization of protests. San Francisco officials shut down cellphone service to thwart a protest Thursday. What will happen today?
Google has purchased Motorola’s cellphone business for $12.5 billion but it has no interest in making phones. Instead, Google needs Motorola’s patents to defend Android from lawsuits.
If your Facebook friend, who has been married for 20 years, changes her status to “Interested in men and women,” does that mean she is a swinger? More interestingly, what […]
When breast cancer researcher Dr. Elizabeth Iorns created a free online marketplace for outsourcing scientific experiments, the goals was to improve the efficiency of research.
If what you do is repetitive, then your job is doomed, says physicist Michio Kaku. If your work involves creativity, imagination, experience, leadership, hey… there’s a bright future for you.
By targeting individuals rather than the abstraction known as the consumer market, the Internet has revolutionized commerce and advertising—but what about journalism?