All things being equal, the simplest explanation is usually the best. But we don’t all agree on what “simple” means. “It is always the simple that produces the marvelous.” –Amelia […]
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“I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.”
If you’ve got time off this holiday season, don’t allow the pull of your devices ruin your rest and relaxation. Here’s how to unplug completely.
Millennials have been praised for their progressive stance on issues, and reports have led us to believe that traditional gender roles will end with this generation. But a study reveals this notion may be overly optimistic.
Think you’ve had a bad day? Well, consider your bus driver. A recent study shows that jobs where people interact more with the public and have less chance to move around have higher rates of depression.
New research delves into the minds of dog walkers to find out why they don’t pick up after their pets, and it’s not because they “forgot” to bring a baggie.
A new analysis of thirteen scientific trials suggests that electronic cigarettes can help smokers reduce their amount of nicotine intake and even quit smoking all together.
It’s home to everything we’ve ever directly explored, but where did our Solar System come from? “When you look at the stars and the galaxy, you feel that you are […]
Global belief in a higher power is down nine percent since 2005 to an all-time low of sixty-eight percent, according to a Gallup poll which surveyed people from fifty seven countries all over the world.
NASA’s High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) program will feature an evolutionary exploration of Venus’ atmosphere that could one day lead to semi-permanent colonies.
Driving battery-powered cars could pollute the air more than cars powered by fossil fuels.
The non-profit org Malaria No More, boosted by a grant from Google, is set to take advantage of Africa’s over 1 billion mobile phones in order to fight a disease that kills 400,000 of the continent’s children per year.
Personal ownership of drones is set to skyrocket in 2015. Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of buying one this holiday season.
Educators hold up scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Marie Curie as heroes in order to encourage minorities to pursue studies in STEM fields. But portraying these figures as larger-than-life may intimidate students.
What is the future of furniture? Paper and tape. At least that’s the solution coming from Bulgarian designer Petar Zaharinov, whose latest line of furniture is made entirely and solely of these two components.
The research linking fast food to obesity is well-known, but new studies show it may be impacting early brain development in children.
Much of what we were taught in school about how to learn has been shown to be comparatively ineffective, so what actually works?
How do you go about debating an issue with a conspiracy theorist? Political scientists say facts will end the conversation before it even begins–empathize with them if you want a meaningful discussion.
“I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.”
Antarctic penguins have had the run of the continent, isolated and unexposed to new pathogens. But a wave of tourism may be threatening penguin populations with disease.
Hugs may have healing properties (beyond making you feel warm and fuzzy). This flu season add a hug a day to your regimen–it may help lessen your cold symptoms, according to one study.
A propensity to worry indicates a strong ability to consider the past and future in precise detail, perhaps explaining why worriers also tend to be more intelligent.
Parents who buy their teens inexpensive first vehicles are putting them at higher risk of accident and injury, often because the cheapest cars are old and lacking modern safety features.
On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will cross the USA. Start planning for it now. “Astronomers are greatly disappointed when, having traveled halfway around the world to see […]
In case you missed it from earlier this week, former NATO head Anders Fogh Rasmussen visited Big Think to discuss how NATO deals with terrorist threats and what the international community must do to combat ISIS.
A new study shows that while the vast majority of American teens are using Facebook, less than 10% of them trust the social media site to protect their personal information.
A peek into the archives at the New York Public Library reveals the many (often zany) search queries lobbed at librarians in the pre-internet age.
A Chicago Tribune study suggests that the city’s red light camera system, intended to make roads safer, are causing more accidents resulting in injury than before.
Scientists exploring the Mariana Trench observed on video an unknown fish species living 8,143 meters (26,713 feet) below the surface.
In case you missed it from earlier this week, economist Larry Summers visited Big Think to discuss infrastructure spending and why there’s no better time than now to perform maintenance on our roads, ports, and schools.