Uncertainty is problematic because it keeps you frozen still in a fast-paced world. Therefore, in an uncertain world, the value of certainty is paramount.
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Getting risk wrong leads to dangers all by itself, and we will remain vulnerable to these mistakes until we let go of our naïve post-Enlightenment faith in reason and accept that risk perception is inescapably an affective system, not just a matter of rationally figuring out the facts.
When news came out recently that artist Damien Hirst had ended his long and lucrative relationship with dealer Larry Gagosian and his international chain of Gagosian Galleries, there was more […]
Laptops. iPads (or other tablet devices). Chromebooks. Maybe even netbooks or ultrabooks… As more schools and districts move toward 1:1 computing, one of the most common questions is ‘What device […]
All sightings by the observatory will go directly into the NASA Exoplanet Archive online, which means that the pros and the amateurs will get the data at the same time.
A new study is the first-ever documented global assessment of the phenomenon, which has intensified over the last four years due to a rise in food prices.
NASA surveys have located 90 percent of near-Earth asteroids and comets larger than 1 kilometer in diameter and projected their orbits at least a century ahead.
A report released this week by the UK government examines the impact of technology on the concept of identity and offers policy recommendations.
The renovation of Delta’s two terminals include mounted tablets that allow passengers to order food, check e-mail, and read the news.
Lawrence Krauss argues for differential pay scales for teachers with advanced training in science and math to accommodate the free market.
The gap between invention and implementation is beset by a bias: when in doubt we prefer the status quo, even when solutions to deficiencies are apparent. Is it any wonder […]
A new report by the World Economic Forum says we must spend $700 billion annually to wane ourselves off fossil fuels that have been linked to a rise in extreme weather-related disasters in recent years.
The Web Payments group is working on an open standard protocol that would enable browsers to build in money exchange functionality.
1. Today is Lee-Jackson day. It reminds us that Virginia was forced into a war it didn’t want by events initiated by the states of the deep South and President […]
A book about Michael Jackson was recently torpedoed in the court of online public opinion by a fan group in an act that some claim was an abuse of the company’s customer review system.
This month a California law went into effect allowing hands-free sending and receiving of texts and e-mails while driving. Writer Eric Jaffe cites studies showing little improvement in safety.
Forget about teaching English abroad: China and other Asian countries are struggling to meet increasing demand for Spanish-language instruction, according to a new report.
“The situation Mexico is experiencing…is what has given the communities the legitimacy to say, ‘We will assume the tasks that the government has not been able to fulfill.'”
While Americans observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the historic swearing-in of President Barack Obama to a second term today, using the bibles of Lincoln and MLK, across the […]
Most people agree that our technology is getting smarter, but most don’t realize just how smart.
Good morning, everyone! It’s a fresh new year, and the winds of change are blowing once again. This is my last post on Big Think. Effective immediately, Daylight Atheism is […]
Military service is compulsory for most Israeli youth, but a slight drop in participation has caused the current administration to create several promotional programs.
Not for the first time, health-conscious Recep Tayyip Erdogan attempts to influence citizens’ eating habits by recommending that the popular staple be replaced with whole wheat bread.
With the global income gap continuing to widen, Oxfam International releases a statement that focuses on the rich rather than the poor.
A debate is raging between economists: Some say the world has picked the low hanging fruit of innovation while others say a new era of unimaginable innovation is yet to come.
New research suggests that loneliness acts on the body similarly to physical stress by causing the inflammation of certain proteins associated with conditions like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
A study which followed 200 British medical patients diagnosed with depression found that the use of self-help books, coupled with counselling sessions on how to use the books, alleviated depression.
A new consumer study concludes that the happiness derived from anticipating a new purchase is often greater than the emotional benefits received from the material good itself.
Sadly, much of the passion and intimacy of new love is bound to fade. Still, there are concrete ways to maintain positive feelings and warmth in long-term relationships, say psychologists.