Is there a truly “revolutionary” element in the current surge of anger in American politics? What is the place of madness and irrationality in revolution? If we want to speak […]
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“Stop economic growth in its tracks, start living locally, at a slower pace, and share more—that was the remarkable demand yesterday at the beginning of the Sustainable Planet Forum.”
“Women’s relatively rapid rise seems to have become unexpectedly entwined with patriotism—proof of this country’s belief in fairness, equality, upward mobility.”
“Congress wants to weaken the buck against China’s currency, and a broader devaluation could help the Federal Reserve stave off deflation pressures.”
Is human nature selfless? The conclusion of many biologists that life is a series of fierce competitions for resources is put in doubt by the seemingly selfless behavior of many species.
“The case for natural wines has always been philosophic and aesthetic.” Slate’s Mike Steinberger says the word ‘natural’ is meaningless in the wine industry.
“Intellectual property law should protect businesses, but too often can be used to stifle the spread of ideas.” The Mises Economic blog on copyright sensibility, or lack thereof.
The beat goes on: “Andvinyly, a UK-based outfit, has this offer: after you die, you can have some of your cremated ashes pressed into a vinyl record.”
“We think of terraforming as something we’ll do in the future to other planets, but we have thousands of years of experience changing the shape of our own planet in profound ways.”
“Efforts to make education more ‘relevant’ to black people can be both patronising and harmful. The western literary canon should be taught to everyone.”
“Various efforts are underway to find a cheap, efficient and scalable way to recycle the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide back into the hydrocarbons that fuel civilization.”
Yesterday I wrote that just about the only substantive thing the Republicans promise to do differently from Democrats in their recently released “Pledge to America” is to extend the Bush […]
Given that drugs like Ritalin and Adderall raise productivity indiscriminately, shouldn’t everyone be using them? Dr. Harold Koplewicz, one of the nation’s leading child psychiatrists, thinks ADHD—like the drugs that are used to treat it—is “highly misunderstood.”
When fine fragrance perfumer Christophe Laudamiel, a recent Big Think guest, saw our video interview with filmmaker John Waters—in which Waters divulged his affection for a deadly work of contemporary […]
More than 3 billion pizzas are sold in the US each year, with the majority coming from takeout and delivery. Unfortunately, most pizza boxes are made from standard cardboard. Add […]
The latest episode of Sci Fi Science, as usual, has generated e-mails from viewers that I would now like to address: Question One: You discuss evil aliens that might want […]
Big Think interviewed an array of luminaries in a variety of fields this week, including several world leaders and giants in the arts. Bolivian President Evo Morales, in New York […]
The official version for the delay in a key conference – likely to decide the future leadership of North Korea – of the ruling Workers Party, is that widespread and […]
Social philosopher William Powers and scientist Gary Small say distractions in the digital age come at the cost of sustained, deep attention.
Here at the end of busy week, we have some news that Eruptions readers have been following on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. Piton de la Fournaise, the active […]
This week, the global cities of Bogota, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Milan celebrate “Social Media Week,” with events and seminars focused on the use of digital media for building […]
“It is really just a few decades since human rights became the world’s preferred vocabulary for talking about justice.” Slate reviews a new book on the history of human rights claims.
“Eat your heart out, Wolverine. The X-Men superhero won’t be the only one with with metal fused into his skeleton if a new titanium foam proves suitable for strengthening bones.”
“Advances in laser technology and the field of quantum information science have allowed researchers to demonstrate Einstein’s theories at much more ordinary scales.”
“For millions of addicts around the world, Alcoholics Anonymous’s basic text—informally known as the Big Book—is the Bible. And as they’re about to find out, the Bible was edited.”
“The world will soon get to know a lot more about the low-profile billionaire, or at least Hollywood’s version of him.” A film based on Mark Zuckerberg opens Friday in New York.
“If you adjust for inflation and income, Americans have never spent less on food than they have in recent years. And yet many feel we’ve also never paid such a high price.”
“It has been the defining style of our era, but now it’s in retreat. Intelligent Life’s Stephen Bayley works out whether less will soon be no more.”
“The frontal cortex isn’t fully formed until late adolescence which means that the ability to concentrate is just beginning to solidify in babies. The result is that little kids struggle to focus.”
“Now management science looks set for a thorough, biology-inspired overhaul. Expect plenty more lab coats in business-school corridors.” The Economist on behavioral science.