By 2030, the world’s population will require 50 percent more food, 45 percent more energy and 30 percent more water. We need sustainable development not in spite of the crisis but because of it.
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I have always thought that the fable that best describes the modern world is that of the Emperor’s New Clothes. You know the one in which the ruler struts around […]
The Chinese have been vocal about using their vast currency reserves to give financial supported to an indebted Europe. Their aim is to protect their own commercial interests.
The young revolutionaries who inspired and organized political protests during the Arab Spring took a backseat to Islamic political parties in the ensuing elections. Is that a bad thing?
Like doctors, artists should obey one rule above all, “To do no harm.” When you’re Christo and you specialize in “environmental art,” that rule takes on an even greater importance. […]
I’m distorting, of course, the lengendary admonition of the evil Dean Wormer to the (seemingly) fat loser Delta pledge Flounder in the classic film Animal House. I had to add “smoking” […]
The human brain’s ability to recall the past, plan for the future, reason abstractly and navigate complex social relationships makes it far superior to other species’. But how did that happen?
As I’ve often mentioned, religion has a set of cognitive tricks – unconscious ideas, prejudices and habits of thought it tries to instill in believers – which shield their minds […]
I have been wondering all week what to write about the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s move against Planned Parenthood, but Linda Burger, a 56-year-old breast cancer survivor who resides in Las […]
At least in the sense that it is overturning old doctrines, like folk psychology, and attracting legions of people seeking answers to contemporary philosophical and spiritual questions.
A new book dispels some popular myths about the difference between introverts and extroverts. In the modern age, the author explains, our culture has shifted to valuing extroverts.
New research suggests that some people are born with a biological predisposition to addiction because of abnormalities in their brain. The results offer insight into potential treatments.
Science is better defining what have been some gray areas of consciousness. By using brain scans to measure the patients’ awareness, we are arriving at sounder and more ethical medicine.
Jonah Lehrer reports on new research from Steve Sapra and Paul Zak on the neurochemistry of Wall Street success: Drs. Sapra and Zak began by analyzing the genes of 60 […]
Why can’t the Greeks be more like the Germans? Could it be because they speak Greek? There’s no doubt some nations save more money than others, and plan better for […]
Despite today’s focus on genetics, the longest-ever survey of human health and happiness suggests that making the right choices in midlife is the most important determiner of all.
Some days, I hate writing about atheism. I want to tell you why. Two weeks ago, I was watching a PBS show called Inside Nature’s Giants, about a team of […]
Our BIG THINKING friend, Robert de Neufville, wonders why more Republicans aren’t voting in the primaries. His wondering, of course, is hopeful. It must mean either that the ferocity of the […]
In Florida four years ago about 1.95 million people voted in the Republican primary. This year 1.66 million people voted in the same primary. That’s 300,000 fewer people, a 14% […]
It’s been a while since I last did one of these, but I want to start making it a regular feature. This thread is for you to tell us about […]
There’s a booming genre in wee books of things to see or do “before you die.” I don’t read these books, but Australian hospice nurse Bronnie Ware’s recently-published book, The […]
Robotics companies are teaming up with health care providers to innovate how patients receive care. Medicine is the next arena about to undergo an information revolution.
Individuals with certain forms of the CD36 gene are more likely to prefer high-fat foods, say researchers. The new obesity data could help those who consistently struggle with weight gain.
Researchers who study the effects of sugar on the body say it should become a controlled substance. Biologically, it interacts with our body in ways similar to alcohol and tobacco.
Aging is just another non-infectious disease, like Alzheimer’s, diabetes or cancer, says Aubrey de Grey. We might be able to cure it using the protective sequences of our own DNA.
For Americans especially, “being yourself” is a basic cultural value. For the psychologically vulnerable, the cognitive dissonance between this and the constant external pressure to be something other than ourselves can be toxic.
Despite Mark Zuckerberg, venture capitalism and the myths of Silicon Valley, the increasing complexity of our technological systems means successful innovation is occurring later in life.
One of the biggest problems with lists is that with lists come labels. A list of African-American artists or women artists already sets them up as different (and perhaps less, […]
Super Bowl 2012 is upon us, so we indulge the healthy quarterback vs. quarterback rivalry by asking which is a better leader. The glamorous Brady or the workhorse Manning?
Let’s say you’re in the top fifth percentile of avid readers, tearing through a book a week on average. With such literary gusto raising your sails, you might feel like […]