This essay was previously published on AlterNet. In a campaign speech in September, Rick Perry hit upon some familiar Republican themes: Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, in an appeal to […]
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Confidence in our own decision making abilities can be amazingly misplaced but remain strong even in the face of evidence that clearly shows the decisions we make are wrong.
Wander through most major museums and you’ll find a remarkable number of works with no name. Either lost to the mists of time or never recorded because the work was […]
New genomic technologies allow scientists to read organisms’ genomes as well as make increasingly complex changes to them, creating organisms with new capabilities.
We generally assume that if we use more energy-efficient machines we will use less energy. If we install energy-efficient light bulbs in place of incandescent bulbs, for example, it will […]
Two drug companies are testing formulations of a universal flu vaccine in hopes of bringing a successful version to market in the coming years. It could replace the annual flu shot.
Clinics that take advantage of new technologies to provide ‘upstream’ care can prevent lengthy and costly procedures ‘downstream’. Is technology the best preventative medicine?
Exotic pets are not safe and should not be kept in homes, advocates say. In addition to causing physical harm, exotic animals can spread rare diseases to their human owners.
As use of mobile phones has spiked over the last 20 years, the health risks they present have been much debated. New research rejects a link between phone use and brain cancer.
We now have the power to map the brain, peering into the human mind to decode words from silent thoughts. But what will human consciousness look like, if we ever finally catch a glimpse of it? Neuroscientist Joy Hirsch kicks off the debate.
Recent discoveries in the field of neurobiology can tell us much about the causes of the current financial crisis, and how to treat it, says a former UBS exec.
The Family Meal, Ferran Adrià’s new cookbook, gathers thirty-one three-course meals that the chef created for nightly staff dinners at El Bulli.
With jobs legislation floundering in the Senate, Starbucks is creating a pool of cash for microlending to small businesses. The company claims every $3,000 represents a new job.
Nobody is born with entrepreneurial skills, says Eric Ries, Harvard’s entrepreneur-in-residence. What’s important is learning the science behind managing risk and failure.
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita sees key messages of Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party movement – as two misguided responses to the powerlessness many Americans feel.
In most circumstances, narcissism doesn’t go over well. But there’s one big exception to the rule: leadership.
William Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital, is an expert at making money. In his Floating University Lecture, Ackman says to be a successful investor you have to be able to avoid the natural human tendency to follow the herd.
Entertainer turned entrepreneur, M.C. Hammer presented his newest Internet search technology at last week’s Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco. Hammer is a Bay Area native.
Having won eight division titles and one World Series in his time in St. Louis, Tony La Russa possesses dual talents that make a leader great: adaptability and durability.
Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Richard Branson all dropped out of school before becoming huge successes. They are exceptions, to be sure, but should we reconsider the value of higher education?
The micro-lending revolution, which made it possible for community-based lending institutions to bundle together micro-donations of $25 into loans for entrepreneurs in emerging markets, is making its way to your […]
I debated the excellent libertarian author Ronald Bailey over this question at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. Ron has already responded to me here. Before I respond to him, I thought […]
I am optimistic for the economic and social outlook for the United States! During the next four or five years we will, once again, shift into gear. “Occupy Wall Street” […]
Robots are usually designed with very specific tasks in mind. But the “foambot”, though it looks ungainly, lets you decide on the task and build on the spot.
The Italian Renaissance remains one of those amazing hinges of human history where civilization made a great leap that continues to be felt today. For German art historian Hans Belting, […]
In a previous post, Big Think speculated about what Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s death would mean — for the Arab Spring, for the price of oil, for President Barack Obama, etc. […]
A woman recently shared with me the secret to finding a husband. She told me to write a list of qualities that my ideal man would have and tape it […]
This paper, published online yesterday in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, introduces a new term to neuroscience: The FBN, or “Facebook number.” Your Facebook number is, of course, […]
How do you bring technology to countries underserved by the Internet and other tech the U.S. takes for granted? An SMS social network & a slate that converts handwriting to data.
What are five disruptive cleantech innovations that could enable large-scale change? 3D printing, energy harvesting, energy storage, fuel cell technology, and smart meters.