The Christian Science Monitor traces the origins of Daylight Savings Time to WWI Germany, where an extra hour of work was desired before nighttime air raids; the tradition continues for tradition’s sake.
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says his country will not appreciate its currency for the foreseeable future while it slowly sells off its dollar reserves; Paul Krugman says a yuan appreciation would boost the world economy.
A Japanese man has fallen in love with and married his large body pillow with a female anime character drawn on it; the Japanese word ‘otaku’ means ‘obsessive’ or ‘nerd’.
Tens of thousands of Thais have gathered in Bangkok calling for new elections and to support former prime minister Thaksin who has lived in exile in Dubai since a coup deposed him in 2006.
For art world junkies, access to the secret corners of museums can be an addictive substance. On the few behind the scenes tours I’ve been on, the restoration areas have […]
With billions of dollars already invested in clean-energy jobs and manufacturing, the green revolution remains a work-in-progress. But while plenty of tax credits appear to be going to the right […]
In 1882, American novelist Henry James concluded that there was “nothing more to be said” about Venice, Italy. Artists of all stripes had trod and sloshed through the streets and […]
When competing for the ever-shrinking entertainment dollar in this ever-struggling economy, art museums and galleries compete to find bigger and better gimmicks to catch the public eye. In the new […]
Though a settlement has been awarded to the 9/11 search and rescue workers suffering illnesses from the toxic rubble of the World Trade Centers, there remain obstacles to the payout.
Google Maps now allows you to search for the best cycling route to your destination in over 150 American cities filtering results by route safety and the presence of cycling lanes.
The Chicago Tribune disavows Illinois’ own Ulysses S. Grant in an editorial arguing to replace the Civil War general and President’s image on the fifty dollar bill with Ronald Reagan’s.
A Federal judge has ruled that there is no causal relationship between a mercury-containing agent used in vaccines and the occurrence of autism in those who have been vaccinated.
Julie Powell, author of Julie & Julia, writes in today’s Guardian that there is a light at the end of infidelity’s dark tunnel if partners are willing to overcome societal pressures to split.
A new study shows that being overweight doubles the effect of alcohol on the liver, substantially increasing the likelihood of contracting diseases like cirrhosis.
The world’s biggest physics experiment will suffer another setback in two years time when it is expected to be shut down for repairs, pushing full operating capacity back another year.
The obstinate divide over healthcare reform is spilling into other areas of domestic policy such as immigration reform and financial regulation where Democrats are increasingly going it alone.
President Obama has delayed his visit to Asia to push for a vote on healthcare reform here at home before the Congress takes its Easter recess at the end of the month.
Secretary Clinton has warned Israel of faltering relations over its gutsy announcement to build new settlements in Jerusalem during a visit by Vice President Biden.
In the 20th century, the greatest threats to civilization arose out of ecstatic emotions, especially when they united thousands of people. The last century’s true believers rallied, wept and sang […]
This Wednesday a federal judge ruled that the congressional bill, passed last year by both houses, which barred the community organizing group ACORN from receiving federal funds amounted to a […]
This morning Big Think is pleased to present a kind of double feature: a full-length interview with CUNY theoretical physicist, futurist, and radio host Michio Kaku, and the launch of his […]
Today marks the second installment of Big Think’s new series on business sustainability, sponsored by Logica. For the next twelve Mondays (through June 8, 2010), we will release in-depth discussions […]
Itawamba Agricultural High School would rather cancel the prom than let a lesbian couple attend. More than a month ago, Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old senior at the Mississippi school, asked […]
Ferguson’s piece in the new Foreign Affairs, “Complexity and Collapse: Empires on the Edge of Chaos,” considers the question of how history moves, and whether the conventional assumptions concerning, as […]
Anti-choice zealot Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich) overplayed his hand. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced today that the House Democrats will move forward without a deal on abortion coverage. Why […]
Three months after the Copenhagen Climate Conference’s failure to reach a legally binding global emissions-reduction deal, there hasn’t been much talk of what the next step will be. But the […]
Solar panels aren’t born green. Their manufacture uses power, often generated in plants that burn coal or oil, and releases pollutants (including greenhouse gases) into the environment. The extent of […]
America was stunned yesterday by the revelations that a suburban Pennsylvania woman, aka “Jihad Jane,” was trying to join militant jihadists. But for net “vigilantes” it was old news.
Rusty McMann is the alias of a real male escort living in Las Vegas who has written his version of “Confessions of a Call Girl” to cast further light on his profession.
A new kind of brain scan has been developed which can effectively read a person’s mind, according to researchers who have been able to differentiate brain activity liked to memory.