The explosive growth of the micro-blogging service’s global popularity is emblematic of a trend affecting the entire internet: it’s becoming less American, and less Anglophone.
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Iran–with apparent help from Soviet, Pakistani and North Korean experts–is near to nuclear capability, according to a bombshell report by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Thailand is paying a price for rapid urbanization, which is one key reason floods are so badly affecting slowly sinking Bangkok. Should it move the entire city, as some experts advise?
Ah retirement…you know the vision – vistas of long beaches, fairways, sunsets with umbrella drinks. Baloney. This imagery worked as an ideal for those who thought they might retire early […]
Craig Robinson, a conservative blogger who runs The Iowa Republican, didn’t mince words last week, calling Herman Cain a liar who is not willing to take responsibility for his actions. […]
Big Think’s Chief Economist Daniel Altman examines the origins of the Euro Zone and some of the inherent challenges it faces.
You’ve probably had this experience thousands of times. You’re Googling, and you start typing in a question. Google, like a jittery, over-zealous waiter, fills in the blank for you. Google […]
Today’s protesters are asking for little: a fairer economy and society. But, on another level, they are asking for a great deal: a democracy where people, not dollars, matter.
Relations between longtime foes Pakistan and India are thawing. Recent progress on trade normalization was welcomed in Washington as a step toward stability in South Asia.
Europe enjoyed a common currency regime 2000 years ago and the old Roman empire could teach us a thing or two about the euro and its flaws today.
The professional debater William Lane Craig has been putting on a great show of offense lately that Richard Dawkins won’t debate him, complete with silly stunts like leaving an empty […]
Descartes’ dualism argued that the mind was entirely distinct from the body. More recently, the computational theory of the mind said it was a rational computer. Neither is accurate.
So far we’ve concluded, following Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, that most of what we call higher education is really technical education. It’s the acquisition of indispensable skills for […]
When does the American spirit of endless self-improvement come at the expense of self-acceptance? Perfection is the enemy of good and can cause stress and dissatisfaction.
Brain-machine interfaces have already allowed primates to manipulate virtual objects with virtual arms. The technology could ultimately benefit the paralyzed, allowing them to walk.
“Americans are happier when national wealth is distributed more evenly than when it is distributed unevenly,” says a recent study examining current and past wealth inequality.
Two simple pieces of brain-training software have successfully been used to stave off depression before it starts by showing individuals how to recognize positive mental states.
In our time of confined specialization, it’s hard to comprehend the multimedia talents of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, whose poetry and painting helped shape the Victorian Age into the paradox-laden, hot […]
Like the Beatles discography or the screenplay for Casablanca, the King James Bible is a rare instance of true collaborative genius.
New research from the Mayo Clinic sheds light on the aging process and suggests that by removing old cells that can no longer divide, age-related disease can be slowed or stopped.
Religious groups in the Netherlands have opposed a call from the Royal Dutch Medical Association to discourage male circumcision on grounds that it is dangerous and unnecessary.
Global emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide shot up in 2010. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that carbon dioxide emissions grew globally by 564 million tons, which is […]
Here’s a statement that I’m getting really tired of hearing: “We didn’t have computers when I was in school and I turned out okay. There’s no reason why kids today […]
Our genes may have a lot to do with the way we look and behave, but they certainly don’t dictate our destiny. That’s true when it comes to our weight too, say researchers.
The breadfruit is football-sized prickly fruit full of nutrients and energy. It grows on one of the world’s highest-yielding trees and backers say it could help alleviate world hunger.
A virtual nurse designed to deal with hospital overflow is a hit with patients. They report preferring the virtual nurse to a live doctor because they do not feel rushed or talked down to.
On my old site, I had regular link roundups for all the stories I saw that interested me, but that I didn’t have the time to write about at greater […]
Amid growing fears of a government collapse in Athens, Prime Minister Papandreou scrapped plans for a bailout referendum but, referencing European unity, has refused to step down.
Silicon Valley venture capitalist and billionaire Jim Breyer says that, while the U.S. is still king, China is a great place for V.C.s who want a big return on technology investments.
You listen in on a conversation among your conservative friends. “You know what I HATE,” says Rick. “I hate the government telling me what to do. I hate them […]