December 18, 2013

China’s Chang’e-3 Lunar Probe Lands on Moon

Chinese state television released this video of the Chang'e-3 space probe landing on the Moon, the first soft-landing in three decades.

bigthinkeditor

Chinese state television released this video of the Chang’e-3 space probe landing on the Moon, the first soft-landing in three decades.

Watch the landing here:

Two people walking past a dark brick wall with numerous security cameras pointing in various directions.

The Present

Are smart cities a wise idea?

When Google runs a smart city, who owns the data?

Illustration of a young woman with closed eyes, smiling, next to a large, detailed eye and surrounded by vibrant, abstract elements and smiley faces.

Neuropsych

Eyes wide shut: Why psychedelic trips intensify with eyes closed

Visual stimuli, like watching videos, can diminish the potentially therapeutic effects of psychedelics, recent research suggests.

Starts With A Bang

The big idea of Grand Unified Theories of physics

If the electromagnetic and weak forces unify to make the electroweak force, maybe, at higher energies, something even grander happens?

Microscopic image of a small electronic component with clear details of its structure and connections against a gray background.

The Future

Making microbots smart

What would it take to create a truly intelligent microbot, one that can operate independently?

Four-panel collage of historical philosophers in various artistic styles, including a sculpture, a sketch, and two realistic portraits.

Thinking

4 philosophers on how to live a happy life

From Taoism to hedonism, philosophers have devised all sorts of ways to live your best life.

Up Next

Exploring the Life of the Mind in the Virtual Afterlife

The idea of uploading your brain to the Internet has been proposed by the likes of Stephen Hawking and Ray Kurzweil. According to Michael Graziano, the question is not if, but when, and what then?