January 21, 2014

Micro Moon over Super Moon

The apparent size of this Full Moon is compared to the last Full Super Moon (from last June), which was when the Moon was at its closest point in its orbit.

bigthinkeditor

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

The smallest Full Moon of 2014 reached its full phase just a few hours from lunar apogee, or its most distant point from Earth in the Moon’s orbit. This happened last week. The apparent size of this Full Moon is compared to the last Full Super Moon (from last June), which was when the Moon was at its closest point in its orbit.

Image Credit: Stefano Sciarpetti

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A statue of a thoughtful, seated philosopher on the right seems to be contemplating a calling, while a standing figure holding a lyre on the left adds harmony against the textured background.

Thinking

Everyday Philosophy: Can you have a “calling” without a caller?

If you’re an atheist with a vocation, who laid that path for you?

Close-up image of a human iris featuring vibrant blue and yellow hues with a dark pupil in the center.

The mystery at the heart of consciousness

“Is it possible that consciousness is a much more basic phenomenon in nature and is essentially pervading everything?”

▸

10 min

—

with

Annaka Harris

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Does the CMB really “prove” the Big Bang?

Since the mid-1960s, the CMB has been identified with the Big Bang’s leftover glow. Could any alternative explanations still work?

A wasp illustration in blue on grid paper is overlaid on a close-up image of effervescent bubbles in a golden alcoholic liquid.

Health

The first known animal that’s “immune” to alcohol intoxication

Could studying the Oriental hornet lead to a treatment for people with alcohol use disorder?

Collage showcasing a stratospheric balloon soaring over Earth and a close-up of fingers, with "The Nightcrawler" emblazoned at the top, capturing the spirit of a creative renaissance.

Business

How AI is ushering in a creative renaissance

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

Up Next

Researchers Say Facebook Will Die Off Like an ‘Infectious Disease’

Facebook has the same properties as an infectious disease. It has spread infectiously and will die off in a manner that is consistent with epidemiological models.