Surprising Science — March 31, 2014

Michio Kaku Contemplates the Universe

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Working at Big Think, we’re often asked, what’s it like to interview Dr. Michio Kaku? The Big Think expert and author of The Future of the Mind is a rock star of theoretical physics. And we’re privileged to share his thoughts on everything from your brain on a laser beam to alien intelligence.

Here we share with you, dear reader, a rare glimpse of Dr. Kaku contemplating the universe:

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

An image of a cluster of galaxies, meaning science.

Starts With A Bang

10 thoughtful insights about the great cosmic unknowns

An in-depth interview with astronomer Kelsey Johnson, whose new book, Into the Unknown, explores what remains unknown about the Universe.

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Could we determine if UAPs/UFOs are aliens?

Although a great many unidentified sights have been seen in the skies, none have conclusively demonstrated the presence of aliens. So far.

a man sitting in a wheel chair next to a laptop.

High Culture

Stephen Hawking’s famous voice belonged to this pioneering MIT scientist

Dennis Klatt developed trailblazing text-to-speech systems before losing his own voice to cancer.

a black and white photo of a red square with arrows.

Thinking

The great free will debate featuring Michio Kaku and Steven Pinker

Who — or what — really controls your mind?

a burnt matchstick with a burnt matchstick sticking out of it.

The Learning Curve

Is the “marshmallow test” really a predictor of future success?

The replication crisis has debunked many of psychology’s fair-haired hypotheses, but for the marshmallow test, things have only become more interesting.

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