Culture & Religion

It’s said that the Antebellum South better resembled feudal Europe than northern Yankeedom. Perhaps that’s why the architect who designed the Old Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge decided it […]

In the writings of Thomas Hobbes, the great 17th-century political theorist, we find a keen analysis of the danger ISIS poses to civilized life in the 21st century.

In the ancient world, creativity belonged to the divine realm: when a human exhibited creative genius, he or she was seen as favored by the Gods.

As the ALS ice bucket challenge demonstrates, being charitable now means making sure all your friends and acquaintances know you’re a caring, generous person. 

An impressively large study out of Italy confirms what many American researchers have found here at home: too much time spent on social media correlates negatively with wellbeing and happiness.

Junheng Li, Founder and Head of Research at JL Warren Capital, has a unique expert’s perspective on both Chinese and American markets. That’s because she was born and raised in Shanghai […]

Aside from simple solutions like temporary Facebook deactivations and diversifying social media platforms, teenagers are also able to hide in plain sight by leaning on abstract methods of communication.

This year marks the 133rd National Labor Day holiday in the United States. The day is meant to celebrate the labor movement of the late 19th century.

Ben Wilson is an English artist best known for his unique brand of chewing gum art. That’s what he’s up to in that photo above; Wilson paints the dried chewing […]

Data matters. It’s important to harness data to find more efficient ways to operate. But making data a higher priority than your workforce is extremely unwise.

There are six cardinal rules that can determine if your viral campaign will be successful or not: clarity, ease, immediacy, multiplicity, versatility, and the ability to make participants feel good about themselves for having taken part.

This photo was snapped by Marco Belluci in Kalabougu, Mali.  His description: Kalabougou is a village located across the Niger river from Ségou (Mali). The village is known for its […]

The concept of an Internet “troll” is puzzling, if you think about it. No non-digital troll relishes anonymity or sneakily provokes or harrasses others with snarky comments. Trolls in literature […]

In what is now known in online circles as “Black Friday,” the U.S. Department of Justice imposed a heavy crackdown on major online gambling sites on April 11, 2011. Since then, American online gamblers have gotten creative in how they bypass regulations. 

Maxims often beat maximization. Much in life isn’t quantifiable, much less numerically maximizable. It’s unwise to ignore that evolution fitted us for maxims, not math, to manage life’s complexities. 1. […]

Although Bitcoin holds an advantage in being the first and most popular cryptocurrency, other digital denominations are attempting to cut into the market.

“For over 200 years the world has been set on fire by a revolutionary message. The message is that every individual human being is divine. That all of us despite […]

This photo was snapped by Walter Callens at Gobustan (sometimes written as “Quobustan”) in Azerbaijan. His description: Settled since the 8th millennium BC, the area contains thousands of rock engravings […]

If your college-bound kid attended public high school, he/she probably didn’t receive any sort of education related to personal finance. It’s on you, as parent, to guide them toward making smart choices as an adult.

If you’re a recent college grad frustrated that the salary you needed to pay your private student loans never materialized, you have the sympathy of Daniel Altman, Big Think’s Chief […]

James Duigan, founder of the London-based Bodyism gym, says you need to tame the psychological urges to eat unhealthy before you can really take the next step. After that, focus on fresh, seasonal, and organic foods.

It’s technically a semi-rigid airship, so calling it a blimp could get you in trouble with the semantics police. What’s not in dispute is how Wingfoot One represents a major step forward in airship technology.

Transitioning into a single-earner household requires patience and an open mind. It also means taking a hard look at your family finances.

The music we listen to strongly informs our emotions and choosing the right tunes can easily alter how we interact with our surroundings: a romantic song for date night versus a get-up-and-go song for the morning commute.

The label “rational” is being used illogically. Economists (even the better behavioural kind) often misapply it, ignoring Shakespeare’s wisdom (he understood human nature better) and our evolved relational rationality. 1. […]

We all know what advice we’d give our teenage selves now, given what we’ve learned. But what advice can the teenage you provide now?

Pro tip for incoming college freshmen: many, many people are going to try and nickel and dime you over the next four years. Don’t let the student bookstore rob you blind.

Photo credit: “Bob (Contort Yourself)” / Flickr (click for higher res) “Bob’s” Flickr page features literally thousands of photos of street art and industrial/urban New York. It’s really worth getting lost […]

Begun in 1938 when Harvard University began following 268 undergraduate males, the longest longitudinal study of development in human history has been completed and the results are in. 

Sharks are natural marvels that still withhold many physiological secrets from science. Shark researchers hope unlocking these mysteries could mean advancements in ship-building, neuroscience, and the fight against cancer.