Culture & Religion — August 11, 2009

Glued to the TV at 3:30PM? You Have Company.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

The New York Times recently presented an eye-opening graph derived from the American Time Use Survey. This unique project seeks to map out what Americans are doing every day, broken down minute-by-minute. The results reflect our under-employed age. At 3:30 PM, 13% of Americans are watching TV and movies – 27% are working. No word yet on what percentage are reading the Big Think blog. Check out the link for more.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Arms burdened with a large stack of papers, folders, and rolled-up documents, a person exemplifies toxic productivity. Their black bag hangs precariously from their arm as they navigate the weight of their workload.

The Learning Curve

How to break free from your “toxic productivity” cycle

Psychotherapist Israa Nasir explains how a “value-aligned life” can help us crush our goals — without being crushed by the need to accomplish more.

An older man sits on a chair with his finger raised. Behind him are a tangled line and a spiral, both against a green backdrop.

Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman: Why emotional intelligence may be the number one indicator of organizational success

Today’s technology presents unique challenges for social awareness and relationship management at work, making emotional intelligence all the more critical.

People walking on a city street with steam rising from vents create a scene reminiscent of an omics exposome research study. A woman in a white beanie looks back as buildings and traffic form the vibrant backdrop.

Health

The next omics? Tracking a lifetime of exposures to better understand disease

Of the millions of substances people encounter daily, health researchers have focused on only a few hundred. Those in the emerging field of exposomics want to change that.

An older man with white hair and a suit receives a document from another man in a robe during an event, as several people look on in the background. In the age of viral misquotes, capturing such moments accurately becomes ever more crucial.

High Culture

Einstein didn’t say that: How viral misquotes evolve and replicate

From Einstein to Twain, Garson O’Toole investigates the truth behind your favorite — and often misattributed — quotes.

Map showing tidal ranges in northern Europe. Notable locations include Severn Estuary, Mont Saint Michel Bay, and Gibraltar. Depths indicated in meters and feet.

Strange Maps

Hell or high water: The wonders and dangers of Earth’s tidal ranges

Great tidal ranges are relatively rare on a global scale — and can be very deadly to the unsuspecting foreshore walker.

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