Guest Thinkers — February 16, 2011

3 days ’til The Textbook Challenge!

Scott McLeod

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

On Monday I launch The Textbook Challenge.

What’s that, you say? You’ll have to wait and see. I’m giving out prizes. Hope you’ll participate!

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

The Present

Microplastic overload: Is cutting production the only realistic way to curb pollution?

On November 25, U.N. members will meet in South Korea to cap off a series of meetings aiming to reduce global plastic pollution.

Silhouette of a person against a blue background, overlaid with white node and line networks.

Thinking

Mechanized minds: AI’s hidden impact on human thought

While we’re busy wondering whether machines will ever become conscious, we rarely stop to ask: What happens to us?

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.

A child stands defiantly holding a stone in front of a giant figure amidst a fiery landscape, embodying the spirit of the long game.

Business

How to win the long game: Fight unfair fights

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

A robotic prosthetic arm with visible internal mechanisms, wires, and a mechanical hand. Labels such as "SFU" and "BESOM" are visible on the arm casing.

The Present

The Cybathlon: Bionic athletes compete for the gold — and push assistive technologies forward

In the international competition, people with physical disabilities put state-of-the-art devices to the test as they race to complete the tasks of everyday life.

Up Next

Guest Thinkers

Should students be allowed to use cell phones on all assignments and assessments?

North Scott High School in Eldridge, Iowa is allowing students to use their cell phones for practice tests. Teachers are using PollEverywhere to assess students’ knowledge and see what course […]