Guest Thinkers — July 28, 2011

Above and beyond [VIDEO]

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills and Fablevision have just released a short animated film, Above and Beyond, that emphasizes the value of the 4 Cs: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. There’s also an accompanying downloadable poster.

Happy viewing!

a black and white photo of two men laying on a dock.

Neuropsych

The 5-step “military method” for falling asleep in minutes

You’ll be able to sleep through a war.

a painting of a man standing next to a tree.

The Well

Eastern philosophy says there is no “self.” Science agrees

“Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 percent of everything you think, and of everything you do, is for yourself — and there isn’t one.”

a drawing of a man standing next to a painting of a woman.

The Future

To fear AI is to fear Newton and Einstein. There are no “dragons” here.

Who’s afraid of utopia? AI doubters have cold feet. History can warm them.

a painting of a woman laying on a couch.

The Learning Curve

Why the pursuit of happiness leads to misery — and what to do about it

Impossible standards and poor self-understanding are making us miserable.

a close up of the sun with a black background.

Hard Science

The Carrington event of 1859 disrupted telegraph lines. A “Miyake event” would be far worse

We don’t know what causes Miyake events, but these great surges of energy can help us understand the past — while posing a threat to our future.

Up Next

Technology & Innovation

3-D Printing Quickly Becoming Reality

The three-dimensional printing now used for rapid prototyping could soon bring massive changes not just to the manufacturing sector but also to our homes.