Guest Thinkers — December 21, 2010

Congratulations

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Congratulations are in order to a good friend – who wishes to remain nameless – who successfully defended his/her dissertation this morning, and will surely play an important if behind-the-scenes role in US-Yemeni relations.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A wooden box filled with assorted old black-and-white photographs and postcards.

Neuropsych

What makes a memory real?

Changing the narrative on false memories might be surprisingly simple.

Two Guy Fawkes masks in a pixelated, digital art style with one mask smiling and the other frowning, set against a dark background with faint green patterns.

The Future

Will AI supercharge hacking — if it hasn’t already?

Hackers are in an arms race with cyber defenders. Will AI tip the balance?

Abstract design with human profiles, a silhouette of a person walking, and text reading "The Happiness Paradox 4" on a grid background.

The Present

Why happiness is not the best indicator of well-being

Achieving values and pursuing growth is the real secret to a fulfilled life.

A vibrant, high-resolution image of a spiral galaxy with rich clusters of stars and interstellar dust, where most stars formed.

Starts With A Bang

What created more light: the Big Bang or stars?

The Universe has been creating stars for nearly all 13.8 billion years of its history. But those photons can’t match the Big Bang’s light.

Collage of scientific discovery elements including a portrait, butterfly, globe, molecular diagrams, a tree diagram, and a hand holding a test tube against a plain background.

Hard Science

Is discovery inevitable or serendipitous?

Are breakthroughs really a matter of chance, or are they simply waiting to be uncovered by the right person at the right time?

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Guest Thinkers

No April Fools For You

Or so says Shaykh ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-‘Abaykan of Saudi Arabia.