Guest Thinkers — December 21, 2010

More Self Promotion

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

I feel like this blog is now essentially serving as a PR agent. But here is a new column that pretty much is a basic overview of what we’ve been saying here. I also think the picture attached makes me look like a younger Christopher Hitchens. I am not totally sure how I feel about that.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

In the depths of space, a spiral galaxy twists like a cosmic Kraken, its bright core and distinct arms encircled by a sea of stars against the dark expanse.

Starts With A Bang

Devouring “the Kraken” led to the modern Milky Way

Did the Milky Way form by slowly accreting matter or by devouring its neighboring galaxies? At last, we’re uncovering our own history.

The letters "AI" appear with a glitch effect in multicolored pixels against a black background.

The Present

AI skeptic Gary Marcus on AI’s moral and technical shortcomings

The cognitive scientist argues the current AI environment is failing us as consumers and a society. But it’s not too late to change course.

An abstract illustration features a bell curve with red dots and a percentage labeled 49%. The background includes a monochrome portion of a face with wide-open eyes peeking below the curve.

Thinking

Everyday Philosophy: Bad at probability? That might be a blessing.

How black and white is your thinking?

Starts With A Bang

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh: one gift was made in a neutron star

When three wise men gifted baby Jesus with gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they had no idea one was made from colliding neutron stars.

A person in a red shirt stands next to "Waves in an Impossible Sea," the 2024 science book by Matt Strassler. The background displays a blurred bookshelf.

Starts With A Bang

“Waves in an Impossible Sea”: The 2024 science book of the year

Matt Strassler’s journey into fundamental physics culminates in a brilliant explanation of the Higgs field. Enjoy this exclusive interview.

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Guest Thinkers

Washington Post follows suit

The Washington Post follows the New York Times’ report last week on the potential for Yemenis in Guantanamo to head to Saudi with one of its own. Since there is […]