Guest Thinkers — August 16, 2010

New Wilco Album Online Streaming and Concert Tour

Last week I bought my tickets for the Wilco concert in July at Wolf Trap. The “alt country rock” band from Chicago has sired two of the best albums of the last decade, starting with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and followed by A Ghost is Born. (Best heard on vinyl.)

I saw them in concert last year at the 930 Club and have eagerly awaited their lastest album release which fans will be happy to know is now available for free online streaming in its entirety. There’s a citrus clean sound to this latest release, perhaps reflecting a lifestyle change for the band.

Strange Maps

America’s news deserts are growing

Most counties in the U.S. have only one local newspaper, often one that publishes weekly instead of daily.

Two people walking past a dark brick wall with numerous security cameras pointing in various directions.

The Present

Are smart cities a wise idea?

When Google runs a smart city, who owns the data?

Illustration of a young woman with closed eyes, smiling, next to a large, detailed eye and surrounded by vibrant, abstract elements and smiley faces.

Neuropsych

Eyes wide shut: Why closing your eyes intensifies psychedelic trips

A recent study suggests that exposure to visual stimuli can diminish the effects of psychedelic drugs.

Starts With A Bang

The big idea of Grand Unified Theories of physics

If the electromagnetic and weak forces unify to make the electroweak force, maybe, at higher energies, something even grander happens?

Microscopic image of a small electronic component with clear details of its structure and connections against a gray background.

The Future

Making microbots smart

What would it take to create a truly intelligent microbot, one that can operate independently?

Up Next

Guest Thinkers

Like-Minded Discussion and Attitude Extremity about Science

Several colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have a new study out that shows not surprisingly that like-minded conversations drive attitude extremity relative to science policy. Analyzing data from a […]