Guest Thinkers — September 20, 2010

Newsweek Sucks Up to John Boehner

Lindsay Beyerstein

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Shorter Newsweek: A half-witted, mean spirited, quasi-functional alcoholic would be a great Speaker of the House.

[Photo credit: Alli’ Cat’, Creative Commons.]

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.

In a black and white illustration, four cartoon characters stand among poppies, set against a fantasy world backdrop. Overlaid text delves into the 19th-century currency debate, highlighting the clash between "Silverites" and "Goldbugs," merging historical intrigue with imaginative charm.

High Culture

5 beloved fantasy novels based on real history

Many beloved fantasy adventures take place in worlds that bear a striking resemblance to our own.

An older man with white hair and a suit receives a document from another man in a robe during an event, as several people look on in the background. In the age of viral misquotes, capturing such moments accurately becomes ever more crucial.

High Culture

Einstein didn’t say that: How viral misquotes evolve and replicate

From Einstein to Twain, Garson O’Toole investigates the truth behind your favorite — and often misattributed — quotes.

Overlay of hands with abstract purple and black lines in the background.

Health

The exciting research that may cure Parkinson’s

“The field is endless, but my life is limited, as are all of ours. But you do what you can with your time,” says CSO Mart Saarma.

Illustration of human evolution with silhouettes of ape to human walking against an abstract background with swirling red and white patterns.

The Past

A new spin on the “Stoned Ape Hypothesis”

The controversial theory about magic mushrooms and human evolution gets a much-needed update.

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Economist: Blame France for the Great Depression

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