Guest Thinkers — December 21, 2010

Open Thread- July 7th

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Bad timing with schedules today, as we are both, for various reasons, going to be away from computers, at least sporadically. With that in mind, we invite our readers to participate in an open thread here. Please use the comment section to send each other links, provide analysis, thoughts, conjectures, predictions- whatever you feel like. This is a big day, and the more eyes on it the better. Thanks.

The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

A man sits with his head resting on his hand, surrounded by crossed-out words like "nonsense," "babble," and "rubbish" in red text.

The Learning Curve

Stephen King’s most misused piece of writing advice

A thesaurus isn’t for finding fancy words; it’s a resource to help you keep your rhythm.

Colorful abstract depiction of a human silhouette surrounded by layered, radiant patterns in various colors against a textured background.

The Past

The long history of the human aura

From religious iconography to modern mysticism, the human aura has been a subject of fascination across centuries and cultures.

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Couldn’t COVID-19 have originated in a Chinese lab?

In theory, scientists could’ve produced a deadly virus that accidentally infected lab workers. In practice, we know that didn’t happen.

Collage of a snarling wolf, a stock market graph, and abstract shapes, overlaid with the bold text "The Night Crawler" hints at de-extinction possibilities.

Business

The paradox of survival: Learning to live from the extinct

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

People in early 20th-century attire gather outside a building, as an intriguing green geometric pattern overlays the scene. This blend of classic and modern elements evokes the innovative spirit of AI art.

High Culture

The cinematograph, the “noematograph,” and the future of AI art

Hugo-winning author Ken Liu explores what early cinema and Chinese poetry can teach us about AI’s potential as a new artistic medium.

Up Next

Guest Thinkers

Why sending Guantanamo’s Yemenis to Saudi Won’t Work

One of the major challenges frustrating efforts to close Guantanamo is what to do with the nearly 100 Yemenis still in detention.The US is reluctant to release them back to […]