Guest Thinkers — February 16, 2011

Slide – The 21st century is here

Scott McLeod

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Mini Philosophy

Lessons from the Roman Empire about the danger of luxury

Are we enslaved by the finer things in life?

Starts With A Bang

The 6 strongest materials on Earth are harder than diamonds

For millennia, diamonds were the hardest known material, but they only rank at #7 on the current list. Can you guess which material is #1?

An astronaut stands proudly on the moon's surface near scientific equipment and a lunar lander, as the American flag waves in the background, symbolizing a pioneering USA nation.

Starts With A Bang

Science’s value, unlike NASA, cannot be destroyed by politics

After drastic cuts to the NIH, the FDA, the NSF, and the DOE, NASA science faces down its smallest budget ever. All of society will suffer.

The spiral galaxy, surrounded by dim stars and interstellar dust, stands out against a dark background, shining brighter than astronomers once imagined.

Starts With A Bang

The sky is brighter than astronomers imagined

The most famous Hubble images show glittering stars and galaxies amidst the black backdrop of space. But more was captured than we realized.

Map highlighting an area in Europe, centered on the Netherlands and surrounding countries, with a red overlay labeled "PDF.

Strange Maps

The world’s largest PDF is bigger than the Universe

Common knowledge says the maximum size of a PDF is as big as 40% of Germany — but that’s a gross underestimate.

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