Guest Thinkers — June 20, 2011

The Twisted Logic of the John Edwards Prosecution

Lindsay Beyerstein

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

If the prosecution of John Edwards for campaign finance violations were to succeed, it would set a bizarre precedent.

[Photo credit: IowaPolitics.com, Creative Commons.]

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Black and white sketch of a bald man with a long beard, wearing a suit and bow tie, looking to his left.

Starts With A Bang

The cosmic redemption of astronomer John Couch Adams

Adams was infamously scooped when Neptune was discovered in 1846. His failure wasn’t the end, but a prelude to a world-changing discovery.

Ancient stone structure with stairs under a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by vegetation.

The Past

A beginner’s guide to sociopolitical collapse

How (not) to end up in the ash heap of history.

Charles bridge in prague, czech republic.

Neuropsych

An untold story of LSD psychotherapy in communist Czechoslovakia

Uncovering the story of Milan Hausner, the Sadská clinic, and LSD psychotherapy behind the Iron Curtain.

A man in a suit standing next to a display of batteries showing signs of "nobel disease.

The Past

Nobel disease: Why some of the world’s greatest scientists eventually go crazy

It is easy to mock Nobel Laureates who go astray, but eccentricity often accompanies brilliance. We should have some sympathy.

The Past

How the crusades spawned the world’s first financial services company

The Knights Templar were not only skilled fighters, but also clever bankers who played a crucial role in the development of Europe’s financial systems.

Up Next

Guest Thinkers

Koi Assisted Birth

Waterbirths are so passe. Today’s elite stunt-birther wants the obstetrical equivalent of a fish pedicure, a koi assisted birth. From the FAQ: Why koi? Koi, or 錦鯉, are ornamental varieties […]