Guest Thinkers — December 21, 2010

Tragic News (Updated)

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Three of the kidnapped individuals have been found dead in Yemen, we are trying to get more news. The identity of who kidnapped the 9 is still unclear.

Update: al-Sahwa is reporting that nine bodies have been found.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Two hands piecing together a collage of illustrations including elements like the US Capitol dome, an American flag, a portion of the US Constitution, and an eye from a dollar bill against a blue background.

The Present

Americans don’t understand their government. They’re paying the price.

It’s a problem on both sides of the political divide.

Aerial image of a Martian landscape with rough, textured surface featuring blue and reddish-brown hues marked by undulating ridges and valleys.

Hard Science

“Follow the salt”: A new strategy for finding life on Mars

Scientists might be looking for Martian life in the wrong place.

An illustration showing a side view of a human brain with colored dots representing neurons and text excerpts in three languages in circular insets.

Neuropsych

Scientists find neurons that process language on different timescales

In the brain’s language-processing centers, some cells respond to one word, while others respond to strings of words together.

A praying mantis, a marvel of evolution, is gracefully perched on a white orchid flower against a black background.

Life

Richard Dawkins on reverse engineering evolution’s optimal beauty

Some biologists believe natural selection produces animals that are just good enough. Dawkins disagrees.

A blurred black-and-white image of an American flag, with the stars and stripes visibly distorted, subtly reflecting political polarization.

The Present

Divided we stand: The rise of political animosity

“We’re acting more like fans of a football team going to a game than a banker carefully choosing investments.”

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