bigthinkeditor

“David Simon, the creator TV hit ‘The Wire’, has it in writing from as unimpeachable a source as you could think of: he is a genius.” And he gets $500,000 for it.
Condemned by cyperspace for unmasking a civil servant blogger, ‘The Australian’ newspaper defends itself: It was a good story and he deserved no special treatment.
“You spot them pretty quickly… Put 15 people in a room and the chances are that there will be two of them. Thirteen will make the effort. The other two will be bigots and proud of it.”
“Canadians have a reprehensible habit of making fun of just about everything,” says novelist Margaret Atwood. In her Big Think interview, she tries to explain Canadian humor, asking us, “What […]
Our memory peaks at the age of 30, and then it declines gradually with time. But if we train our brains to stay more active and focused, they can remain healthier longer.
“A massive new project to scan the brains of 1,200 volunteers could finally give scientists a picture of the neural architecture of the human brain.”
“My suspicion is that most of us would be quite surprised by the things our grandchildren will condemn us for.” The Economist’s Democracy in America blog on moral progress.
“More polling evidence is in: Californians support Proposition 19, the statewide ballot initiative to legalize marijuana.” The Atlantic’s Chris Good on the prospect of legalization.
A new book by a practicing physician details the extent to which pharmaceutical companies determine what the public sees as the medical profession in action.
“The 400 richest Americans are worth almost $1.4 trillion, while record numbers join the poverty rolls and Democrats punt the tax-cut vote.” Robert Reich on wealth disparity.
“European Union officials are furious with a new US fee mandatory for most travelers from Europe. The EU is now considering introducing a similar fee for American travelers.”
“Although we currently assume that the only way to improve is to constantly practice, research demonstrates that we can also improve through mere exposure.”
“When it comes to the big questions, why should we have to either deny God or believe? Surely good science doesn’t so restrict us.” The New Scientist’s David Eagleman explains.
“So-called geothermal power has been around for more than a century. What will it take to heat up this energy source?” Scientific American on the promising power source.
“A federal law is needed to cover threats against free-speech rights. Across media and geographies, Islamic extremists are increasingly using intimidation to stifle free expression.”
As the world grows more interconnected, support for developing countries should be an even bigger concern, says former Irish President Mary Robinson. A failed state like Somalia, which lacks any […]
Did Harvard Business School contribute to the financial crisis that stunned the world for the past few years? Former dean Jay Light says it’s possible that HBS—and business schools generally—may […]
“For decades, it has been obvious that development aid as a rule achieves exactly the opposite of that which is desired.” Spiegel on the Millennium Development Goals.
“The United Nations has appointed Earth’s ambassador should aliens touch down in the near future. Their selection? Malaysian astrophysicist Mazlan Othman.”
Surprising conclusions from the social sciences: the benefits of keeping the minimum wage low, eye-witness gullibility, why pain is good and what bedroom furniture says about evolution.
“The platforms of social media are built around weak ties. Twitter is a way of following (or being followed by) people you may never have met.”
“Forget wind power or conventional solar power, the world’s energy needs could be met 100 billion times over using a satellite to harness the solar wind and beam the energy to Earth.”
Columbia professor of philosophy Akeel Bilgrami asks why we read literature when it contains information more readily found in non-fiction journals. The answer is in the medium’s pathos.
“Experiments on a blind man who can ‘see’ to avoid obstacles could have huge implications for the visually impaired.” The Independent reports on neurological research.
A new survey from the Mayo Clinic finds nearly half of its medical students engage in unprofessional practice and most have no opinion on pharmaceutical company policies.
“Among the winners: computer screens that can bend, adjustable eyeglasses, a low-cost genetic test, an online marketplace for receivables and a new way to battle malware.”
“An ABC News/Yahoo News poll revealed that today, only half of us think the American dream—which the pollsters defined as ‘if you work hard you’ll get ahead’—still holds true.”
When Dr. Francis Collins was nominated by President Obama to be director of the National Institutes of Health in the summer of 2009, there was little dissent in Congress. One […]
“In sending troops into Somalia, the Ugandan president is doing Washington’s bidding and endangering his country.” England’s The Guardian assesses U.S. foreign policy.
“Playing hours of video games won’t necessarily turn your brain to mush. In fact, playing action video games rewires how the brain steers hand-eye coordination.”