Politics & Current Affairs — February 7, 2012

Individual Liberty Defined

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A cracked egg under pressure supports a large blue rock, surrounded by a cheering crowd in black and white.

Why defining “pressure” can help you de-stress like an elite athlete

Professional sport is a hotbed of “performance anxiety” — and to start managing pressure in all settings, we need to properly define it.

Open book showing a goldfish on the left page set against a black background and a colorful circular pattern on the right page, symbolizing the vibrancy of company culture. The book lies flat on a neutral surface.

Business

Company culture can be hard to define: Here’s a framework

The multifaceted nature of company culture is what makes it so challenging — this guide will help you make sense of the complexity.

Illustration of Frankenstein's monster in a dramatic pose, set against a red background with abstract shapes.

The Well

How do scientists measure—and define—life?

How do scientists measure and define life in the natural world? Dr. Lee Cronin gives us a definition, in 4 minutes:

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4 min

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with

Lee Cronin

A collage featuring a detailed hand drawing, a scientific diagram of a circular interconnected pattern, and a black and white diagram resembling a microorganism on a blue background.

Life

“Life does not exist”: The deceptively tricky task of defining life

“What modern science has taught us is that life is not a property of matter.”

13.8

A new model for defining life across the Universe

Physicists have increasingly begun to view life as information-processing “states of matter” that require special consideration.

Up Next

Floating University

Paul Ryan, Individual Liberty, and the Fate of Medicare

Just as Mitt Romney appears to be wrapping up the Republican nomination for the presidency, congressional Republicans are taking steps to set up their own political framework for the 2012 […]