In principle, they could, of course. But around bizarre star KIC 8462852? Probably not. “The fancy that extraterrestrial life is by definition of a higher order than our own is […]
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Mars used to be a warm, wet world, filled with oceans, rivers, and maybe even life. Here’s what happened. “Studying whether there’s life on Mars or studying how the universe […]
Dr. Christopher Watson explains the barriers to finding another haven for human life.
A series of mysterious white features lurk at the bottom of one of its most massive craters. Here’s what they could be, and how we’ll find out! “One of the […]
Many experts — including Big Think expert Bill Nye — argue that the greatest extent threat to human survival is an asteroid collision.
Is it possible, how would it affect us, and would we be destroyed as a result? “There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is […]
Now that New Horizons has flown by the Plutonian system, can it be considered a planet after all? “Words are the source of misunderstandings.” –Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Back in 1930, […]
The origin of life is one of the biggest open questions. Could it all have started before our planet was even born? “When you arise in the morning, think of […]
Bill Nye said the Rosetta mission would lead to amazing discoveries we hadn’t yet even thought of. He might have been more right than he imagined.
But especially for anyone who listened to your “Celebration of Creation” speech. “In science it often happens that scientists say, ‘You know that’s a really good argument; my position is […]
Millions of girls in Africa skip school because of their periods. But menstruation is still a shameful topic even in the Western world and it doesn’t attract many entrepreneurs and innovators to tackle the problems surrounding it.
Think not in terms of the bottom line, but the skyline.
Dark matter makes up the vast majority of mass in the Universe, and most of it is unknown. But not all of it. “A cosmic mystery of immense proportions, once […]
Another world orbits the Sun once a year at the same distance as our planet. “The moon was like this awesome, romantic, mysterious thing, hanging up there in the sky […]
According to relativity, there’s no universal frame of reference. But the Big Bang gave us one anyway. “The slow philosophy is not about doing everything in tortoise mode. It’s less […]
Saw “Solar System Questions” by xkcd? Here’s what science thinks it knows. “Put two ships in the open sea, without wind or tide, and, at last, they will come together. […]
Or if it were perfectly smooth, instead, could we have still had stars and galaxies by today? “First, you should check out my house. It’s, like, kinda lame, but way […]
Throwback Thursday: How Dark Matter’s #1 Competitor Died The only way out is to modify the laws of gravity, and our best observations rule those modifications out. “The discrepancy between […]
What killed the dinosaurs? Scientists have been arguing over the possibilities for years. But new evidence may muddy the waters for the popular asteroid theory.
It’s only a matter of time before another star has a close encounter with our Solar System. How long do we have? “From an incandescent mass we have originated, and […]
The futurist and entrepreneur takes an analytic approach to assessing the existential risks inherent in pursuing artificial intelligence.
It’s home to everything we’ve ever directly explored, but where did our Solar System come from? “When you look at the stars and the galaxy, you feel that you are […]
Do craters only come in isolation? These images will make you think again! “These spots have never been observed by anyone before me; and from my observations of them, often […]
Sometimes, it’s the most unexpected ingredients that give rise to the greatest results in the end. “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” –Joseph Campbell When you […]
This weekend, the Geminids arrive, and promise to be the best meteor shower of the entire year! “Men of genius are often dull and inert in society; as the blazing […]
It’s said that the extinction event was a turning point for mammals, allowing us to thrive and evolve. But this cataclysmic event wasn’t a boon for every mammal.
Bill Nye discusses the Rosetta comet landing, ruminates on the expanse of potential discoveries it could open up, and explains why this current space adventure may one day prevent a major global tragedy.
Our love of the one-time ninth planet holds the key to our drive for venturing out into the Universe. “I have announced this star as a comet, but since it […]
We’ve just landed our first-ever probe on the surface of a comet. Here’s what it means, and what we’ll learn. “I must trust that the little bit of love that […]
The possibilities were almost limitless, so why does everything line up? “Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless […]