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If we accept Bruce Bueno de Mesquita’s claim that remaining in power is the primary motivation of our leaders, then the political structure of a nation is the single most […]

A team of University of Michigan researchers are experimenting with 145 differently shaped nanoparticles in an attempt to create new materials that can be engineered on the smallest level. 

Scientists have successfully figured out how to merge bioengineered human tissue with a nanoelectronic monitoring system.

    Oh, the swell of hope. The hope that the bipartisanship so critical to progress might somehow arise from the post-election ashes of a rancorous and divisive national election. The […]

Far from being a science-fiction dream, “future cities” are slowly coming within the grasp of reality. An article reviews a number of different projects from around the world.

Physicists at the Israel Institute of Technology are working on a new structure that could bring the popular science fiction device to real-world situations such as the operating room. 

Arguments on both sides of this question were aired at a thought-provoking colloquium sponsored by the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College on September 21-22: “Does the President Matter? A […]

We’re simply not good at apologizing. It’s awkward at best, says Alain de Botton, and at its worst an apology could lead to “an escalation in anger.” That is why atonement is effective, as a ritual of mutual apologies. 

After raising $8.5 million on Kickstarter, developers of the Ouya console aim to revolutionize the gaming industry with apps and open sourcing.

My first book hasn’t been out for long, but I’m thinking it’s almost time to start writing the next one. I came back from my trip to the U.K. with […]

I use the term neo-patriarchy a lot, to describe the worldview that underlies many of the skirmishes in the “war on women.” The important thing is to take it seriously […]

I use the term neo-patriarchy a lot, to describe the worldview that underlies many of the skirmishes in the “war on women.” The important thing is to take it seriously […]

I use the term neo-patriarchy a lot, to describe the worldview that underlies many of the skirmishes in the “war on women.” The important thing is to take it seriously […]

I use the term neo-patriarchy a lot, to describe the worldview that underlies many of the skirmishes in the “war on women.” The important thing is to take it seriously […]

God know we would have satellites one day, so He left us a message 

In her new romantic comedy, 2 Days in New York, musician, actress, and screenwriter Julie Delpy proclaims, “You know why I don’t believe in the soul? Because the soul would […]

The most basic definition of collective intelligence is to get group of people to do something collectively that seems intelligent. A profound definition is the creation a global brain. 

Using social media to facilitate communication within corporate structures has become an essential tool for innovation, say 2,700 business executives in a new survey of Europe. 

Over 20 years ago, I got in my car and drove a short distance from Baltimore to Washington, DC to meet the person I was in love with at the […]

A Conversation with William Irwin Thompson by Michael Garfield William Irwin Thompson is a poet, philosopher, cultural historian, former MIT professor, and founder of the Lindisfarne Association – a transdisciplinary think-tank […]

What’s the Big Idea? Love your best friend? Good. Chances are you’re unconsciously emulating her. As humans, we all engage in mimicry, says Harvard physician and sociologist Nicholas Christakis, and […]

Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon can take off at a moment’s notice and escape from pursuers into space. And can land on almost any patch of ground. Why can’t we do that in 2012? The problem is the puny power of the chemical rocket.

New calculations based on the mysterious nature of dark energy suggest the Universe will end by ripping itself apart 6 billion years before the infamous heat death is expected. 

Last spring, I wrote about the Secular Coalition for America’s new executive director, Edwina Rogers, a Republican lobbyist whose selection raised more than a few eyebrows. While I had (and […]

By Chris Arkenberg “The intelligence of the city is on the streets.“ – Manu Fernandez Amidst the swirling maelstrom of technological progress so often heralded as the imminent salvation to […]

“In the decade since the Human Genome Project wrapped up, scientists have had a surprising amount of difficulty transforming genetic knowledge into medical treatments.”

A new medical device built by a Jerusalem-based company will go before the FDA soon for approval. Treatment involves wearing a helmet with strong magnets wired to electricity. 

“When I was young and bold and strong, O, right was right and wrong was wrong! My plume on high, my flag unfurled, I rode away to right the world. […]

A recent study indicates social networks such as Facebook and Twitter can effect health behaviors in humans.

Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam recently told activists that class division has become the dominant form of social difficulties in America, and that the problem is getting worse.