Surprising Science — October 21, 2009

Darwin and Dawkins

The irrepressible Richard Dawkins visited Big Think today and spoke about genes, God (or the lack thereof), evolution, and great unanswered questions in his field from how consciousness evolved to why we have sex. He also shared his imitation of cricket songs, from an aborted research project earlier in his career.

A samsung galaxy watch is displayed on a display.

Health

Devices that could change how we measure blood pressure

Embedded in a cell phone or in accessories such as rings, bracelets or watches, the novel tools aim to make it easier to manage hypertension. But they must still pass several tests before hitting the clinic.

Life

Humans may be the most powerful evolutionary force on Earth

Without even realizing it, we’ve actually become pretty god-like in our powers.

An image of a DNA strand illuminated by the sun.

Health

Genome editing reverses autistic behaviors in mice

The study is a solid step toward developing gene therapies against neurodevelopmental disorders.

A close up of a jellyfish on a black background.

Life

Jellyfish surprise scientists by learning without a brain

Lab experiments showed Caribbean box jellyfish are quick studies of their environment.

A group of people sitting at a table in a brave space, working on their laptops.

Business

Co-creation in hyperdrive: Why a “brave space” should be your new skunk works

Take it from teamwork gurus behind Apple and Star Wars — a new kind of psychological incubator will allow your creativity to flourish.

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