Surprising Science — January 29, 2011

How “Disgusting” Became Luxury

Bird droppings, snail slime, excreted coffee beans—there’s no substance so vile that it can’t be a must-have product. The Independent explores a world of very gross profits.

bigthinkeditor

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

News of it has only just reached the West, but bird poo facials have been big in Japan for several years. It’s not just any old bird poo: the pricey stuff is the excrement of nightingales from the island of Kyushu; it is said to have an enzyme that breaks down all the dead skin on the user’s epidermis. Just ask Victoria Beckham, whose dewy complexion is reportedly down to the songbird’s guano—dried, mixed with rice bran and faeces and applied as a face mask in selected high-end spas.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Illustration of a person standing on a ladder inside a large head with a maze-like brain exposed, symbolizing introspection or exploration of the mind.

Neuropsych

Is teaching psychology a waste of time?

When appraising human behavior, people tend to forgo the lessons of psychology in favor of assumption and anecdote.

A red number 5 with orange flames extending from the left on a dark background, symbolizing the fiery drive to improve company culture.

Business

5 ways to rapidly improve your company culture

Don’t become one of those organizations that slouches toward positive behavioral change — here’s how to move fast.

Starts With A Bang

Have we found a galactic “twin” of the Milky Way?

Our galactic home in the cosmos — the Milky Way — is only one of trillions of galaxies within our Universe. Is one of them truly our “twin?”

Industrial landscape featuring large smokestacks and various structures of an oil refinery, some incorporating cutting-edge carbon removal technology, set under a cloudy sky.

The Present

Not all forms of carbon removal are created equal

The carbon market and offsetting system have created “carbon cowboys” and perpetuated forms of neo-colonialism and other inequities.

The letters "AI" appear with a glitch effect in multicolored pixels against a black background.

The Present

AI skeptic Gary Marcus on AI’s moral and technical shortcomings

The cognitive scientist argues the current AI environment is failing us as consumers and a society. But it’s not too late to change course.

Up Next

Surprising Science

Eating Poorly Causes Depression

Eating food containing trans fats and saturated fats could contribute to depression, scientists reported Wednesday. Spanish researches followed 12,059 people over six years.