Surprising Science — June 19, 2010

Post-Minority Report

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

“Reality is already outpacing ‘Minority Report,’ the 2002 film that imagined technology in far-off 2054: Pre-crime systems, 3D video and gesture-based computing are already here,” says The New York Times. “E-paper and computer-guided cars are not far behind,” it adds. A recent article in The Guardian says the technological forecasting that wowed movie-goers is now thought to have been “too cautious” given the pace of current technological development. Gesture based computing, iris recognition, personalized ads and 3-D video are all technologies that exist in one form or another and are currently under further development.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Multiple country flags on poles against a clear blue sky, representing international diversity and unity.

The Present

From global to planetary: Is new governance needed in a post-Holocene world?

The nation-state had a good run, but its usefulness may have come to an end.

Portrait of a smiling man in front of a background featuring chemical structures and molecular models in green and blue hues.

The Present

Inside the battle for FDA approval of MDMA therapy

MAPS founder Rick Doblin speaks to Big Think about the FDA’s rejection of MDMA therapy and the future of psychedelic treatments.

Fifteen colorful emoji faces on a textured background, each capturing different moods like joy, anger, sadness, and surprise.

Business

Heidegger’s “mood theory” explains why you do anything at all

You’re a moody person. You have to be — because understanding moods philosophically can be crucial to your work-life.

A bear attempting to catch a jumping fish near a waterfall.

Nature’s “perfect balance” is a mystery scientists are trying to decode

“While society’s been humming along and enjoying all these advances in agriculture and medicine, in the last 50 or 60 years, ecologists have learned a lot about how nature works. I’ve codified these into a set of rules called the ‘Serengeti Rules.’”

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Could SETI detect a “twin” of Earth?

Earth is actively broadcasting and actively searching for intelligent civilizations. But could our technology even detect ourselves?

Up Next

Surprising Science

The Military’s Artificial Intelligence

Miller-McCune reports that, “Using artificial intelligence and the graphics techniques behind ‘Avatar,’ a USC institute creates ‘virtual humans’ and interactive immersions that train American soldiers.”