Technology & Innovation — September 13, 2010

The Face Behind Facebook

“Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in his college dorm room six years ago. Five hundred million people have joined since.” The New Yorker profiles the young Internet entrepreneur.

bigthinkeditor

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“Zuckerberg may seem like an over-sharer in the age of over-sharing. But that’s kind of the point. Zuckerberg’s business model depends on our shifting notions of privacy, revelation, and sheer self-display. The more that people are willing to put online, the more money his site can make from advertisers. Happily for him, and the prospects of his eventual fortune, his business interests align perfectly with his personal philosophy. In the bio section of his page, Zuckerberg writes simply, ‘I’m trying to make the world a more open place.'”

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A golden-brown turkey being carefully lowered into a metal pot outdoors, ready for a deep fry amidst the grassy area and wooden fence.

Starts With A Bang

What happens if you deep fry a frozen turkey?

It’s the ultimate setup for a Thanksgiving Day disaster. The physics of water and its solid, liquid, and gas phases compels us not to do it.

A green and abstract background with connected molecular diagrams and labeled sections: "Building block" and "Assembly pool," with an "Assembly index: 8.

13.8

The pre-life puzzle: Tracing the rise of complexity in a lifeless world

We need a “theory that explains the evolution of evolution,” argues theoretical physicist Sara Imari Walker.

The Present

Microplastic overload: Is cutting production the only realistic way to curb pollution?

On November 25, U.N. members will meet in South Korea to cap off a series of meetings aiming to reduce global plastic pollution.

Collage of architectural designs: a detailed stone arch with sculptures reflecting ancient architecture, an ornate geometric pattern, and a faded image of the Taj Mahal.

The Long Game

Why every long-term investor should study ancient architecture

Magnificent time-tested buildings are filled with lessons in resilience and stability — and the benefits for investment strategy can be huge.

Open book with a sketch of two toy characters on the left page and a story prompt with fill-in-the-blanks, inspired by a Pixar career hack, on the right.

Business

Use this genius Pixar hack to get your career back on track

Storytelling skills are not just for entertainment — practical exercises used by the cream of Hollywood can transform your work-life.

Up Next

Surprising Science

Solar Power and Nanotechnology

“New antenna made of carbon nanotubes could make photovoltaic cells more efficient by concentrating solar energy.” MIT News on where renewable energy and nanotechnology intersect.