Guest Thinkers — February 16, 2011

The ‘organization man’ is still alive and well in government

Richard Florida has a great post on his blog about how government agencies are the last bastion of ‘organizational age’ thinking and activity. This is definitely true for the state departments of education I know and much of this rings true for school districts as well.

Strange Maps

America’s news deserts are growing

Most counties in the U.S. have only one local newspaper, often one that publishes weekly instead of daily.

Two people walking past a dark brick wall with numerous security cameras pointing in various directions.

The Present

Are smart cities a wise idea?

When Google runs a smart city, who owns the data?

Illustration of a young woman with closed eyes, smiling, next to a large, detailed eye and surrounded by vibrant, abstract elements and smiley faces.

Neuropsych

Eyes wide shut: Why closing your eyes intensifies psychedelic trips

A recent study suggests that exposure to visual stimuli can diminish the effects of psychedelic drugs.

Starts With A Bang

The big idea of Grand Unified Theories of physics

If the electromagnetic and weak forces unify to make the electroweak force, maybe, at higher energies, something even grander happens?

Microscopic image of a small electronic component with clear details of its structure and connections against a gray background.

The Future

Making microbots smart

What would it take to create a truly intelligent microbot, one that can operate independently?

Up Next

Guest Thinkers

Michael Wesch dust-up

A few weeks ago I highlighted some videos made by Michael Wesch and his students at Kansas State University. If you haven’t seen them, I encourage you to do so. […]