November 2, 2012

Book Launch

For those of you who live in New York, I would like to invite you all to come out to the Overseas Press Club in Manhattan on Monday, November 12 for the book launch of The Last Refuge: Yemen, al-Qaeda and America’s War in Arabia.

It should be a fun, laid-back evening and I hope to see many of you there.

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 psychedelic trips intensify with eyes closed

Visual stimuli, like watching videos, can diminish the potentially therapeutic effects of psychedelics, recent research suggests.

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?

Four-panel collage of historical philosophers in various artistic styles, including a sculpture, a sketch, and two realistic portraits.

Thinking

4 philosophers on how to live a happy life

From Taoism to hedonism, philosophers have devised all sorts of ways to live your best life.

Up Next

Personal Growth

Why the Marathon Shouldn’t Run

Update 11/4: A few hours after I published this post, Mayor Bloomberg decided to cancel the marathon for the reason I develop below. See my analysis of Bloomberg’s surprising last-minute […]