Words of Wisdom — March 19, 2014

Galileo on the Sun

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

“The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.” – Galileo

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

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.

Silhouette of a person against a blue background, overlaid with white node and line networks.

Thinking

Mechanized minds: AI’s hidden impact on human thought

While we’re busy wondering whether machines will ever become conscious, we rarely stop to ask: What happens to us?

Grayscale image showing a flying object captured on radar screen with various data markings.

13.8

New UFO hearings continue an “endless loop” of sensation

Astronomer Adam Frank asks: With so many extraordinary claims, why can’t anybody produce the proof?

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: How do scientists color the Universe?

When we see pictures from Hubble or JWST, they show the Universe in a series of brilliant colors. But what do those colors really tell us?

A Rubik's cube with a red X floats in space, next to a planet and moon—each marked with green checkmarks—that boast their perfect round shape.

Starts With A Bang

Is “round” the only allowable shape for planets?

All the stars, stellar corpses, planets, and other large, massive objects take on spherical or spheroidal shapes. Why is that universal?

Up Next

Taking Your Next Step (Part 3 of 3): Take Action

Guest post by Kevin Flora (Cross post from kevinflora.com) Okay, so you have evaluated and worked on changing your personal learning network from the first part of this series. You […]