Search
bigthinkeditor
Read Less
"The Indian government says its prototype tablet computer will cost only $35, but past attempts at building inexpensive PCs have fallen short."
"As an antiterror measure, the U.S. government has deployed mobile X-ray technology to randomly scan cars and trucks. But the measure is riling privacy proponents."
"After years of saying habitable exoplanets are just around the corner, planet hunters have found Gliese 581g, the first planet found to lie squarely in its star’s habitable zone."
Steve Dahl makes the case for checking the veracity of political ads. "Don't count on the broadcasters...I have never seen them come down on the side of truth over money."
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the publication of 'Montaillou', a book in the French literary tradition that treats laziness with the gravity and intelligence it deserves.
We can't be sure that the events in our memories really happened the way we recall. We all add and alter details. The only sure way is to write them down while still fresh.
It is an ongoing myth you need to write short, pithy posts. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you wish to tell deeper stories, do it, says Adam Singer.
Exterminating wolves from Yellowstone de-watered the land. Their reintroduction has reshaped an entire ecosystem and shown how large predators regulate their ecosystems.
Across Europe, right-wing populist parties are enjoying significant popular support. They are exploiting fear of Muslim immigration and frustration with the political establishment.
"To fix the U.S.-China trade imbalance, new initiatives are needed to encourage Americans to save more and Chinese to spend more."
"David Simon, the creator TV hit 'The Wire', has it in writing from as unimpeachable a source as you could think of: he is a genius." And he gets $500,000 for it.
Condemned by cyperspace for unmasking a civil servant blogger, 'The Australian' newspaper defends itself: It was a good story and he deserved no special treatment.
"You spot them pretty quickly... Put 15 people in a room and the chances are that there will be two of them. Thirteen will make the effort. The other two will be bigots and proud of it."
“Canadians have a reprehensible habit of making fun of just about everything,” says novelist Margaret Atwood. In her Big Think interview, she tries to explain Canadian humor, asking us, “What […]
Our memory peaks at the age of 30, and then it declines gradually with time. But if we train our brains to stay more active and focused, they can remain healthier longer.
"A massive new project to scan the brains of 1,200 volunteers could finally give scientists a picture of the neural architecture of the human brain."
"My suspicion is that most of us would be quite surprised by the things our grandchildren will condemn us for." The Economist's Democracy in America blog on moral progress.
"More polling evidence is in: Californians support Proposition 19, the statewide ballot initiative to legalize marijuana." The Atlantic's Chris Good on the prospect of legalization.
A new book by a practicing physician details the extent to which pharmaceutical companies determine what the public sees as the medical profession in action.
"The 400 richest Americans are worth almost $1.4 trillion, while record numbers join the poverty rolls and Democrats punt the tax-cut vote." Robert Reich on wealth disparity.