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History and Society
Large, massive, rotating galaxies like the Milky Way are common today. So how could one form a mere ~2 billion years after the Big Bang?
Harmony and moderation make for a happier life.
Science writer Matt Ridley joins us to discuss how “Darwin’s strangest idea” makes us all a bit feather-brained (in a good way).
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
For centuries, even after we knew the Sun was a star like any other, we still didn't know what it was made of. Cecilia Payne changed that.
The latest from Peter Leyden's "The Great Progression: 2025 to 2050", an essay series published by Freethink.
In his book, "Birds, Sex and Beauty," Matt Ridley explores why learning isn't always nature versus nurture.
Someday, we'll look back and see a young galaxy forming stars for the first time. JADES-GS-z14-0, the farthest ever, isn't early enough.
Tech expert Peter Leyden argues that we have a historic opportunity to harness AI and other transformative technologies in order to make a much better world over the next 25 years.
7mins
She was searching for perfection - until she discovered what she truly needed by letting go of what didn’t fit.
Unlikely Collaborators
All scientific theories are limited in scope, power, and application, being mere approximations of reality. That's why consensus is vital.
The history of catastrophe shows that true resilience comes not from restoration, but from reinvention.
Some nebulae emit their own light, some reflect the light from stars around them, and some only absorb light. But that's just the beginning.
When we see spiral galaxies, some are face-on, others are edge-on, but most are tipped at an angle. But which side is closest to us?
Barnard's star, the closest singlet star system to ours, has long been a target for planet-hunters. We've finally confirmed it: they exist!
Back in 1970, Sister Mary Jucunda wrote NASA, decrying large investments in science. A former Nazi's legendary response is still relevant.
Just 165,000 light-years away, the Large Magellanic Cloud is suspected to house a supermassive black hole. At last, evidence has arrived.
There are some 26 fundamental constants in nature, and their values enable our Universe to exist as it does. But where do they come from?
By weaponizing the global economy, the U.S. initiated a new era of economic warfare and transformed how major powers compete.
Under extreme conditions, matter takes on properties that lead to remarkable, novel possibilities. Topological superconductors included.
7mins
The New York Times bestselling author and founder of Going With Grace shares how close confrontations with death inspired her to change her life.
Unlikely Collaborators
A new bill introduced into the US Senate claims to make us safer. Instead, it would destroy all virology research, and for no real cause.
A study on the “moral circles” of liberals and conservatives gets drafted into the culture wars — with mixed results.
Whether we should tear down philosophy’s Berlin Wall and let East and West finally merge depends entirely on what we think philosophy is—and what it’s for.
While death-bed utterances are more famous, baby’s first words have influenced us too.
We've wasted our time and resources ideologically policing and punishing each other for far too long. Here's a better route to prosperity.
The full extent of the Andromeda galaxy, the nearest large galaxy to our own, has been entirely imaged with Hubble's exquisite cameras.
The more you know, the better you can act.
6mins
She’s a fierce competitor on the ice. But the figure skater’s toughest battle has been accepting her shortcomings and learning to love herself.
Unlikely Collaborators
From acclaimed novels to heretical treatises, sometimes a writer just doesn't want to put their name on the cover.