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The newest essays, interviews, and features from Big Think.
Author Paul Theroux says that e-books seem "magical" to him, but that something is lost when we give up the "physicality" of a book.
With several relatively youthful Republican members currently serving on the Supreme Court, Mark Greenbaum argues that the age of Obama’s nominee will be a critical factor.
Stress hormones may indirectly promote the spread of cancer in the body by hurting the immune system's anti-tumor mechanisms and encouraging new blood vessels to form.
Does assassinating top terrorists really make us safer? Robert Wright looks at research suggesting that "decapitation doesn’t lower the life expectancy of the decapitated groups."
Despite the fact that cilantro is happily consumed by millions of people around the world, it inspires "a primal revulsion among an outspoken minority of eaters" who say it tastes like soap.
"Hyenas ... have been terribly misunderstood," writes Constance Casey. "The creatures may not be beautiful, but they don't deserve contempt."
Scientists now believe that the trace metal contaminants around ancient sun-like stars are "remnants of rocky, potentially water-bearing bodies that crashed into their mother stars."
A new study suggests that birds, bats, and lizards may play an important part in preserving the Earth's climate by eating insects that forage on plant life.
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Arthur Lerner-Lam has been through quakes, but never big ones. He wonders whether the "visceral feel" of a major shakeup should be a required part of every seismologist’s training.
7mins
No, earthquakes aren’t caused by global warming. But popular confusion about them provides a rare opportunity for science to conduct meaningful conversations with the public.
9mins
Both countries were struck by massive earthquakes, yet the scale of tragedy in Haiti was far worse. What happened in each case, and what lessons can be learned from the […]
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For both citizens and government, diligent preparations can make the difference between "ho-hum" and disaster.
5mins
The chances of "The Big One" hitting California in the next few decades is near 100%. The only questions are—how big, and when?
5mins
From Haiti to Chile, China to California, earthquakes have dominated recent news. Is this a pattern or a fluke? And where might the next one hit?
4mins
How the "chaotic" process of plate tectonics works, and why scientists are getting better at predicting major shakeups.
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No more pens wiggling across a piece of paper when an earthquake hits. These days, scientists are using "4-D seismology" to create a dynamic record of our volatile planet.
42mins
A conversation with the Columbia University seismologist.
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Massimo Vignelli recalls his days as a "groupie" hanging out with the greatest architects of the 20th century.
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Postmodernism was a passing fad, says the legendary designer. Modernism is "a discipline, not a style"—and is alive and well.
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When you live in the shadow of the Vatican, "ambiguity becomes very natural" in life and art.