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Monty Python’s Terry Jones argues that economics isn’t a science—it’s history! Forgetting that history inevitably dooms us to the next financial crisis.
Apple and the FBI sat before the House Judiciary Committee. The group heard testimonies from both sides about the issue, including the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation James Comey and Apple's Senior Vice President and General Counsel Bruce Sewell.
If we came along too soon, would we ever have discovered dark energy? “Even if I stumble on to the absolute truth of any aspect of the universe, I will not […]
3mins
Passion is what fuels our skills and talents, allowing us to make concrete changes in the world. But not all passions are created equal, says cognitive psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman.
The Italian city of Milan is giving commuters a cash incentive to cycle to work. The city is trying to clear its air pollution, a major risk factor for the environment and public health.
The Planetary Society has unveiled the successor of its first solar sail project, the LightSail 2. It will take flight sometime this year when SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket is ready.
It’s a wonderful potential technology for going interstellar. But in your lifetime? Don’t hold your breath. “Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We […]
4mins
Our biggest goals are unlikely to be accomplished in our own lifetime, says New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. That's why forming coalitions and keeping a positive attitude are so essential.
Big Think is proud to partner with the 92nd Street Y's 7 Days of Genius Festival to bring you an in-depth look at the many qualities and characteristics of genius.
2mins
As a science educator, Bill Nye the Science Guy has needed artistic conventions to communicate knowledge and information to his audience. That's just one reason why we need art, he says.
By combining Hubble data with other views from great, space-based observatories, we’re shedding new light on the Universe. “The wonder is, not that the field of stars of so vast, […]
Ra Paulette spent 20 years carving caves into soapstone mountains. His passion for the transcendent brings us back to Earth.
In February of 2016, less than six months after first becoming operational, LIGO (the laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory) announced the first-ever direct detection of gravitational waves. What are they? […]
7mins
"No idea is above scrutiny and no people are beneath dignity," says activist Maajid Nawaz. We should interrogate the intellectual justification of all ideas and preserve the dignity of all people.
3mins
The legendary actor, author, and recording artist describes in touching detail how his relationship with Leonard Nimoy changed his life forever, still affecting Shatner today.
Infectious disease doctors in Brazil — as well as mothers of infants born with microcephaly — are using WhatsApp to diagnose and cope with the Zika-caused illness.
Everything that’s inherently quantum in the Universe is both a wave and a particle. So, are gravitational waves? “You asked me how to get out of the finite dimensions when […]
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