The Latest from Big Think

Currently, scientists and physicians have a limited understanding of the complex issue of pain and how to treat it. Pain or numbness is perceived by the brain using signals sent by the peripheral nervous system and it is hard to determine how a person’s nervous-system cells react and respond to stimuli. While it is relatively easy to collect a blood or a skin sample or even a tissue biopsy, it is not possible to sample portions of a patient’s neural system. A recent breakthrough finds a way around this problem.

How many cumulative hours have you wasted waiting for your chat partner to respond to you? A new program created by an MIT Ph.D. student offers an opportunity to make your instant message intermissions as productive as possible.

No, Stephen J. Dubner doesn't actually endorse bank robbery. What he does endorse is amusing deconstructions of cultural acts or items — robbing banks, for instance — and analyzing data to stumble upon intriguing observations.

Birds can differentiate empty peanut shells from full ones — without even cracking them open.

Mavens are defined as experts in their field, and identifying them can help businesses innovate and grow. So, researchers have developed a test to figure out whether someone is a maven.

A galaxy cluster that’s been actively devouring matter for hundreds of millions of years blows all the records away. “The world exploded into billions of atoms, and when it rearranged […]

Fleeing the Norman Conquest, English émigrés established a now-forgotten New England on the northern shore of the Black Sea.

The most famous logic puzzle from the best police comedy on television, and how to (finally) solve it! “I have made the most important discovery of my career, the most […]

When we think about ISIS it's important to try to understand what they are and why they're as effective as they are.

The Nobel Prize-winning mathematician whose life inspired the 2001 film A Beautiful Mind was killed today, along with his wife, in an automobile accident. 

More evidence that thin models are doing nothing for some target markets.

How do you increase the chance that a user will comment on your photo? Researchers say use a warm filter.

Don't expect the president to be a prolific tweeter, nor for him to offer any glimpses into his personal psyche.

Video games that prioritize balance, cognition, and motor skills have proven to be strong tools for various forms of therapy.

A new method for creating bird flu vaccines for particular strains could help researchers swiftly develop additional vaccines for other forms of influenza.

Brands this. Brands that. Brands on Twitter. Brands on Facebook. The new age of brand storytelling isn't going away anytime soon. The least companies can do is spare us the air of artificiality. 

As authorities seek answers, cleanup crews are getting to work to rehabilitate the fragile California coastal ecosystem sullied by 20,000 gallons of crude oil.

After the CMB, before the first stars, there was nothing to see. Or was there? “[I]f there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we […]

Using only his thoughts, a quadriplegic man has successfully tested a robotic arm. 

LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman has analyzed inherent contentions between workers and their bosses. His conclusion is that both sides operate under dishonest guises. An honest assessment of work roles could go a long way toward improving the professional relationship.