Technology & Innovation — May 11, 2012

Invention Out Of Necessity: Warren Littlefield LIVE on Big Think

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Warren W. Littlefield embarked on a journey of rediscovery 13 years after he was fired as the President of Entertainment at NBC. With the help of friends like Jerry Seinfeld, Kelsey Grammer, Lisa Kudrow, Anthony Edwards and Debra Messing, he penned Top of the Rock: Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV, a witty oral history of his time as president.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Collage showcasing a stratospheric balloon soaring over Earth and a close-up of fingers, with "The Nightcrawler" emblazoned at the top, capturing the spirit of a creative renaissance.

Business

How AI is ushering in a creative renaissance

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

Two colorful cells with purple nuclei, green cell edges, and radiating filament structures against a black background.

Health

When muscles work out, they help neurons to grow

The findings suggest that biochemical and physical effects of exercise could help heal nerves.

Two people viewed from behind against a blue sky, one wearing a pink top and the other an orange top, share a moment of quiet solace as the person in pink rests their head on the other's shoulder. It’s a serene scene that hints at healing and support after trauma.

Neuropsych

3 emotional intelligence tips for helping a friend in a rough patch

Listen, set boundaries, and point them where to go.

Arms burdened with a large stack of papers, folders, and rolled-up documents, a person exemplifies toxic productivity. Their black bag hangs precariously from their arm as they navigate the weight of their workload.

The Learning Curve

How to break free from your “toxic productivity” cycle

Psychotherapist Israa Nasir explains how a “value-aligned life” can help us crush our goals — without being crushed by the need to accomplish more.

A golden-brown turkey being carefully lowered into a metal pot outdoors, ready for a deep fry amidst the grassy area and wooden fence.

Starts With A Bang

What happens if you deep fry a frozen turkey?

It’s the ultimate setup for a Thanksgiving Day disaster. The physics of water and its solid, liquid, and gas phases compels us not to do it.

Up Next

Three Tips for Innovators: Move Nimbly, Open Wisely and Fail Gracefully

How can small businesses flourish in today’s disruptive age? Bestelling author Vijay Vaitheeswaran has three concise tips that make it easier for upstarts to take on the giants.