His grandfather, a member of Oppenheimer’s atomic bomb team, foresaw the potential of nuclear energy to power cities — not destroy them.
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Hermann Minkowski called Einstein a “lazybones” with a “not very solid” education. Less than 10 years later, he would eat his words.
The Russian writer’s scorn went beyond a difference in taste; Leo Tolstoy virulently hated everything Shakespeare had come to stand for.
Society-changing ideas form through a three-stage process, argues author Michael Bhaskar.
In our Universe, all stable atomic nuclei have protons in them; there’s no stable “neutronium” at all. But what’s the reason why?
A new study suggests that depressed people may prefer a Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan song to one from The Beach Boys or One Direction.
Research suggests that emotional intelligence is more vital for success than IQ.
The Siege of Leningrad lasted over two years and claimed nearly a million lives. It also inspired writers to record the bleak conditions in which they lived.
A computer that could decidedly pass Alan Turing’s test would represent a major step toward artificial general intelligence.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge” is often taken to mean that your conceptions outweigh what’s real. That’s not what he said.
The “lone genius” often gets the credit for big ideas, but real-world innovation is a team sport.
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Being more creative doesn’t require a ‘Muse.’ It’s about pairing intelligence and imagination.
Undiagnosed brain disease or divine inspiration? The origins of the French composer’s most provocative composition remain up for debate.
Just a small gesture or a thoughtful comment can often alter a situation, or people’s perceptions of it, in ways that relieve tensions and make them feel appreciated and included.
The answer to the age-old philosophical question of whether there is meaning in the Universe may ultimately rest upon the power of information.
Before Herbert came along and wrote Dune, few if any sci-fi stories were set in fully realized universes.
Why I was prepared to hate The Structure of Scientific Revolutions but ended up loving it.
Bernini created art for 8 different popes. In the process, he helped reinforce and redefine Christianity’s visual culture.
Can a war be won from the air? A group of renegade pilots in the 1930s thought so.
Admit it: you have no idea why a group of crows is called a murder. Here’s why.
Although equal parts Hollywood blockbuster and Putinist propaganda, “Trotsky” still manages to capture the good, the bad, and the ugly of Russia’s revolutionary past.
Philosophers and scientists spent millennia arguing about the nature of light. It turned out to be stranger than anyone imagined.
Anything, good or bad, about Henry Ford can be contradicted — except his ambition and his work.
The development of the revolutionary gene-engineering tool CRISPR is a tale fit for the big screen.
Science and the humanities have been antagonistic for too long. Many of the big questions of our time require them to work closer than ever.
Many atheists think of themselves as intellectually gifted individuals, guiding humanity on the path of reason. Scientific data shows otherwise.
The more horror we consume, the harder it becomes to find a good scare. These genuinely unsettling movies should get you in the mood for Halloween.
Nebulae are beautiful, but so is the process of science.
What was so great about Einstein anyway? A group of experts weigh in.
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Which philosopher had the strongest arguments? David Hume, who raised some of the best challenges for science, ethics, and religion.