Guest Thinkers — December 21, 2010

NYTimes Article on the South

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Robert Worth does his typically solid job on summing up what is going on, and, more importantly, follows the new Law of Journalism- if you want to write a good article, you have to quote Greg, and use his middle initial. He won’t give you good copy if you don’t.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A group of cult members dressed in white participating in an outdoor gathering or ceremony under a partly cloudy sky.

Thinking

Are religions simply cults that have gone mainstream?

Or are cults the religions we find distasteful?

An abstract composite image depicting where life began with mountainous terrain, chemical structures, and a monochrome inset of a cloudy sky.

Starts With A Bang

What was it like when life first sprang forth on Earth?

Although early Earth was a molten hellscape, once it cooled, life arose almost immediately. That original chain of life remains unbroken.

A digitally enhanced view of a crescent planet Earth with a galaxy in the background.

Starts With A Bang

What was it like when planet Earth first formed?

The Earth that exists today wasn’t formed simultaneously with the Sun and the other planets. In some ways, we’re quite a latecomer.

An AI-generated illustration of a man sitting at a desk, accompanied by thought-provoking poetry.

Thinking

Can AI write authentic poetry?

Cognitive psychologist and poet Keith Holyoak explores whether artificial intelligence could ever achieve poetic authenticity.

Composition of the dark energy prominence universe showing percentages of dark energy, dark matter, and visible matter.

Starts With A Bang

What was it like when dark energy rose to prominence?

Early on, only matter and radiation were important for the expanding Universe. After a few billion years, dark energy changed everything.

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