bigthinkeditor

“Does affection for animals confer an evolutionary advantage? Our love of all things furry has deep roots and may have shaped how our ancestors developed language and other tools of civilization.”

A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology finds that wearing red makes men appear more powerful, more likely to make money and more likely to climb the social ladder.

Defining the current generation of twenty and thirty year olds is a controversial task for psychological researchers. Some say Gen Y is selfish and insensitive while others disagree.

The thirteen-story, $100 million Islamic center and mosque planned for 45-47 Park Place, two blocks north of the World Trade Center site has stirred a swell commentary across the U.S., […]

David Heinemeier Hansson was bored until the day he met Ruby, and then his life changed forever. No, this isn’t a love story—not a conventional one anyway—it’s a story of […]

“In popular debates about God’s existence, the winners are neither theists nor atheists, but agnostics, who rightly point out that neither side in the debate has made its case.”

The more oppressive the government, the more its citizens will defend it; people support corrupted politicians more fiercely; people with strong family ties are less trusting.

Michael Shermer refutes Deepak Chopra’s modernized conception of God which he bases on ideas originating from quantum mechanics. Chopra demonstrates medieval reasoning, says Shermer.

“You don’t have to be a conservative to think it a bad idea to promote unionism in an economy struggling to climb out of a deep economic hole,” says Judge Richard Posner. “You can be a Keynesian.”

Despite WikiLeak’s massive publication of Afghanistan war logs, there remain undisclosed elements to the war. For example, who we are fighting, says The New Yorker.

The Chinese economic model is not sustainable in the long run and the global community must do all it can to help China rise again. Kevin Gallagher at The Guardian says China is too big to fail.

Often cited as a retroactive justification for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the issue of women’s rights is still what separates the West from the Middle East, writes Max Dunbar.

Advertising billboards like ones seen in the film Minority Report, which can recognise passers-by and target them with customised adverts, are being developed by engineers at IBM.

“Central banks make outsize profits when they print high-denomination notes, like €500 bills, which criminals prefer.” The CSM on how black markets and currency markets benefit each other.

The New Scientist attends the science conference at Google HQ and reports on virtual reality advancements, the direction of new media and how technology will revolutionize education.

Had Copernicus been too terrified to publish his theory of heliocentrism, how long would it have taken people to realize that Earth, in fact, revolves around the Sun? Had U.S. […]

“The conservative movement, once about finding meaning in private life and public service, has undergone a shift toward demagoguery and hucksterism,” says a former National Review editor.

“A ground-breaking study has found that mothers can go back to work months after the birth of their child without the baby’s wellbeing suffering as a result.” The Guardian reports.

“When it comes to Islamic Finance, the Islamic legal scholar Frank Vogel says Americans have nothing to worry about.” He discusses the rise of Islamic banking with The American Prospect.

“These days the top stories reflect the death of guilt. It’s gone. It has no place in polite society.” From Levi Johnston and Goldman Sachs to Roman Polanski, is guilt dead?

“A study released earlier this year, examining the impact of Title IX, offers hard evidence that playing sports leads to greater educational and employment opportunities.”

“Could the decades-long global impasse over abortion worldwide be overcome—by little white pills costing less than $1 each?” Nicholas Kristof reports on a gynecological revolution.

“Why are we always making less than rational decisions? A new book by Dan Ariely explores how people embrace the irrational.” The Daily Beast reviews professor Ariely’s latest work.

The value of stocks has little to do with whether the U.S. economy or any economy is ailing, says Zachary Karabell at The Atlantic. Yet nearly everyone believes they are closely connected.

“It seems dogs naturally match human gestures in a phenomenon known as automatic imitation.” Researchers help explain why dogs owners seem to resemble their pets.

The recession has not deterred a new generation of corporate CEOs who increasingly see adopting sustainable technology as necessary to future profits. This according to a new report.

“Where does the federal government get off spending the average person’s tax dollars to help better-off-than-average Americans buy expensive new cars?” Slate on the electric car credit.

“I love a good deal, but as consumer prices keep hitting rock bottom, this is just getting scary.” A Salon staffer says our culture of cheap is morally dubious and corrodes standards.

“Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, chaos prevails in Dagestan, primarily because of the activities of radical Islamists.” The region is impossible to govern, says Spiegel.

“New forms of communication have exposed the fact that the voice call is badly designed. It deserves to die.” An author at Wired says lighter forms of communication are superior.