Stephen Johnson
Managing Editor, Big Think
Stephen Johnson is the Managing Editor of Big Think. Formerly a long-time contributor to Big Think, he is a St. Louis-based writer and editor whose work has been featured in U.S. News & World Report, PBS Digital Studios, Eleven Magazine, and The Missourian.
For older adults, playing video games isn’t just a way for older adults to keep in touch with the younger generation — it might be also be a way to stay in touch with memory itself.
How far back in time would you need to travel to find a common human ancestor of people living today? The answer is surprisingly recent.
The Flat Earth theory has gained a surprising amount of traction in recent years, thanks largely to YouTube. What exactly do Flat Earthers believe?
Despite doubts from the healthcare industry, Watson recently identified a surprisingly high number of potential cancer treatments for real-life patients.
A growing body of research suggests that students of color perform better in school when they have at least one teacher of the same race.
A new study investigates if pot smokers outperformed nonsmokers in creativity.
As the effects of climate change threaten to render coastal regions around the world uninhabitable, one company is developing a stylish – and very expensive – solution.
Have you ever wondered why modern-day mammals have adaptations for nighttime activity? A new study suggests dinosaurs might be the reason.
Thousands of scientists from 184 countries have endorsed an open letter that outlines some of the Earth’s most pressing environmental problems.
A new study explains why some people seem to be better than others at ridding their minds of intrusive thoughts.
The U.S. has been steadily losing its religion for decades — but that trend might ramp up significantly in the years to come.
The results of two human clinical trials involving elderly patients suffering from frailty showed no adverse side effects and “remarkable” physical improvement.
The Tokyo-based company is located on the 29th floor of a building, meaning all smoking breaks take at least 15 minutes.
The establishment of a colony on Mars seems inevitable given just how many groups are drawing up plans for the red planet. NASA intends on sending manned expeditions in the […]
A new report suggests Colorado’s legalization of recreational marijuana might be reducing opioid deaths in the state.
It seems intuitive that the best way to interpret how others are feeling would be to both see and hear how they’re behaving. However, a new study suggests that’s dead wrong.
Several interpretations of the Constitution say that Trump has already broken the law by threatening free speech concerning the NFL. When can we start impeachment proceedings?
Should there be a ceiling to the ambitions of Silicon Valley? It seems like a decisive “no,” according to the people who want to build new societies online, atop the ocean, and on Mars.
Gulp. Is that you, Santa?
A new study overturns the conventional thinking about how we focus our visual attention.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, famous in part for using his scientific literacy to point out flaws in TV and movies, recently criticized the good and bad science behind HBO’s Game of Thrones.
A Midwestern university has created a first-of-its-kind program in medicinal plant chemistry that focuses on marijuana.
The discovery of a neuron in the brain that acts as the “master controller” of habits could someday change the way we treat addiction and compulsive behaviors.
Sen. John McCain announced he’ll be voting against GOP legislation that would repeal the Affordable Care Act.
In an analysis of more than 140 million of its U.S. members, LinkedIn identified a key difference between how men and women present themselves in their profiles.
Anyone can develop a great eye for design, according to the designer who led the team that created the iPod.
Researchers at Human Longevity have developed technology that can generate images of individuals face using only their genetic information. But not all are convinced.
A recent DNA analysis shows that a skeleton found in a famous Viking grace belonged to a female warrior.
A new study shows that most people are surprisingly ambivalent about their decision to break up with their partner — even right before they do it.
