Surprising Science

The above photo was taken by the Stockholm Police on August 26, 1973, the fourth day of a highly televised bank robbery turned hostage crisis. On August 23, Jan-Erik Olsson […]

Researchers in New Zealand have found that people whose diets are rich in fruits and vegetables experience frequent sensations of purpose, engagement, curiosity, and creativity.

Thanks to advantages in facial recognition technology and natural language analysis, virtual therapists can “understand” humans better than ever before.

Recent bouts of e-abuse against Zelda Williams and the website Jezebel have websites re-thinking policies for policing (and not policing) abusive comments online.

The more unread e-mails staring you in the face every morning, the worse you feel. Here’s how to clear out that inbox and, in the process, clear your mind.

Tech innovations can’t help you get back at the roommate who ate your leftover curry but they can help you maintain transparency in your household finances.

Described by some as “the salmon cannon,” a suction-based transportation system developed by Whooshh Innovations makes transporting fish incredibly easy.

One doesn’t need to look for too long on, ahem, the Internet to learn that the Internet is stealing your attention, your memory, and your life. But this fear misunderstands how we have historically integrated technology into the fabric of society.

As we’ve reported here previously at Big Think, asking the right questions can be powerful. As leadership expert Daniel Pink explained in our video interview, managers and executives must know […]

New Zealand has granted residency to the first climate change refugees, a family from Tuvalu. Assuming current trends continue, rising sea levels could submerge island nations such as Tuvalu and Kiribati in the next 30 to 50 years. 

NEW YORK – The horrific Ebola epidemic in at least four West African countries (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria) demands not only an emergency response to halt the outbreak; […]

Straight from the department of “why didn’t I think of that?”, a British designer has invented an alarm clock that doubles as coffee machine.

The app is the TurboTax of the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program, asking users application questions in a more familiar language than the legalese of official documents.

Perhaps our energies are better spent on trying to live better rather than trying to live longer.

When Dr. Kim Williams, the president-elect of the American College of Cardiology, recently wrote an essay encouraging doctors to recommend plant-based diets to their patients, shouts of praise and condemnation erupted form opposing camps.

“Regulation” need not be a dirty word. When new technologies emerge that shift the paradigms under which an industries operate, it’s important for legislative authorities to prudently adjust the rules without stifling further innovation. 

An upscale New York inn has seen its Yelp profile destroyed after the New York Post reported on its punitive crackdown on negative online reviews.

The UK will allow driverless cars on its impossibly narrow country roads starting in January 2015. Before then, authorities will need to conduct extensive tests and determine just how to regulate things such as liability and insurance.

As researchers investigate the broad scope of anti-Greek litigation, the country is left to wonder “are fraternities more trouble than they’re worth?” Finding the answer requires a glimpse into America’s Greek Life culture.

The design company behind Turkish Air and Lufthansa’s rebranding is working to create a new airplane interior that will save space, economize fuel use, and make your travel experience more comfortable.

The scientific study of happiness has for years recommended that people use their money to purchase experiences–dinner with friends or a vacation with a loved one–rather than material goods.

RadioShack is on death’s doorstep and public response seems to exist steadily in the “well, it’s about time” camp. In this difficult time for brick-and-mortar retailers, there are lessons to be learned from RadioShack and other fallen companies about reinvention and adaptation.

What contains more chemicals, apples or love hearts?If, like many people your instinctive response is “love hearts… of course”, you might benefit from a new guide by the group Sense […]

Research and testing of potential vaccines is a slow-moving process. As authorities strive to contain the current West African epidemic, scientists are already looking toward the next outbreak.

Conscience nocturnalism is a new wrinkle in the evolutionary development of mankind, a traditionally diurnal species.

Masud Harouny was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, moved to India as a toddler, and to the US when he was six. He attended Cal Poly Pomona and studied mathematics and […]

According to History Pics, everything in this 1991 RadioShack ad now exists in our smart phones. Check out the ad yourself and ask, “Is there an app for that?” Chances […]

NASA researchers recently announced that life beyond our planet will be discovered in the next twenty years. Bill Nye, everyone’s favorite “Science Guy,” an educator, scientist, and the CEO of […]

The new sci-fi thriller “Lucy”, written by Luc Besson and starring Scarlett Johansson, has rekindled the popular notion that humans only use a small portion of their available brain power. 

Bottling doesn’t necessarily result in a more severe explosion of negative emotion down the line. According to studies which gave participants pillows to punch, actively expressing your anger makes you more aggressive.