Surprising Science — February 5, 2011

The Hypochondria Business

With the site’s (admitted) connections to pharmaceutical and other companies, WebMD has become permeated with pseudomedicine and subtle misinformation.

bigthinkeditor

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If careering around the Web doing symptom searches is your bag, there’s still MayoClinic.com. Where WebMD is a corporation that started as an ad-supported health-alarmism site with revenues of $504 million in 2010, the Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit medical-practice-and-research group that started as a clinic. Mayo’s storied past as the country’s premier research hospital, in Rochester, Minn., and its storied present as one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” surface in the integrity of the site itself, which—though not ad-free—is spare and neatly organized, with the measured, learned voice of the best doctors.

The most counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday.

Flipping the script on leader feedback: Why leaders need feedback too

Leaders don’t lack resources aimed at helping them deliver more meaningful employee feedback. Yet, candid and comprehensive feedback for leaders, particularly on leadership and management skills, receives far less attention. […]

Illustration of Earth with digital connections and text "Generative vs. Predictive AI" on a dark background.

Hard Science

Test Video

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Life

Test Internal Ceros

Collage of classical art suggesting a theme related to somatic markers.

Business

How “somatic markers” can transform your decision-making

Ditch the old brain vs. heart assumptions, and instead think about a heart-led brain.

A black and white image of a bunch of spheres, symbolizing the multiverse concept discussed by scientists.

Starts With A Bang

How logic and reasoning can fail as scientific tools

In logic, ‘reductio ad absurdum’ shows how flawed arguments fall apart. Our absurd Universe, however, often defies our intuitive reasoning.

Up Next

Culture & Religion

Remembering the White Stripes

Whether you’re a fan or not, the massive outpouring of grief this week in response to the news that minimalist rock band the White Stripes were to split up might seem puzzling.