Technology & Innovation — February 7, 2010

Ebook Armistice

A couple of hours after my last post about the battle over ebooks pricing, word emerged that Amazon and Macmillan had ended their feud. The day before, another giant publisher, the Hachette Book Group, joined Macmillan in switching to the “agency model” for ebooks. The New York Times says Harper Collins is planning the same move. Details of the Macmillan-Amazon peace treaty aren’t public, but it certainly does appear that publishers have broken Amazon’s control over ebook prices.

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.

A wooden sign indicating "assisted migration rep 2" in a pine forest under a clear blue sky.

Life

Moving trees north to save the forests

As the world warms, trees in forests such as those in Minnesota will no longer be adapted to their local climates. That’s where assisted migration comes in.

Historical map illustration depicting a planned city layout with a circular central area and radiating streets.

Strange Maps

Ohio’s Circleville ditched the grid system. Then it got squared.

A small Ohio town tried to escape America’s addiction to rectangular grids. It didn’t last long.

Bullet Cluster separation mass gravity x-ray lensing

Starts With A Bang

Flagship NASA space telescope faces a penny-pinching death

NASA's only flagship X-ray telescope ever, Chandra, still works and has no planned successor. So why does the President want to kill it?

Up Next

Surprising Science

Is Avatar Real?

While "Avatar" remains science-fiction, the fundamental components behind the film's escapades continue to progress and already have practical uses in medicine.