Surprising Science — January 31, 2011

Can We Retrofit Our Cities?

The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

A core aspect of the Living PlanIT business model is the “urban operating system,” which could be used in existing urban environments as well as it is in new cities.

The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

A soldier in camouflage uniform holding a Ukrainian flag stands amid rubble, facing a damaged building.

Books

How neuroscience is rewriting the story of war

In “Warhead,” neuroscientist and national security adviser Nicholas Wright explains how the brain navigates warfare and why it is our ultimate weapon (and instrument for peace).

Coastal Mediterranean village with white buildings, a sandy beach, colorful boats, and clear turquoise sea under a bright blue sky.

The Present

Seaflooding: How we could engineer the next Mediterranean

Bold megaprojects could turn dry depressions into thriving new hubs of life.

Collage with "The Nightcrawler" text, an image of a tree, two photos of elderly hands working with clay—reminiscent of Warren Buffett’s wisdom—and partial faces of an older person, all highlighted by orange accents.

Business

Lessons from two of the greatest investors of all time

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

Starts With A Bang

Claims that “the Universe will end sooner than expected” are false

If all massive objects emit Hawking radiation, not just black holes alone, then everything is unstable, even the Universe. Can that be true?

A man with short dark hair, glasses, and a goatee, wearing a blue jacket over a light shirt, stands in front of a beige, textured background.

13.8

“Mystery humbles you”: Scott Derrickson on why skepticism and faith aren’t enemies

The “Doctor Strange” director says mystery shifts your worldview — “not in a metaphorical sense, but in a deeply experiential one.”

Up Next

Guest Thinkers

No Right Brain Left Behind: A Speed Innovation Challenge for Creative Education

A great deal has been said and published lately on changing educational paradigms. In fact, this conversation isn’t a recent development – even in the 1980s, iconic science fiction author […]