Technology & Innovation — April 13, 2010

Reading App-titude

“There is huge potential for iPad apps (or any other apps for that matter) to become the books of the 21st century.” writes Marion Menaker.

bigthinkeditor

“There is huge potential for iPad apps (or any other apps for that matter) to become the books of the 21st century.” writes Marion Menaker. She thinks apps contain some of the essential elements of books while also being able to incorporate video and other features that enhance the reading experience. Narrative book apps, however, may not work as well as those replacing reference books and how-to guides.

a computer generated image of a human brain.

Thinking

The great free will debate featuring Michio Kaku and Steven Pinker

Who — or what — really controls your mind?

Building destroyed by the Halifax Explosion. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

The Past

The largest accidental explosion of all time

More than a century ago, Halifax suffered an accidental blast one-fifth the size of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

a collage of photos of a man with a hat and a book.

High Culture

6 great books with wildly unreliable narrators

Dive into the twisted truths and concealed realities told by literature’s most unreliable narrators.

a group of five matches on a pink background.

The Well

Signs you’re burned out — and how to bounce back

If you don’t feel better after the weekend, the “burnout paradox” could explain why.

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7 min

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with

Laurie Santos

Starts With A Bang

The trick to instantly identifying JWST images

If you can identify a foreground star, the spike patterns are a dead giveaway as to whether it’s a JWST image or any other observatory.

Up Next

Surprising Science

Digitized Doctoring

How can we make sure that the technology behind digital medical records actually does all the things that advocates believe is possible? Jacob Goldstein writes that we must pay attention to how they’re designed.