Technology & Innovation — February 17, 2009

Fat Food Chains Stimulating Jobs, Waistlines

Just as obesity rates in the countries reach new highs, Americans and Britons are cutting back on healthier and more expensive foods in favor of cheap, fast food alternatives.

Domino’s Pizza in the United Kingdom added 52 news stores in the last 12 months adding 1,800 jobs. McDonald’s and other fast food franchises are seeing similar growth. McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner commented “today’s market conditions play to our strengths.” Coffee giant Starbucks, by contrast, are seeing their profits slump, and have even introduced breakfast deals for $3.95.

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.

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