Words of Wisdom — May 26, 2015

Remembering Sally Ride: Risk-Taker, Achiever, Icon

“I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took risks along the way in order to achieve her goals.”

bigthinkeditor

Sally Ride (1951-2012) was the first American woman in space. While that, in and of itself, is her primary claim to fame, Ride made notable contributions in physics, philanthropy, and as a member of the committees that investigated the two space shuttle disasters. In 2001, Ride and her partner Tam O’Shaughnessy co-founded Sally Ride Science, a company dedicated to inspiring young people in STEM and promoting STEM literacy. More than anything, Ride’s legacy serves as an inspiration for women, young girls, and members of the LGBT community interested in STEM careers.

Sally Ride would have been 64 years old today. She is the focus of today’s Google doodle.

“I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took risks along the way in order to achieve her goals.”

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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