Psychologist Ben Newell explains how previous experience affects risky decisions.
Tag Archives: Culture & Society
What’s in a Name?
What historically male names have increasingly been given to female babies? What names have managed to remain gender neutral? Read about the back-and-forth of some popular names in the United States.
Activism Or Slacktivism? How Social Media Hurts And Helps Student Activism
Listen to the radio piece to learn about “slacktivism,” or supporting a cause simply by “liking” it on social media, and how experts suggest turning it into real activism.
Victims Confront Offenders, Face To Face
Victims of crimes sometimes have a say in the cases’ outcomes in a process called restorative justice. Listen to this radio interview to hear more about how it works.
Arab spring: an interactive timeline of Middle East protests
Sparked by the self-immolation death of a Tunisian fruit vendor, the Arab Spring protests swept across North Africa and the Middle East beginning in early 2011. Explore this interactive timeline for a wealth of information about the protests and what they achieved.
Debunking The Millennials’ Work Ethic “Problem”
In this article, activist Erica Williams considers some possible reasons for the widely held belief that members of the “millennial” generation have poor work ethic.
Eureka!
“One sometimes finds what one is not looking for,” said Alexander Fleming, whose chance observation of a contaminated experiment led to the the world’s first antibiotic. This Smithsonian article discusses inventions and discoveries that centered on a flash of insight in a mind prepared to see what it wasn’t looking for.
Agreeing to Disagree
It may be easier to have a conversation with someone who already agrees with you, but it’s better for your brain to talk with—and listen to—someone who disagrees with you. In this article, Art Markman, Ph.D., a cognitive scientist at the University of Texas, discusses the practical applications of psychological research on disagreement.
Prison Gardens Grow New Lives for Inmates
Getting closer to nature may help prison inmates build new lives once they are released. Watch a story about one woman trying to help change lives through starting gardens inside prisons.
How Teenagers Spend Money
Where does your money typically go? Compare your spending habits with the national breakdowns featured in this report.
The Pre-Viking Legend of Ragnarӧk
One of the best-known Norse myths about the end of the universe may have originated in a real-world ancient catastrophe.
The Dawn of the Age of Artificial Intelligence
In this article, Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee discuss the second machine age, in which artificial intelligence and the ability of most people to access online resources will come together to create new innovations.
“Space Dive” Success: Baumgartner Breaks Skydive Record, Sound Barrier
Read about, and watch a video of, Felix Baumgartner’s world record-breaking skydive in October 2012, when he broke the sound barrier by jumping to Earth from a helium balloon in the stratosphere.
Meet the Sacrifice Generation
In Montgomery County, Maryland, Asian immigrants straddle a cultural divide.
Do Something
Whether it’s disaster relief, anti-bullying, or animal adoption, find a cause that matters to you. What will you do to effect positive change?
How One Observant Muslim Persuaded Her Parents to Let Her Attend Princeton
The eldest daughter of six children in an observant Pakistani Muslim family has to persuade her parents that accepting her place at her dream school – Princeton – will not contradict her faith.
11 Outlandish Ways Aristocrats Displayed Their Wealth During the Gilded Age
Imagine having a bathroom of gold or rerouting an entire train track and moving a town in order to avoid the sight of train smoke. These weren’t the actions of finicky royals, but instead a reality for tycoons and socialites during the Gilded Age. Read more about the outrageous ways people spent their money.
In 1870, Henrietta Wood Sued for Reparations—and Won
Henrietta Wood’s story of enslavement and kidnapping is not unique. However, her story is one-of-a-kind due to the fact that she won a civil suit against her kidnapper and was awarded reparations.
America Is a Dream
A recently unearthed comic by Stan Lee reveals the lens through which he viewed American society and politics in 2007. Many of the divisions remain, as does the hope that the United States may one day be united.
This Game Allows You to Plant Trees Around the World Simply By Answering Trivia Questions Correctly
What if you could have fun learning and help the planet by planting trees at the same time? Plant the Peace created a game to let you do just that. Read about the game and plant a tree or two here.