Face it: we’re so overloaded with information that none of us can digest much of it. However, in this TED talk, Jean-Baptiste Michel and Erez Lieberman Aiden present ideas about what we can do—with the five million books and 500 billion words available online today. What do they reveal about who we were, are, and are becoming? Watch the video; then navigate to the site recommended by the speakers. Discover for yourself what five million books have to say!
This article suggests that although many American farmers have doubts about the causes of climate change, they are willing to work with scientists to solve the problems presented by extreme weather events.
The author of this opinion piece shares his perspective on how the world has changed as a result of the 9/11 attacks.
The late Garry Davis, a former bomber pilot haunted by his World War II experiences, hoped to unite all of mankind by eliminating national boundaries.
You may not think of climate change as an issue of public health. However, the doctors featured in this article view it as part of their responsibility to help to address the threats to human life and health posed by climate change, such as the devastation caused by increasingly severe wildfires.
According to this article, the widespread use of smartphones and social media are two of the most significant developments of the past two decades. What are some of the other major ways the world has changed in the last 20 years?
Why have some survivors of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina been able to recover effectively, while others have had a harder time getting back on their feet? Click this link to learn more about research on this topic.
Click this link for some helpful tips about responding to change in your life, including a reminder that when things are shifting around you, it’s important to stay focused on who you are.
How is life changing for people in the Digital Age? Click here to read quotations by a number of experts in the technology industry to find out how they responded to this question.
In recent years, increasing amounts of screen time have contributed to a growing sense of disconnection with the physical world—hence, the birth of the “maker movement,” or a return to hands-on creation. Read about how “makerspaces” are attracting people with different interests who all want to create things they can hold on to.
Lions and tigers and bears—and cougars, leopards, cheetahs, chimpanzees, lemurs, anacondas, and pythons—are sometimes kept as pets. How wise is it for people to keep dangerous exotic animals? Visit this site to learn the Humane Society’s opinion and arguments about whether anyone should keep an exotic pet.
In 1852–1853, artist Johannes Adam Simon Ortel painted Pulling Down the Statue of King George III, New York City, a work depicting an event that took place shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. How did the era in which Ortel lived and painted affect Ortel’s depiction? Visit this site to view Ortel’s painting and learn the answer.
Along with increased independence can come increased stress. In this article, teens share their worries about going back to school and offer advice to each other.
Adolescence is a time of great change. Learn more about the changes your brain is undergoing and the effects of those changes.
