Big Ideas
In this series, Smithsonian.com interviews visionaries in the fields of science, art, history and culture, asking them about their big idea that will change the way we view our world
How Motherhood Makes You Smarter
New studies on rats show that being a mom does more than change her body, it may maximize her brainpower too
May 09, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Why Every State Should Be More Like Texas
Reporter Erica Grieder sees wisdom in the Lone Star State’s economic model. No verdict on if it has the best barbecue, however
April 30, 2013 |
By Amy Crawford
How to Count to 100,000 STEM Teachers in 10 Years
Talia Milgrom-Elcott is building a coalition of the willing, an army devoted to bringing thousands of educators to the classroom
April 15, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Unleashing the Power of One Computer for Every Student
Education reformer and Amplify CEO Joel Klein explains how tablets in schools will revolutionize the classroom experience
April 12, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Where ‘An Eye for An Eye’ Should be the Letter of the Law
The courts have failed victims of violent crimes, according to one Fordham law professor, but does that mean that vengeance is justified?
April 08, 2013 |
By Amy Crawford
The Science of Being a Sports Fan
What does it mean to be “addicted” to your favorite team?
March 26, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Do Drone Pilots Deserve Their Own Medal?
It’s never been easy, but drones and cybersystems are making it more difficult than ever to decide which servicemen are deserving of what
March 15, 2013 |
By John Sotham, Air & Space magazine
Why Dogs are More Like Humans Than Wolves
The dumb dog days are over, says evolutionary anthropologist Brian Hare
February 20, 2013 |
By Amy Crawford
Should the Constitution Be Scrapped?
In a new book, Louis Michael Seidman claims that arguing about the constitutionality of laws and reforms is the cause of our harsh political discourse
February 05, 2013 |
By Amy Crawford
How Politics Has Changed Modern-Day Sports
Sportswriter Dave Zirin counts the ways that political issues have infiltrated sports at every level
February 01, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
How Big Data Has Changed Dating
What it means to be single and looking for love in the time of algorithms
January 29, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Why Are Superachievers So Successful?
Two authors spoke to dozens of the highest-achieving people in the world. Here’s what they learned
January 15, 2013 |
By Amy Crawford
What Traditional Societies Can Teach You About Life
A new book from best-selling author Jared Diamond tells us how we can learn a lot from people who live like most of us did 11,000 years ago
December 26, 2012 |
By Amy Crawford
Are You Smarter Than Your Grandfather? Probably Not.
Senility isn’t the answer; IQ scores are increasing with each generation. In a new book, political scientist James Flynn explains why
December 03, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
The Pros to Being a Psychopath
In a new book, Oxford research psychologist Kevin Dutton argues that psychopaths are poised to perform well under pressure
October 29, 2012 |
By Amy Crawford
Why School Should Be More Like Summer Camp
Salman Khan, a rising star in the education world, has a vision for a new kind of classroom
October 01, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
Who Needs a Boss When You Have Your Co-Workers?
In a new book, Steven Johnson encourages us to lose top-down hierarchies, typical of companies, and instead organize around peer networks
September 25, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
It’s a Woman’s World With the End of Men
Men are floundering in the 21st century, according to Hanna Rosin, and the shift has wide-ranging implications for the workplace and the home
September 11, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
What's the Perfect Book to Get Over a Breakup?
Alain de Botton has provided a valuable service: giving reading prescriptions for a "shelf-help" approach to everyday problems
September 10, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
How Looking to Animals Can Improve Human Medicine
In a new book, UCLA cardiologist Barbara Natterson-Horowitz reminds us that humans are animals too. Now, if only other doctors could think that way
August 28, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino



