How Were the Pyramids Built?
Adults SocietyThe most common misconception about the pyramids is that they were built by slaves. Recent archeological evidence suggests they were instead constructed by paid workers. Some may have performed this work as a form of tax payment for several months of the year. Skilled engineers would have planned and orchestrated the building. An estimated 10,000-20,000 people would have been working on a pyramid at any one point in time. They were well fed and provided with shelter near the pyramids. Plus their burial sites close by indicate they were respected and were not slaves.
The Fear That Everything Has Already Been Done
Adults SocietyThe frustration of photographing something amazing when thousands of identical photos already exist-the same sunset, the same waterfall, the same curve of a hip, the same closeup of an eye-which can turn a unique subject into something hollow and pulpy and cheap, like a mass-produced piece of furniture you happen to have assembled yourself.
The language of lying
Adults SocietyWe hear anywhere from 10 to 200 lies a day. And although we've spent much of our history coming up with ways to detect these lies by tracking physiological changes in their tellers, these methods have proved unreliable. Is there a more direct approach? Noah Zandan uses some famous examples of lying to illustrate how we might use communications science to analyze the lies themselves.
Comfortable: 50 People 1 Question
Adults SocietyThese days it is so easy to feel insecure about our appearance. Whether it is because of the mean comment that comes our way or the photoshopped image we see in magazines, it can be so easy to feel self conscious about our body. When was the last time you felt comfortable in your own skin?
Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story
Adults SocietyOur lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
Umbrella Here
Adults SocietyUmbrella Here is a light that can be attached on an umbrella. It is controlled by a mobile app that tells people that this umbrella is available for sharing. Just like the light you would see on a taxi. When the light is on, it represents that strangers are welcome to come in and share your umbrella. On Kickstarter
Inside the ant colony
Adults SocietyAnts have one of the most complex social organizations in the animal kingdom; they live in structured colonies that contain different types of members who perform specific roles. Sound familiar? Deborah M. Gordon explains the way these incredible creatures mate, communicate and source food, shedding light on how their actions can mimic and inform our own behavior.
Train rescue: Commuters use people power to free man trapped
Adults SocietyScores of passengers, together with staff at Stirling station, managed to tilt the carriage so the man could free his leg which was wedged in the gap. The man was boarding a Perth-bound train at about 8:50am when he slipped and became stuck.