News articles and commentary on the place of the humanities in the modern world.
The 17th-C. Plague in London: Now We Know (Nicole Staybridge, BBC)
The 17th-C. plague in London: now we know. How DNA (and Daniel Defoe) reveal the killer bacteria's identity in one of history's longest cold cases. From the article: Testing in Germany confirmed the presence of DNA [...]
The pen is mightier than the (key)board, says technology (Microsoft News Center)
In an recent study, Norwegian researchers funded by Microsoft discovered that using a pen stimulated more cerebral activity than typing on a computer. Drawing words makes the brain more prone to learning. From the article: Inspired by [...]
Healthy living from technology and modern science (Sarah Frier, Bloomberg)
Healthy living from technology and modern science: how the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative would change history within the next generation. “Can we work together to cure, prevent or manage all disease within our children’s lifetime?” Chan said Wednesday onstage at [...]
The language of numbers (Barbara Oakley, Nautilus)
The language of numbers: how learning a language can become the model for acquiring the basics of engineering. From the article: Trying to reprogram my brain sometimes seemed like a ridiculous idea—especially when I looked at the [...]
Thinking critically on the job (Kate Davidson, Wall Street Journal)
Thinking critically on the job: do workers have what it takes (non-technically speaking) to succeed in the Age of Technology? From the article: To determine the most sought-after soft skills, LinkedIn analyzed those listed on the [...]
No literature allowed (Steven Pearlstein, Washington Post)
No literature allowed: parents see little need for their children to receive a broad university education, as its ROI seems negligible. From the article: For me, there’s nothing more depressing than meeting incoming freshmen at Mason who [...]
Math and the Mayans (Eric Vance, National Geographic)
Math and the Mayans: an archaeologist brings his engineering experience to bear in reinterpreting pre-Columbian calendars. From the article: Archaeologists have long looked to Venus to understand Maya calendars and tradition. But now, a fresh look [...]
What was Shakespeare thinking? (Scott L. Newstock, Chronicle of Higher Education)
What was Shakespeare thinking (and why does it matter)? The ways that old, even ancient, methods of learning can produce original results. From the article: You take it for granted that Olympic athletes and professional [...]
Sifting through and sifting out: ways employers are testing the college degree (Ryan Craig, EdSurge)
Sifting through and sifting out: ways employers are testing the college degree. Do employers (and students) expect too much from university education, or too little? From the article: According to the Gallup-Lumina survey, only 11 percent of [...]
The arts of medicine
The arts of medicine: for those in the healing field, knowing their patients requires more than the natural sciences. From the article: "[T]oday’s medical curriculum teaches new doctors about culture and communication. It is no longer good enough [...]