Civilization

I want what he’s having… Trump’s envy of Putin’s large(r) hands?

A recent article in The Economist chronicled the downturn in the popularity and standing of democracy over the last fifty years. In the first half of the twentieth century democracy (“government by the people”) was the gold standard, and was riding a wave of adoption worldwide. Democracy, national pride and economic success appeared to go… Read more I want what he’s having… Trump’s envy of Putin’s large(r) hands?

Will we ever journey to the stars?

(the second in a series entitle “Will our species pass the BIG intelligence test?) It makes sense, when you think about it. There should be a test of worthiness before a wannabe spacefaring species takes flight. Think of what the colonizing Europeans did to the native peoples in Africa and North and South America; and… Read more Will we ever journey to the stars?

Will our species pass the BIG intelligence test?

(the first of a series of articles on this subject) From the time man first realized the immensity of our universe, scientists have been wondering why we have not yet found any evidence of intelligent life somewhere out there. As our telescopes and related technology have improved, the mystery has deepened—because the odds against our… Read more Will our species pass the BIG intelligence test?

Future Man – and Civilization

We think of ourselves as civilized – but what does that mean? The Romans who entertained themselves by watching Christians being thrown to lions thought that they were civilized. So did the English colonialists who kidnapped Africans to sell as slaves. And are the practitioners of female genital mutilation (partial or total removal of the clitoris… Read more Future Man – and Civilization