The Psychology Behind Right and Wrong
Justice isn’t always based on ethics or fairness, sometimes it’s based purely on luck. Harvard’s Fiery Cushman examines the science and psychology of morality, and how it affects our daily lives in...
View ArticleThe Real Differences Between Generic and Name-Brand Drugs
What's in a name (brand)? Professor Jeremy Greene takes a look at the complex history of “generic” medicine, and its impact on modern health care.
View Article7.11.15 Universal Problems (And Solutions)
Who sings for the unsung masses? Well, here at Innovation Hub, we do. This week, we’ve got stories of everyday people, from the crowds thronging Disneyland to that slow-moving line at the pharmacy....
View Article19th Century Radicals Learned to Forecast the Weather
Before the 1800s, our climate was unpredictable, poorly understood, and frightening. Author Peter Moore gives us the untold story of a generation of maverick scientists who finally let us predict the...
View Article7.18.15 Waiting in Anticipation
This week on Innovation Hub: the thrill of anticipation, and the agony of computers that can read your mind. Author Dan Mongan talks about how companies will charge us wildly different prices, once...
View ArticleHow Studying Your Email Data Can Improve Your Relationship
What if you could learn about your relationship by analyzing your own data? Statistician Emma Pierson did just that, combing through all the emails she and her boyfriend had sent each other over the...
View ArticleComputers That Can Read Your Emotions
In science-fiction, you’ll encounter a lot of computers that can feel... HAL 9000, Deckard, WALL-E. But what about computers that can really sense your emotions? MIT Professor Rosalind Picard takes a...
View ArticleCompanies Could Be Using Your Data to Charge You More
Are you paying the same price for a pair of sunglasses on Amazon as your friend? Maybe not. Dan Mongan tells us how companies are using big data to take as much of our money as possible.
View ArticleA Geek Speaks Out Against Tech
Computer scientist Kentaro Toyama used to use tech to help the poor around he world. But slowly, he started believing it wasn't the answer. He explains why tech isn't doing much to educate the...
View ArticleThe Political Change That Wasn't
The Internet was supposed to revolutionize democracy and make government more responsive; so far, that hasn’t really happened. Author Micah Sifry tells us what went wrong, and what could still go right.
View Article50 Years Later, How Medicare Changed America
As Medicare turns 50, Yale Professor Jennifer Klein explains how the social program changed America - and why it almost didn’t happen.
View ArticleWhy You Have More Jobs Than You Think
Ever feel like you’re still at work, long after you’ve left the office? Well, you’re not alone. Professor Ian Bogost argues we live in a “hyper employed” time, and offers some ideas what we can do...
View Article7.25.15 Promises, Promises
This week on Innovation Hub: Promises, promises. Author Micah Sifry explains why we thought the Internet was going to transform politics, and why it hasn't... yet. Then, former Microsoft executive...
View ArticleBuilding Sustainably... The Ancient Way
The Burj Khalifa might be the tallest building in the world, but is it the most advanced? MIT Professor John Ochsendorf thinks that today’s architects should take a page from classical structures.
View ArticleThe Lessons Pirates and Gangsters Can Teach Us
The mafia, pirates, gangs, and hackers. What can we learn from them? According to author Alexa Clay, turns out a whole lot — including creativity.
View Article8.01.15 Icons and Infamy
This week on Innovation Hub: icons and infamy. Writer Alexa Clay tells us the surprising lessons about ingenuity we can learn from pirates, hackers, gangsters, and camel milk traders. Then Professor...
View ArticleWhen Science Met Celebrity
Move over, Britney there's a new kind of celebrity in town. American University's Declan Fahy explains the rise of the celebrity scientist, and why they're important to all of us.
View ArticlePushing the Limits of the Human Lifespan
The average American lifespan rose from about 50 years to nearly 80 during the 20th century. Can we live even longer? Harvard Medical School’s David Sinclair has done research that he says may one day...
View ArticleHow Death Shapes Our Decisions
Thinking about our mortality can change the way we vote, how we dole out punishment, and who we sit close to. Sheldon Solomon tells us about research into this phenomenon.
View ArticleWhy You're Tipping So Much
There’s a reason you’re giving your cab driver a 20% tip. Author Nir Eyal explains how companies use psychology and technology to squeeze more money from you.
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