10 Keys to Happier Living
Happiness matters to all of us. And by focusing our time and energy on things that have been shown to consistently bring happiness, each of us can live rich, rewarding lives. The recently launched project, Action for Happiness, has identified practical actions that anyone can take in their everyday lives -- not only to help boost their own happiness but also to contribute to building better, more ... posted on May 15 2011, 22,837 reads

The Man Who Stopped A Nuclear War
Ever heard of Stanislav Petrov? Probably not, even though he saved the world as we know it. Petrov, a former member of the Soviet military, didn't actually do anything, but that was precisely the point. In 1983, Petrov held a very important station: as lieutenant colonel, he was in charge of monitoring the Soviet Union's satellites over the United States, and watching for any sign of unauthorized ... posted on May 14 2011, 8,150 reads

Homeless Man Bails out Banker
A year ago, everything was going right for her: a good job at a bank in the suburbs and a safe home. But last year, she lost that -- and with her 10-year-old, had to move into a truck. Police threatened to take away her son until she found a safer alternative, so she moved into a hotel for a few nights to sort things out. That's when her angel showed up. A man named Curtis Jackson paid her hotel b... posted on May 13 2011, 23,136 reads

Leadership Lessons from Everyday Life
"Leadership is a capability that each of us has within us. It is formed as we take on the opportunities and challenges of everyday life, and it is measured by our successes and failures. It is my belief and experience that the leadership lessons we learn in our everyday lives can and should be carried with us into our work environments, and that they can help us become better leaders of our people... posted on May 12 2011, 9,528 reads

How Aging is Changing
"The job of any doctor, Bludau later told me, is to support quality of life, by which he meant two things: as much freedom from the ravages of disease as possible, and the retention of enough function for active engagement in the world. Most doctors treat disease, and figure that the rest will take care of itself." In this in-depth New Yorker article, celebrated author Dr. Atul Gawande reflects on... posted on May 11 2011, 4,462 reads

The Third Side of a Conflict
How do we live together in a world of differences? So much depends on our ability to handle our conflicts peacefully -- our happiness at home, our performance at work, the livability of our communities, and, in this age, the survival of our species. The Harvard Negotiation Project's William Ury offers a promising new way to look at the conflicts around us, called the Third Side -- the side we ofte... posted on May 10 2011, 12,773 reads

Is the Internet Changing the Way We Think?
Each year, Edge.org poses a provocatively deep question to visionaries in science and culture. Last year, it collected 168 essays relating to the question, "How is the Internet changing the way you think?" In answer, academics, scientists and philosophers responded with musings on the Internet enabling telecommunication, or functioning as a sort of prosthesis, or robbing us of our old, linear mode... posted on May 09 2011, 6,348 reads

5 Powerful Tools for Reflection
"Reflection is actually one of the secrets to my success. At least once a day, and more often several times a day, I reflect on my day, on my life, on what I've been doing right, and what isn't working. I reflect on every aspect of my life, and from this habit of reflection, I am able to continuously improve. Reflection is what gave me the topic of this post, and the tips that are to follow. Refle... posted on May 08 2011, 21,764 reads

How We Can Change Our Minds
The study of neuroplasticity is changing the way scientists think about the mind/brain connection. How can we use scientific discoveries linking inner experience with brain function to effect constructive changes in everyday life? How does the brain change as we influence each other? How can we re-shape our brain to become more open and receptive to others? New evidence is showing that the mind c... posted on May 07 2011, 21,205 reads

Harvesting Water, Out of Thin Air
The African Namib beetle has found a distinctive way of surviving. When the morning fog rolls, it collects water droplets on its bumpy back, then lets the moisture roll down into its mouth, allowing it to drink in an area devoid of flowing water. What nature has developed on it's own, Shreerang Chhatre, an MIT graduate student, wants to refine, and help the nearly 900 million people worldwide that... posted on May 06 2011, 5,567 reads