In their fascinating book, Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, Nobel Prize-winning economists Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein explain how simple policy “nudges” can have powerful ramifications. The example that has always stuck with me is the vast discrepancy between the number of organ donors in Germany and Austria. Culturally, socially, and economically,…

As a late member of the Baby Boom generation, I’m amazed at the speed that my teenage kids can text. My guess is that, soon, my children will be similarly amazed at the rapidity that the kids of the future will be able to “sign”–or gesture with their hands. This article and the video below outline Google’s new Project…

Yesterday, I released my annual predictions for 2014, and a few weeks ago I shared with you 10 Game-Changing Technological Trends That Will Transform Tomorrow. In the sprit that more is better, and a different perspective is always welcome, I’d like to share with you IBM’s annual “5 in 5” series–5 predictions for the next…

“We are all immigrants to the future; none of us is a native of that land.” –Marina Gorbis “We are all immigrants to the future.” I love this statement, which I’ve pilfered from fellow futurist Marina Gorbis’ insightful new book, The Nature of the Future. The metaphor of an immigrant is useful to individuals and…

“In an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among…

In the picture to the right, count the bars from the top and then count them from the bottom. Did you count ten the first time and seven the second time? I love optical illusions such as this one because they force us to acknowledge that the world isn’t always so black-or-white. Often, our starting…

There is a Japanese word, Hara hachi bu. It means “eat until 80 percent full.” If you’re trying to lose weight it is a wonderful philosophy to abide by. Be forewarned, however, it isn’t easy to follow. This is because it takes the brain 20 minutes from the time the stomach is full until the…

For the past six months a local bridge in my neighborhood has been undergoing a major renovation. Initially, I considered it quite a hassle because the bridge served as a link to my favorite grocery and liquor stores (and this summer has been very hot and I enjoy a cold beer!) Over time, I’ve adjusted. I…

We like to believe we assess the truthfulness of information according to objective standards. According to new research, this isn’t so. People, it seems, can be influenced by something as simple as a headline or a decorative photo. (For an example, see this old post.) In other words, while a picture may be worth a…

Yesterday, on my other website, I shared how Google’s new “Project Glass” might soon allow users to receive real-time voice translations of foreign conversations and, thus, render the need to learn a second language unnecessary. Many people–especially pessimists–immediately grasp how the technology might cause some foreign language instructors to lose their jobs. This is overly…