From PUP, the first chapter from The Medea Hypothesis: Is Life on Earth Ultimately Self-Destructive? by Peter Ward. From Cosmos, even great and powerful civilisations have fallen because of choices they made to ignore their impact on the environment; and almost all of the species that have ever lived are now extinct — could we be next? Here's a scientist's guide to finding alien life: Where, When, and in What Universe. A gene shared by birds, fish, reptiles, people — and snails — reveals the fundamental relatedness of all living creatures, writes PZ Myers. Why is sex so hard to put into words? From Counterpunch, an article on the far right's plot to capture New Hampshire: "Anarcho Capitalists" backed by $25 billion corporate giant. An article on the six flavors of white supremacy: Do you have to pick just one? What's wrong with Peter Singer: Is his call for global compassion realistic? (and an interview) Exclamation marks used to be frowned upon. Now look what's happened! We use them all the time! Penn's Amy Gutmann writes a page from her autobiography. A review of books by W. V. Quine. Bertrand Russell's mathematical quest adds up to unlikely graphic novel hit. Details about the late Norbert Elias's international untied-shoelace experiments were difficult to track down, but Ingo Morth found them.
