Jul 6, 2015・Vol 186 No 1

The Old Answer to Humanity’s Newest Problem: Data

I. Questions We Didn’t Know Had Answers

The History of Human Innovation
Translated into the world’s newest language

This Is the Safest Place to Sit on a Plane
Where you should sit next time you get onboard

Which Team Has the Best Home-Field Advantage?
The team is perfectly average on the road but has a killer record at home. Here are the factors that help give home teams an edge

What’s the Most Effective Workout?
All exercise is good for you. Use this chart to decide which type is best for your fitness needs

This Is the Best Beach in the U.S.
U.S. Coastlines receive some 62 million visitors annually

Why Did ‘Frenemy’ Stick?
Academics are unraveling the mystery behind the success--and failure--of blended words

What Ever Happened to Spring?
It’s getting shorter in some areas and longer in others. Here’s where Spring has been hit hardest

Is World Peace Possible?
Three public figures weigh in

II. Who Is Exceptional?

The Most Exceptional Actor: Meryl Streep
Known for expertly tackling diverse and difficult roles, the 66-year-old still sets the performance bar in Hollywood

The Most Exceptional Optimist: the Dalai Lama
The international icon of peace emerged from the humblest of origins

The Most Exceptional Capitalist: Warren Buffett
The 84-year-old investor keeps a low profile but is on the highest pedestal in the business world

The Most Exceptional Athlete: Serena Williams
Williams, 33, has trained since the age of 3 and is the no. 1 women’s tennis player in the world

The Most Exceptional Writer: Toni Morrison
She received the nobel prize in 1993 and is now the only living American nobel laureate for literature

The Most Exceptional Musician: Midori Goto
She has sold out music halls since the age of 11. Now 43, she is focused on music education and philanthropy

III. Questions We Should Be Asking

This Is the Best Job in America
Finding a growing career path is one thing, but finding one that won’t stress you out is another

Why Don’t We Have a Cure for the Common Cold?
Even though the common cold is the primary reason American adults miss work and kids miss school, there’s still no cure. Here’s why

What Are My Health Risk Factors?
Most people live past age 65, at which point the top cause of death is heart disease, followed by cancer, according to a tally of all 2.6 million deaths in the U.S. in 2013

Am I Hurting the Planet?
Probably, if you look at the surprising carbon footprint of routine daily activities

What Could America’s $18 Trillion Debt Buy?
A lot. All together, these blocks of expenses are just about equal to $18.2 trillion

What Should I Order at Fast-Food Chains?
Some surprisingly healthy choices that aren’t salad

How Does Art Work?
Three public figures weigh In

IV. What Defines Us
The ways that we learn, heal and even worship are evolving

V. Questions We Didn’t Know We Had

What Makes a Song The Song of the Summer?
There’s no easy formula, but commercial success, viral potential and a long lead time help make memorable hits for the hotter months

What Should Hollywood Remake Next?
The average remake comes out 26 years after the original. These 10 Movies are ripe for remaking, but are they a good bet?

What’s the World’s Deadliest Creature?
Sorry Sharks, mosquitoes have you beat. Here are totals ranked by number of human deaths per year

How Much Competitive Eaters Really Eat
Since 1916, competitive eaters have gorged themselves for Nathan’s annual hot dog contest. Here are some other binge-eating contests and records

Meet the U.S. President Responsible for the Most Tourism
It’s not Teddy Roosevelt

How to Win Jeopardy
You have to study. But since confirmed contestants typically get only four to five weeks to cram before competing, you can’t study everything. start here

What U.S. States Are Not Known For
Most states have at least one major claim to fame. Here’s a closer look at some lesser-known local superlatives

Are We Alone in the Universe?
Three public figures weigh in

What’s Your Ultimate Summer Read?

Why Europe Can’t Leave Greece Adrift
Even though the country got itself into its huge debt mess

How a 25-Year-Old Blogger Took Down Apple

If President Obama Can Say It, You Can Too
Policing language prevents us from badly-needed discourse, as President Obama made clear this week

My Very Own ‘She Shed’
I’ll take a little more vodka and a little less gingerbread trim

Summer’s Best Cookbooks
This season’s offerings bring tasty treats

3-D-Printed Bridge
Dutch firm MX3D recently partnered with software giant Autodesk to build a machine that can ”print” bridges in midair. Its first test will be over an Amsterdam canal in 2017. Here’s how it will work.

The Art of Turning Data Into Answers

Mapping a Nation of Books
Transport yourself across the country with 7 location-based yarns

Girls Can Tackle Football, Too
Let girls in the end zone to ensure equality

Debating the Confederate Flag
Sorrow, symbols and the meaning of a battle flag once the war is past

Who Should Be on the $10 Bill?

GOP Candidates Woo Latinos
The 2016 contenders take a ‘Sí se puede’ approach

James Salter
Novelist

Brian Williams’ Demotion Sends a Mixed Message
He’s not credible enough to anchor one NBC network, but he’s fine for another?

Pot Has Become Easier to Study
Not a moment too soon

Energy Drinks Have Doctors Worried
But business is booming

How to Make Binge Watching Better for You
Hulu just added all nine seasons of Seinfeld, meaning its fans will likely be spending a lot of time sitting (and eating) in front of a TV or computer screen--which, for obvious health reasons, is less than ideal.

When Parents Publicly Shame Their Kids
A strange new sensation has hit the Internet

India’s Publicist in Chief

Meet the New Lab-Made Foods
Get ready for pink pineapples

Three New Books Tackle American Presidents
The forces that drove three historic men

Besieged By ISIS

Syrian government troops hold out against the militant group in the city of Deir ez-Zor

Putinism