Mark Buchanan
Inequality isn’t always a bad thing
In recent decades, economic inequality in the U.S. and other developed nations has hit levels not seen since the 1920s. Such inequality exacerbates social...
Science reveals dark side of wind power
Any solution to global warming will almost certainly rely on an expansion of renewable energy, reducing carbon dioxide emissions with clean solar or wind...
Admit what you don’t know
Research in science, medicine or economics is most valuable when it is unbiased, with researchers honestly reporting the limitations of their results. It’s a...
Too many jobs feel meaningless because they are
As earnings season is upon us, it’s worth asking: Does business create value the way it once did?
One sign it doesn’t is a significant...
Battling the tyranny of big data
The data scientists writing the algorithms that drive giants like Alphabet Inc. (Google) and Facebook Inc. are today's technology wizards, and companies and governments...
Humanity may be losing a race with its own growth
Humanity is engaged in a high-stakes race with its own growth: Lest our use of energy and materials get out of control, we must...
Economists can tell you what you should want
NEW YORK - At its best, economics is the study of what makes people better off, and how they can have more of it....
What economists don’t get about climate change
Economists tend to see climate change as a big optimization problem: Weigh the potential costs of future disasters against the benefits of fossil-fueled economic...
Physics says solar is the best kind of energy
When world leaders assemble in Paris next month for the United Nations Climate Conference, they will have to consider a difficult issue: Where humans...
Math helps explain how the rich are different
Is extreme wealth inequality in the U.S. something that government can or should address? The answer depends on how it arises. If everybody has...
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