Welcome to the silver age
The new generation of "sixtysomethings" won't sit around the house wondering what to do. They will revolutionize retirement with their commitment to serving society.
Jurriaan Kamp and Tijn Touber

Editor's letter: Pro
Human connection is what makes life fun

An American dream for the world
An unusual history lesson about happiness Jay Walljasper

A new style of superpower
India is emerging as one of the powers of the 21st century. Yet Indian novelist Pankaj Mishra says it will progress on its own terms, reinventing the whole notion of modernity in the process. Pankaj Mishra

Chopping down paradise
Brian Baring fights to save rainforests in Papua New Guinea Nynke Sietsma

From old age to new sage
Make the most out of your life by becoming a spiritual elder Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

How to get older gracefully
Physical decline may be inevitable but there's plenty you can do to stay vital and healthy Andrew Weil

One last thing...
"The planet Mars makes great athletes" Suitbert Ertel

Real-world vacations
Lending a hand on organic farms in exchange for room and board is a great way to meet real people around the world. English writer Kathryn Good discovered this in Australia as she weeded vegetable patches and bottle-fed baby goats in order to forget about a boy back home. Kathryn Good

The two cornerstones of healthy aging
And ten other tips for a great old age Andrew Weil

The war at home
A new documentary investigates why the U.S. invaded Iraq Jay Walljasper

The healing power of placebos
A sugar pill, a salt solution, a doctor in a white jacket--these all have the power to cure as long as the patient believes in their healing qualities. That seems impossible. So what does science say about the elusive placebo effect? And how can we use it to feel better? Marco Visscher

The whole world is blogging!
The great promise of this democratic tool depends on participation by all people Jay Walljasper

A few days to live
A remarkable discovery about life from the deathbed Tijn Touber

Is morality a wild thing?
Some scientists believe animals are capable of sympathy, shame and compassion Tijn Touber

The Manifesto of the Cloud Appreciation Society
Ode to clouds

"Treat life as a workshop to find out who you are"
Nigerian novelist Ben Okri tackles the really big questions of our time: inequality, immigration, education and, yes, love. He does this by looking at the world and then deep inside himself until he touches the source of his own truth. Jurriaan Kamp

Animals, up close and personal
The story--and portfolio--of a wildlife photographer who never runs from a shot. Steve Bloom

From here to Africa
People trying to help the poor are often targets of criticism. They are not effective, their intentions are not pure. But once you've witnessed desperation in fellow humans' eyes, things change. Ralf Bodelier