The Well A mind-blowing explanation of symmetry Basic and breath-taking – Dr. Frank Wilczek addresses symmetry’s critical role in nature’s laws and what we consider to be beautiful. ▸ with Frank Wilczek
Neuropsych Rhyme as reason: The cognitive quirk that makes bad advice seem wise Beer before wine and you'll feel fine? Well, it depends.
How Earth’s 23.4° tilt makes life beautiful Rituals come as much from religion as they do from the way Earth spins around the Sun. ▸ 4 min — with Sasha Sagan
Life Simple is beautiful: Why evolution repeatedly selects symmetrical structures Symmetrical objects are less complex than non-symmetrical ones. Perhaps evolution acts as an algorithm with a bias toward simplicity.
13.8 Review: “The Biggest Ideas in the Universe” by Sean Carroll "Even with my training, I still got insights from the book’s descriptions. That’s how good Carroll is at explaining physics."
Neuropsych Humans may share a universal sense of beauty in color combinations Independent of cultural background, people seem to share a sense of what makes certain color combinations aesthetically pleasing.
Business Turn contradiction into success with the 4 “paradoxical marketers” How to juggle while walking a tightrope — at work.
Starts With A Bang JWST is better than anyone expected — here’s why Humanity's newest, most powerful space telescope is performing even better than predicted. The reason why is unprecedented.
13.8 Symmetry is beautiful, but asymmetry is why the Universe and life exist The Universe has asymmetries, but that's a good thing. Imperfections are essential for the existence of stars and even life itself.
Life Orlando’s first major attraction was an angry swan named Billy Billy was a local celebrity in the early 1900s. And he might have been a murderer.
High Culture Painting thought to be merely a Rembrandt copy belongs to the master himself A conservator from the Rijksmuseum explains how they went about investigating whether the painting is a genuine Rembrandt.
High Culture South African wedding goat and 4 other curious gift-giving traditions from around the world If you get married in South Africa, don't be surprised if someone shows up to the ceremony dragging along a smelly goat.
High Culture Tolkien’s Middle-Earth wasn’t a place. It was a time in (English) history. The fellowship's journey through Middle-Earth mirrors the modernization of the English countryside.
Smart Skills How curling — that weird Winter Olympics sport — can help you make better decisions The path of a curling stone on ice — and how it can be influenced — is a revealing metaphor for life's decisions.
13.8 The choice we must face when our loved ones die There's no escaping the death of loved ones. But that doesn't mean we're powerless in the wake of loss.
Neuropsych A polyglot explains the tips (and myths) of learning new languages Arieh Smith, a New York City-based polyglot who runs the YouTube channel Xiaomanyc, talks language-learning with Big Think.
Neuropsych How the 3 steps of “adaptive plasticity” can grow your brain and make learning easier If you want to achieve new goals, harness your brain's ability to change chemically, structurally, and functionally.
13.8 The mathematical explanation for “spontaneous synchronization” It's spooky, and it's happening all around us. And inside us.
The Well Can mathematics be spiritual? Ask Einstein Mathematics and religion both embody awe-inspiring, eternal truths.
Thinking Five philosophers on the philosophy of sex Philosophy can focus on some dull topics. Luckily, some thinkers have spent lots of time on the philosophy of sex
High Culture Friedrich Nietzsche on how art can help you grow as a person For Nietzsche, a great work of art can either veil the horror of reality or – better yet – help us face it.
13.8 Seeing silence: what nature tells us if we listen The beauty of this magical medicine called silence is that it is available to all of us, even in cities, if only we care to listen.
Strange Maps Mapped: The deadly geography of Mount Everest The world’s highest mountain is also the world’s highest cemetery, with some bodies serving as creepy landmarks for today’s climbers.
Hard Science The strange number 1/137 shows up everywhere in physics. What does it mean? Does it have a deeper significance — or is it just a number?
High Culture Stendhal syndrome: Can beautiful art make you mentally ill? People who visit Florence seem strangely susceptible to Stendhal syndrome, which is blamed on an overwhelming sense of awe.
Neuropsych This 715-song playlist is scientifically verified to give you the chills, thanks to “frisson” Listening to some songs can cause a powerful physiological response known as "frisson." What is it, and why does it happen?
The Learning Curve The 8 wonders of life — and how they can transform yours Awe-inspiring moments can be found in our daily lives, and they have surprising benefits for our health and sense of well-being.