Search Results

A specific gene present in human stem cells appears to be responsible for the evolutionary increase in human brain size.

How self-aware we are during the day can affect how we experience dreams, possibly helping us achieve states of lucid dreaming.

Concerned that extreme advances in artificial intelligence could endanger humanity, Elon Musk has donated ten million dollars this week to safeguard humans from an "intelligence explosion."

"Attractiveness can convey more power over visible space, but that in turn can make others feel they can’t approach that person," said Dr. Tonya Frevert.

Bill Nye: We May Discover Life on Europa Bill Nye (The Science Guy!) describes the possibility of discovering life on Europa, arguing that we might make such a discovery in […]

Different people have very different dreams, but even across widely different cultures, the subjects we dream about are remarkably similar—and mostly very disturbing.

Leading a team of experts to reach creative heights may be the mark of today's genius.

Driving battery-powered cars could pollute the air more than cars powered by fossil fuels. 

Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Deny Evolution If adults want to deny evolution, sure. That’s fine. Whatever. But those adults better not make their kids follow in […]

Michio Kaku describes how our prefrontal cortex disengages as we dream, thus suppressing the fact-checking component of our consciousness.

Michio Kaku: Can We Download Our Brains? One day we might be able to download our consciousness into a computer chip, preserving our personalities forever—but first we will have to […]

Robots armed with weapons and programmed to act autonomously are already in the hands of national militaries.

The renowned physicist and scholar discusses the science of lucid dreaming, from his Big Think interview posted earlier this week. 

Jeremy England explains how simple physical laws make complex life more likely than not. In other words, it would be more surprising to find no life in the universe than a place like Earth.

Theoretical physicist, best-selling author, and all around cool guy Michio Kaku returns to Big Think to discuss the science of dreaming, as well as everything Freud got right about our subconscious.

A second scientific experiment, this time in America, has established that telepathy is possible. 

Rather than clear arable land for solar power farms, engineers have proposed using the millions of square miles of roadway and parking lots to gather in solar energy.

In the future robotic utopia, grandma and grandpa will have electronic helpers around the house to fold the laundry, collect the dirty dishes, or straighten a necktie.

Forget the drones, 4K TVs and virtual reality headsets. This year's Consumer Electronics Show was dominated by devices and services that connect your world.

Listening to certain sounds while you sleep can help strengthen your abilities to learn a new language, memorize a piece of music, and recall events from the previous day.

Because intelligence is such a strong genetic trait, rapidly advancing genetics research could result in the ability to create a class of super-intelligent humans one-thousand times higher in IQ than today's most brilliant thinkers.

With limited land space and widespread public distrust in nuclear power, the Japanese have taken to the seas to cull energy by installing sprawling solar power plants that float right on the water.

Two individuals separated by 5,000 miles have successfully communicated without typing or saying a word to each other. Rather it was their brains that did the talking.

Created by physicists at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago, a machine called the Holometer will determine if the universe is merely a series of bits or if a more substantial material reality exists.

In a new book, two technologists paint a rosy portrait of our future, describing how cutting edge technology could benefit large industry--as long as humans don't muck it up in the mean time, that is. 

NASA expects a manned mission to Mars to take place in the 2030s but before that happens, researchers are hard at work to find a better meal plan for astronauts.

Michio Kaku on what makes a supergenius.

Big Think is a knowledge forum that features insights from the world’s leading thinkers. Whether it’s Michio Kaku discussing energy sources of the future or Stephen Dubner, the co-author of […]

Dr. Michio Kaku returns to Big Think studios to discuss his latest book, The Future of the Mind. Here he explains the remarkable advances in brain imaging.

Michio Kaku on why robots make better astronauts than humans.