Stephen Johnson

Stephen Johnson

Executive Editor, Big Think

A man with short dark hair wearing a dark button-up shirt poses against a plain black background.

Stephen Johnson is Executive Editor at Big Think. His writing has appeared in PBS, U.S. News & World Report, and newspapers and magazines across the Midwest. He lives in St. Louis.

A visual timeline illustrating the history and evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present, featuring major cosmic events and the formation of galaxies and stars.
Introducing Big Think’s first-ever poster — a stunningly detailed infographic of the universe from its earliest moments to the present day.
A young child sits on a sidewalk holding a scraped knee next to a fallen scooter, evoking reasonable childhood independence, with collage elements including a helicopter, art print, and abstract lines.
When can a kid play outside alone? Two parents, one stranger, and the state collide.
havana syndrome
The Havana Syndrome mystery took a strange turn following a CNN report that outlined how the Pentagon had purchased a device through an undercover operation — one that some investigators believe could help explain the illnesses.
Abstract illustration of a human figure with glowing neural-like lines and bright light concentrated around the head, set against a red and orange gradient background.
Introducing Big Think's Consciousness Issue.
Silhouette of a person carrying a cross in front of the United States Capitol building, symbolizing cross purposes between faith and politics.
An atheist's case for why American democracy needs a more Christlike Christianity.
Illustrated bell curve depicting IQ distribution with meme characters at various IQ levels: 70, 100, and 130, representing different intellectual stereotypes.
A study on the “moral circles” of liberals and conservatives gets drafted into the culture wars — with mixed results.
Illustration of a hand cutting red tape with scissors over a government building labeled "National of Health.
There is one obstacle that reliably blocks innovative ideas: how we fund science.
Abstract digital collage featuring a hand holding a phone with news content, binary code, and a stylized onion logo against a green and blue pixelated background.
What you can learn about media by parodying it from the print era into the digital age.
a man sitting in a wheel chair next to a laptop.
Dennis Klatt developed trailblazing text-to-speech systems before losing his own voice to cancer.
A black and white image of a man holding a camera and various Chinese and Japanese textbooks, showcasing his dedication to learning these languages.
Arieh Smith, a New York City-based polyglot who runs the YouTube channel Xiaomanyc, talks language-learning with Big Think.
A photo of a woman with a purple and black background, capturing the spirit of memory athletes.
Katie Kermode — a memory athlete with four world records — tells Big Think about her unique spin on an ancient technique to memorize unfathomably long lists of information.
A group of marijuana pills on a white surface.
The benefits of the psychedelic seem to last long after the trip wears off.
The head of an onion is shown on a black background.
Jung thought these autonomous entities live in your unconscious mind — often at a cost.
A silhouette of a man holding up a newspaper, inspired by Dan Ariely.
Big Think covered the 2012 study shortly after it was published. We are now correcting the record.
A woman in a vibrant dress is standing against a minimalist backdrop.
Why does the DMT experience feel so familiar to some people — even those who are trying the psychedelic for the first time?
A drawing using the loci method depicting a tunnel with variably colored pillars.
Modern memory athletes use this ancient technique to memorize thousands of digits of pi.
A 2020 study revived a longstanding controversy over Christopher Columbus' claims of marauding cannibals in the Caribbean.