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In 1995, I published They Don’t Get It, Do They? Closing the Communication Gap Between Women and Men after writing “The Memo Every Woman Keeps in Her Desk” — a […]

If all the random motions of the molecules inside aligned, how far and fast would it go? “Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.”-Bernard […]

In this 4-part Big Think Mentor workshop Stewart D. Friedman teaches us the skills we need to harmoniously integrate work and life. In this lesson Friedman introduces us to the […]

Having a conscientious spouse benefits the professional life of the other partner, according to new research out of Washington University. 

Ever since he came out to the public in February 2007, former NBA player John Amaechi says he has been “that big gay guy.” But there is much more to the 6’10” former center than that. He is one of the very few NBA players with a Ph.D.—after eight years in the big leagues, he returned to academics to pursue a degree in psychology. In this lesson from Big Think+, he shares with you the plan he created as a child to help him accomplish his dreams. The most important step, he says, is knowing yourself and getting clear about your end goal.

Knowing how to schedule and run an efficient meeting can mean the difference between your employees feeling positively about their day or believing they are slowing wasting their lives.

Evolution can be seen as a process of discovering logic that works well in a particular environment. But evolution can’t see what our foresight can grasp. In some cases the logic inherent in relationships of need (e.g. within groups) can be decisive. 

“I like to say, the universe doesn’t care about our common sense.  We have to force our ideas to conform to the evidence of reality rather than the other way around.  And if reality seems strange, that’s okay.” -Theoretical Physicist Lawrence Krauss, from his Big Think interview  

Avoiding self-reflection can be a helpful strategy for delivering a composed and powerful speech, say researchers who examined how confident people prepare themselves to speak before an audience. 

Marijuana might steal the headlines, but psychedelics are making headway in the American consciousness. DMT: The Spirit Molecule producer/director Mitch Schultz discusses this trend. 

Far from dodging the issue of the environment, the mayor of Beijing, Wang Anshun, recently called his own city “unlivable” due to air pollution caused by industry, driving, and a population boom.

Nassim Taleb’s theories on unpredictable events can inform the MLB Draft’s selection process.

There are three things an idea must do to become a full-fledged scientific theory. How does the Multiverse stack up? “It’s hard to build models of inflation that don’t lead […]

America’s most meritocratic institutions—schools, universities, and the workplace—are becoming places where inheritance thrives rather than individuals with talent.

A team of scientists at the University of Pennsylvania has successfully modeled how group decisions form from seeming chaos.

Resulting from President Barack Obama’s efforts to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba, Netflix has made its monthly video-streaming service available on the island for $7.99 per month.

“When people are less focused on self and the problems of the self, there is a kind of alleviation of stress. There’s nothing like reaching out and contributing to the lives of others to give a person a sense of significance and purpose.” -Professor Stephen Post, from his Big Think interview.

Peter Thiel, whose funding helped pioneer Paypal and Facebook, is now investing in the budding marijuana industry with his venture capital firm Founders Fund.

Strong psychological reactions — call it the yuck factor — could prevent innovative ideas from maturing and therefore from reaching populations in need.

The chief executive officer and president of NPS Pharmaceuticals walks us through the health innovations we can expect in the coming decades.

Legendary college basketball coach Dean Smith died last week at the age of 83. Former NBA player Shane Battier, who was recruited by Smith, but eventually settled on a rival school, recounts his memories of the man.

When parents speak to their infants in the first year of life, it helps stimulate baby cognition in ways that increase the likelihood of future success.

A new study, which followed nearly 1 million people over 10 years, concludes that smoking is even deadlier than we thought, accounting for more than 60,000 additional deaths per year and five additional diseases.

After previously discussing surveillance and autonomous cars, Singularity University’s Brad Templeton returns to Big Think to examine some lighter fare: quantum mechanics and computing.

To help the trick-or-treaters in wheelchairs have truly amazing costumes, rather than be Superman or The Little Mermaid in a wheelchair, the nonprofit Magic Wheelchair makes epic Halloween costumes by transforming wheelchairs into “awesomeness created by our hands and [the kids’] imagination.”

AI will throw a wrench into many of our theological foundations. How will we adapt? 

Different neighborhoods suit different personalities and when these metrics align, people are measurably happier.

Author and marketing consultant Dorie Clark explains the basic tenets of thought leadership.

Sensors inside cars could soon monitor drivers for signs of distraction or tiredness, alerting them before an accident occurs as a result.

Gaps in public services available to women are closing, but women still lack a participatory voice in economic and political matters.