Science and Tech

Science and Tech

A diagram illustrating one of the biggest mysteries: the origin of the universe, from the Big Bang and inflation to today, showing the formation of atoms, stars, galaxies, and the ongoing expansion of space.
From the Big Bang to a prior period of cosmic inflation, our cosmic origins are clearer than ever. Yet these 5 big mysteries still remain.
A circular diagram illustrating the observable universe, showing planets, stars, galaxies, and cosmic background radiation layers—revealing where Big Bang echoes still linger.
If you think of the Big Bang as an explosion, we can trace it back to a single point-of-origin. But what if it happened everywhere at once?
Two grayscale portraits of men are shown in a four-panel grid, alongside blue and white arrow graphics and blue diagonal shapes.
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Deepak Chopra and Harvard neurobiologist Rudolph Tanzi advocate for "radical well-being," emphasizing that optimal health relies on proactive measures—such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, and emotional regulation—rather than reactive responses to health issues.
A woman with curly black hair, wearing a red collared shirt, smiles at the camera against a plain white background.
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In this class, Natalie Nixon, founder of Figure 8 Thinking, explores her 3i Creativity Model, a framework designed to enhance individual creativity and drive organizational innovation for greater relevance and success.
A woman with long blonde hair smiles softly at the camera; the photo has an orange tint and is set against a light green background with simple geometric shapes.
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In a complex marketplace, organizations must leverage human potential and overcome challenges in mind sharing through collaborative intelligence, as emphasized by Angie McArthur, to enhance creative problem-solving beyond mere intelligence.
A man in a blue shirt and white pants sits on a white chair in a studio, with lamps and tables in the background and a white backdrop behind him.
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Ian Bremmer advocates for strategic thinking in a rapidly changing world by broadening perspectives, engaging with diverse viewpoints, and understanding root causes, while also stressing the need for personal authenticity and connection to effectively tackle global challenges.
A collage of four images: white pins on black, green pattern of white dots and lines, grayscale portrait of a bearded man, and black-and-white horizontal lines.
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As generative AI sparks diverse opinions on its implications for humanity, Ethan Mollick suggests we shift our focus to understanding AI's capabilities and potential applications, emphasizing experimentation to enhance our skills and foster a responsible partnership with technology.
A digitally illustrated portrait of a man with a mustache is centered on a geometric blue patterned background.
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Astronauts like Chris Hadfield and Scott Parazynski exemplify risk mitigation, demonstrating that their contingency planning skills are applicable to various challenges on Earth, from budgeting to managing Fortune 500 companies.
Illustration of a human ear cross-section above, with a pink sound wave graphic on a red background below.
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Humans, unlike robots, can't produce identical results consistently, but Pulitzer Prize-winning author Charles Duhigg suggests we can channel our natural curiosity and creativity toward achieving our personal goals and passions.
A blue and green dot drawing of a woman looking through a microscope.
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This class explores human cognition and decision-making through insights from experts like Michio Kaku on magical thinking, Madhavan on systems-level thinking, Mlodinow on elastic thinking, Konnikova on deductive reasoning, and Summers on structured decision-making, promoting a scientific mindset for effective problem-solving.
A man in a suit walks on grass beside a long-haired dog, with faded images of a magic wand, a hat, and white doves in the blue-toned background.
A childhood spent under the spell of sleight-of-hand taught me skepticism, curiosity, and the habit of looking beneath appearances.
A smiling man with short dark hair wears a button-up shirt, standing in front of a purple, splattered-texture background.
Big Think spoke with astronomer David Kipping about technosignatures, "extragalactic SETI," and being a popular science communicator in the YouTube age.
black hole
All of the matter that we measure today originated in the hot Big Bang. But even before that, and far into the future, it'll never be empty.
Row of identical yellow rubber ducks in profile, lined up against a black background with abstract white dotted patterns, reminiscent of motifs explored by Susan Schneider.
A conversation with Dr. Susan Schneider on the AI risks we’re not talking about and why the fixation on AGI is misplaced.
As we gain new knowledge, our scientific picture of how the Universe works must evolve. This is a feature of the Big Bang, not a bug.
Black-and-white portrait of a man in a suit centered between a grid, network lines, and a swirling blue pattern evoking a hurricane, symbolizing the dynamic power of predictive intelligence.
Brian Gumbel — President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Dataminr — explores the cutting edge of real-time information analysis.
most distant
The universe is filled with unlikely events, but it is also full of ways to fool ourselves.
Black and white illustration of a human brain with purple scribble circles and arrows pointing toward it on a light background, perfect for those interested in books about the brain.
Neuroscientist Rachel Barr shares her favorite books on the brain and how they shaped her approach to the field.
A woman sits at a desk covered with tall stacks of papers, reviewing and pointing to documents as she conducts a purpose-driven peer review in a busy office setting.
Just because a paper passes peer review doesn't mean that what's written, or what the author asserts, is true. Here's why it still matters.
A digital collage features the title "THE NIGHTCRAWLER," a robotic dog inspired by China tech, vintage storefronts, and abstract purple geometric shapes.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Multiplication table from 1 to 20, featuring pythagorean runs and perfect squares highlighted in yellow along the diagonal from top left (1) to bottom right (400).
It's not just an odd quirk of numbers that makes it true, but a deep mathematical insight that dates all the way back to Pythagoras.
Mars rover on rocky terrain, showing its camera mast, equipment, and six wheels against a dusty, reddish Martian landscape.
Organic compounds can form through simple chemistry alone — making the search for true biosignatures trickier than it seems.
LIGO Livingston
10 years ago, LIGO first began directly detecting gravitational waves. Now better than ever, it's revealing previously unreachable features.
ESO milky way
Questions about our origins, biologically, chemically, and cosmically, are the most profound ones we can ask. Here are today's best answers.
A book cover with white text and a lightning bolt, inspired by the bold vision of Mark Zuckerberg.
Even when leaders know disruption is a smart ­long-term decision, the pain of transition can produce a titanic shambles. Just ask Kodak.
a painting of a woman avidly reading a book.
Despite the claims of speed reading apps and programs, you actually have to read the book if you want to learn.
Two hands, one light and one dark, each holding a contrastingly colored molecular structure against a gradient background.
The fear of unleashing forces beyond control has haunted science for centuries.
Black and white portrait of Alex Osterwalder with glasses and facial hair, framed against a graphic background featuring striking orange, white, and beige geometric patterns.
Strategyzer CEO Alex Osterwalder on why entrepreneurs should take a leaf from Amazon’s innovation playbook.
A dense star field with dark, irregular dust clouds—where cosmic dust come from—obscures parts of the glowing stars in the Milky Way.
Dust is ubiquitous in the modern Universe, appearing in nearly all galaxies. But our cosmos was born dust-free. So where does it originate?
A drawing of a group of people soaring in a plane, embodying cosmism.
In revolutionary Russia, a group of forward-thinking philosophers offered an alternative to both futurism and communism.