problem solving

A large study concludes that people who grew up in rural areas are superior at navigation, likely because cities tend to be less complex.

Luck doesn’t fall from the sky. It’s about how you position yourself for life’s challenges.

Chess was once blamed for triggering mental health problems, including suicide and even murder. Today, the same is said of video games.

Can stories help us become more creative?

The very concept of a “problem with no solution” goes against human nature. But we must accept this harsh reality to have peace in our lives.

It took a series of ingenious experiments in the 20th century to uncover some of our biggest cognitive biases.

We forget how unnatural a lot of formal education is. “Learning how to learn” requires bridging the gap between the abstract and the natural.

More than a decade ago, Armenia made chess a required subject in school because it teaches kids how to think and cope with failure. The U.S. should follow suit.

Maps can do more than show us places. They also can help determined people find others long lost, whether birth mothers or fugitive killers.

Historical geniuses used the “creative nap” to give their minds a boost. Apparently, the “hypnagogic state” can help with problem solving.

New ideas inevitably face opposition. A new book called “The Human Element” argues that overcoming opposition requires understanding the concepts of “Fuel” and “Friction.”

In determining what qualifies as solid science, controversy is inevitable.

With sea levels rising, the Dutch are pondering floating cities — while also exporting their engineering know-how to turn a tidy profit.

The highest earning Myers-Briggs personality type? ENTJ.

A marketing professional decided to think creatively and create a resume-bot. It helped him land 14 interviews and 11 job offers.

Intrapreneurs tap into the spirit of entrepreneurialism to innovate and find personal meaning at work, but organizations need to celebrate their efforts more.

We are more likely to agree with someone who also agrees with us. Young children, though, only trust themselves. We have to learn to trust.

From forecasting stock prices to diagnosing disease, Swarm AI enables better group decisions.

“Theory of mind” enables all people to naturally infer other people’s mental states. Psychopaths don’t seem to put much effort into the process.

Tips from neuroscience and psychology can make you an expert thinker.

Theoretical physicist Leonard Mlodinow offers three strategies for relaxing your cognitive filters to give your brilliant ideas time to shine in the spotlight of the conscious mind.

Scrap getting fitter or eating better and focus more on the people in your life.

Join Maria Konnikova live at 11am EDT tomorrow on Big Think!

Helping students get better at learning prepares them for life, not just higher education.

What does it mean to “lead without authority”?

Ask very silly questions to spur very serious innovation.

The countdown continues! This is the #3 most popular video of 2018.

Want to solve problems faster? Learn to unleash your connectional intelligence.

The most revelatory answers in life come from complex, diverse populations. Technology can open our eyes to what we’re missing and destroy our subconscious biases in one fell swoop.

Your mind is built to process contradictory, irrational ideas. Use that to reach new intellectual heights.