Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds. Together, let's learn from them. Welcome to The Well, a publication by the John Templeton Foundation and Big Think.
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Featured Interviews
“Throughout time, we earthlings have all sort of come to the same points in the year, and the same points in life to mark…
Disparate cultures, who had no way of communicating, found the same moments to create ceremonies and traditions around. Birth, coming of age, death- and also the solstices and equinoxes. So many of our rituals and traditions are about processing change and coming to terms with who we are on this little, particular planet.”
Author
Bessel van der Kolk is a psychiatrist noted for his research in the area of post-traumatic stress since the 1970s. His work focuses on the interaction of attachment, neurobiology, and[…]
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Julia Galef is a New York-based writer and public speaker specializing in science, rationality, and design. She serves on the board of directors of the New York City Skeptics, co-hosts[…]
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Ari Wallach is an applied futurist and Executive Director of Longpath Labs. He is the author of Longpath: Becoming the Great Ancestors Our Future Needs by HarperCollins and the creator[…]
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Featured Article
From politics to culture, we blame “tribalism” for humanity’s problems. This explanation is entirely wrong.
“How we talk about society’s problems matters.
Invoking the notion of ‘tribalism’ for the world’s current problems is misleading at best and insulting at worst.”
Anthropologist
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The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
What makes some scientists culturally significant, while others remain in obscurity? Well, there’s a science to it.
We need less than we think to be happy.
Good to remember at a fork in the road.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michio Kaku and more great minds debunk society’s biggest myths about success.
What do you see as your duty?
How often do you challenge, or question, your beliefs? Each week, our resident philosopher and editor Jonny Thomson gives context to interview & quote of the week in our email…
You can learn something new every day – but not all lessons are made equal.
All Stories
What makes some scientists culturally significant, while others remain in obscurity? Well, there’s a science to it.
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It has perhaps never been easier to feel as if you’ve fallen behind in life. From the anxieties of comparing yourself to others online to our fetishization of success, it […]
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Find food, have sex, not die. That’s pretty much all we need to do — but why do we make it so complicated?
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Tim Ferriss has interviewed some of the most powerful thinkers in the world. This is what he learnt about how they operate.
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History’s most remarkable leaders had this one trait in common. We can harness it too.
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We are ~99% genetically identical to chimpanzees. But there are three key traits that separate us.
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Intellectual humility demands that we examine our motivations for holding certain beliefs.
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Frank Wilczek is celebrated for his investigations into the fundamental laws of nature that have transformed our understanding of the forces that govern our Universe. In this video, the MIT […]
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"I am an anthropologist, and for years, I have spoken to people who have had these experiences."
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Poker pro Maria Konnikova on how to recognize which details matter and master the science of deduction.
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The answer to the age-old philosophical question of whether there is meaning in the Universe may ultimately rest upon the power of information.
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Neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky on the science of temptation, and the limitations of your brain’s frontal cortex.
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Left–Right, Back–Forth, Up–Down. What’s the fourth dimension?
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Make it simple. Make it clear. Make it stick. Alan Alda on how to get everyone to understand your thoughts.
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“What you pay attention to, is your life.” Where do you place precious brain resources?
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“There’s a sense of crisis today that we did not have in the 1980’s or 90’s” — economist Tyler Cowen on progress in America.
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Why do so many cultures celebrate holidays at the same time of year?
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In 1965, six boys were stranded on an island. Fifteen months later, the survivors were rescued. How many were there?
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If your inner voice is cruel, try these steps to reclaim your mind.
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Think via Bayes’ rule to become more rational and less brainwashed.
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Pessimism sounds smart. Optimism sounds dumb. Don’t fall for it, says Wired’s Kevin Kelly.
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We don’t need one Elon Musk. We need 8 billion empathic futurists.
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A psychiatrist studied 1,000 near-death experiences. Here’s what he discovered.
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CRISPR’s gene drive can defy evolution. Here’s how, explained by Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna.
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The ultimate definition of trauma, explained by leading psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk.
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To be happy, you have to become antifragile first. Harvard’s Tal Ben-Shahar explains.
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‘Flow state’ is a peak performance mental state experienced by the world's highest achievers. Learn how it works in just 7 minutes.
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Is science destined to crack the code of consciousness—and how would we even go about it?
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From politics to culture, we blame “tribalism” for humanity’s problems. This explanation is entirely wrong.
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We all want to have a good, stable relationship with somebody, says Dr. Helen Fisher. So it's important to understand how intense romantic love affects our long-term goals.
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