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.
Featured Interviews
“Quite honestly, maybe you’re not using calculus every day of your life, but one thing that math teaches us is how to think critically. It teaches us how to be resilient and also improves our decision-making.”
Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College.
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Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College.
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3 min
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Dr. Lee Cronin was born in the UK and was fascinated with science and technology from an early age getting his first computer and chemistry set when he was eight[…]
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4 min
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Featured Article
If the “self” is not real, then we are slaves to a billiard ball universe, trapped in a nihilistic nightmare in which we cannot change our fate.
“Common wisdom says we have a self and that self is the source of our free will, but...
the subject of the self is riddled with paradoxes. Because the mind has been categorized as something “nonphysical,” its definition alone places the self outside of physical cause-and-effect, and beyond the scope of science. However, as with many philosophical quandaries that involve the proposal of a thesis and the emergence of a counter-thesis (or antithesis, in the words of Hegel), a synthesis often emerges, reconciling seemingly disparate views into a more coherent and sensible perspective.”
All Stories
From nothing to everything: How zero changed our understanding of the universe, forever.
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What would the world be like if we focused on “the inherent beauty of math,” rather than its technical aspects? A statistician reflects:
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Statistician Talithia Williams on how math is the clearest path to understanding our existence.
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How do scientists measure and define life in the natural world? Dr. Lee Cronin gives us a definition, in 4 minutes:
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Algorithms dictate a lot more than your social media feeds. Here’s how to win back your agency.
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6 min
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What drives the universe’s expansion? Chemist Lee Cronin explains the theories linking time, space, and selection, providing a fresh perspective on this cosmic mystery.
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3 min
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These 5 human development principles could completely change the way we think about learning and potential.
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5 min
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Don’t fall into the determinism trap. Everything is, in fact, random, says chemist Lee Cronin:
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3 min
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“Say what you want to say, and not what you feel.” Harvard happiness professor explains ‘metacognition’ techniques so you can grow your emotional intelligence:
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“The physics of the universe doesn’t predict the emergence of biology.” Glasgow chemist Lee Cronin explains how inanimate matter becomes evolutionary:
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Testing is an attempt to measure intelligence. But is intelligence really what’s getting measured? A neuroscientist weighs in:
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“Not only does Mother Nature not care about your happiness, she knows that we need lots of negative emotions to keep us alive.” Harvard happiness professor on why suffering IS necessary:
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“We wouldn’t be able to talk about minerals if it weren’t for the minerals themselves.” Mineralogist Bob Hazen explains how Earth’s rocks can teach us about our planet’s technicolor history.
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Traditional definitions of wellbeing focus on the absence of mental illness or disease. But true wellbeing goes beyond that, says this neuroscientist.
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The mind-blowing theory that everything is evolving—from minerals to music—explained in 3 minutes by a Carnegie scientist.
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Finding meaning isn’t just personally fulfilling — it’s critical to our brain’s development, explains USC neuroscientist.
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There’s never been more ways to connect with the people in our lives — so why are we lonelier than ever?
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“Happiness is NOT about feelings.” Harvard happiness expert Arthur Brooks debunks the biggest myths about humanity’s most sought-after state, and explains how to actually get it.
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7 min
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“I study the mineral kingdom — and its secrets could lead us to alien life.”
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“We could be wrong. But if we are right, it’s profoundly important.” Leading mineralogist Dr. Robert Hazen on the missing law of nature that could explain why life emerges.
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8 min
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Nobel Prize winning physicist Frank Wilczek reflects on Einstein’s greatest contribution.
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3 min
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Are you convincing everyone you’re smart, or accidentally alienating them? Here’s how to find out.
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7 min
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Journalist Steven Kotler on digital immortality and the tech that could keep us “alive,” forever.
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Physicist Sean Carroll on entropy, complexity, and the origins of life:
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With great genius comes great rigidity. Professor Barabara Oakley on how to stay mentally agile — and get smarter as a result:
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Psychologist Daniel Goleman on how to train your brain with just ten minutes a day.
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James Suzman lived with a tribe of hunter-gatherers to witness how an ancient culture survives one of the most brutal climates on Earth. His learnings may surprise you.
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Is information intrinsic in our universe? NASA’s Michelle Thaller explains.
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8 min
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When one path is blocked, a new one must be paved. How Einstein, Heisenberg and Gödel used constraints to make life-changing discoveries:
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What is perception, really? Philosopher Alva Noë on why perception is a puzzling phenomenon:
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