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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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.
Un-brainwash yourself with Bayesian thinking
All Stories
Darwin, Descartes, and Maxwell all believed in these science ‘demons.’
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The concept is so complex that scientists still argue whether it exists or if it is an illusion.
Today’s young people are intelligent and kind, but they are overworked and burned out.
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Enlightenment is a traditionally mystical and slippery concept, but when it is subjected to the rigors of empirical analysis, there is a lot to be learned about our brains and ourselves.
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Humans tend to hunker down in our own minds and trust what we already believe to be true. This emotion-based way of thought isn't often the best way to think about anything, and often leads to gridlock.
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An interview with CRISPR co-discoverer and Nobel Prize-winner Dr. Jennifer Doudna.
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“The very best arguments against God have been formulated by believers.”
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Some scientists see religion as a threat to the scientific method that should be resisted. But faith "is really asking a different set of questions," says Collins.
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When justice isn’t tempered by something such as mercy, forgiveness, or nonviolence, efforts to make society more equitable often backfire.
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There is no evidence for God as a “big being.” Is God something else?
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When should we seek justice, and when should we forgive? A bishop explains.
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Atheists are not immune from supernatural thinking.
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New research shows that having an attitude of gratitude is key to healthy relationships, and it can virally impact society.
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Just as there are many types of believers, there's not only one type of atheist.
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The emergence of life in the universe is as certain as the emergence of matter, gravity, and the stars. Life is the universe developing a memory, and our chemical detection system could find it.
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From superstition to religion, we are surrounded by supernatural thinking. Is that a bad thing?
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Escape a mental rut by using nostalgia.
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"Supernatural thinking is actually an important part of being a complete human being."
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People in the East and West really do think differently, especially when it comes to self-identity. Depending where you live, either associative or distinctive thinking will shape your sense of self.
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What inequality and populism look like in the brain, according to a neuroscientist.
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It might seem like science and faith are at war, but the two have a historical synergy that extends back in time for centuries.
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He's studied apes for 50 years - here's what most people get wrong.
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Not an empathetic person? Here’s why that might be a good thing.
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Having trouble learning? A PhD engineering professor gives you one key tip.
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Pain makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. What's puzzling is why so many of us choose to seek out painful experiences.
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We evolved to be kind – and die for others.
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Kids don’t always make you happier. Here’s why people have them anyway.
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There are two kinds of suffering. One is pure pain. The other makes life worth living.
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You've heard of Stephen Hawking. Ever heard of Renata Kallosh? Didn't think so.
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