The Best of Big Think

Considering the perspectives of others has important benefits for individuals and for society. There is one easy way to do it.

«Perspective-taking is especially difficult for children, who often assume that others perceive the world just as they do. »

In our quest to find what makes humans unique, we often compare ourselves with our closest relatives: the great apes. But when it comes to understanding the quintessentially human capacity for…

Philosophy has come a long way since Thales argued the universe was made of water. Philosophers have produced new ideas that enrich the world around us, give us a better understanding of the universe…

Generation Z, born from 1995 onward, has been raised with “moral dependency,” argues social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. As the first generation to get social media at age 13, Gen Z has been denied…

Journalist and author Walter Isaacson’s latest book chronicles the discovery of the groundbreaking technology that enabled gene editing. Jennifer Doudna was a young scientist captivated by RNA’s…

It is widely believed that it is normal to become less physically active as you get older. But this is a pernicious myth about exercise.

Biotech will offer us longevity, and we can harness downstream "superpowers" to improve key skills and live much better as we age.

«key downstream skills like critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, communication, cooperation, and collaboration»

Data shows that unconsciously processed images are distributed to higher-order brain networks. A popular consciousness theory needs revision.

When we set insurmountable and unrealistic goals, it's easy to get demoralized and just give up. Kaizen offers us another (better) way.

«There’s something wrong with each of us. Even if you tried to live a faultless, blameless, perfect life, there is always something left to criticize.»

Just because a thing is good doesn't mean that you need more of it. "Lagom" teaches us to appreciate that "just enough" is all we need.

«A “fulfillment wheel” is a way to measure balance across different aspects of life. Lagom is to be well-rounded and to take pleasure in that»

A concept known as "wave-particle duality" famously applies to light. But it also applies to all matter — including you.

There’s an enormous evolutionary advantage for flamingos to stand on one leg, but genetics doesn't help. Only physics explains why.

New research indicates that consciousness may rely on quantum mechanics. Perhaps the brain does not operate in a "classical" way.

Maybe our understanding of quantum entanglement is incomplete, or maybe there is something fundamentally unique about consciousness.

We have two descriptions of the Universe that work perfectly well: general relativity and quantum physics. Too bad they don't work together.

The quantum world defies our ability to describe it in words. Human experience does not prepare us for its weirdness and uncertainty.

We only detected our very first gravitational wave in 2015. Over the next two decades, we'll have thousands more.

At a fundamental level, only a few particles and forces govern all of reality. How do their combinations create human consciousness?

The observable Universe is 92 billion light-years in diameter. These pictures put just how large that is in perspective.

Is science absolute? Its truths and discoveries guide us towards the nature of reality, but we must always remain open-minded to revisions.

From Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk, the most successful people in the world share one thing: they allocate time in the day to learning.

«5-hour rule.” In short, this is the rule where we spend one hour a day learning, reflecting, and thinking. The rule dates to Benjamin Franklin»

Any success formula must start with your values and life goals. Here are five ways to find those and set yourself up for success.

«Success isn’t a condition without failure; it’s the condition of overcoming failure and improving.»

Modern conditions have overwhelmed our brain's attention system, but research shows 12 minutes of mindfulness training a day can help.

«Similarly, a negative mood can signal that something is wrong. That unease can propel you to solve the problem and lift the emotional pall.»

It can be challenging to express your thoughts clearly. Alan Alda recommends three rules of three for effective and empathic communication.

«Maybe this sounds familiar: You’re expressing a difficult idea, thought, or feeling, and at the moment, it seems to be going well. Your audience is nodding at the appropriate beats. Your cadence has an uncharacteristic flow and eloquence. You even snuck in the world profligate and are 90% sure you used it properly. (Well, 80% sure. Definitely going to look it up later.)»

Listening to some songs can cause a powerful physiological response known as "frisson." What is it, and why does it happen?

«While it is understood that appreciation of beauty is central to what makes us human, it is not clear to researchers what»

Journalist Steven Kotler offers tips for how to reach a psychological flow state, granting peak mental performance.

«Curiosity can lead you to become passionate about something, which can in turn drive that thing to give you purpose. The activity itself becomes fulfilling. It is the means and the end.»

From grandmasters to drug dealers, people who make deft use of "theory of mind" can remain several steps ahead of their rivals.

«Every social interaction is a game of chess, trying to get inside someone’s head to navigate what they are thinking or what they will do.»