13.8

Two astronauts in spacesuits stand on a rocky, marbled pink surface, looking out into a dark star-filled outer space.
White numbers “168” in a bold font appear against a light gray background.
Where science meets the human story

We live in a scientifically dominated age. Nearly every aspect of modern life is shaped by science and technology, from medicine and space exploration to climate change, nuclear risk, and artificial intelligence.

Science is the source of our greatest hopes and our deepest fears. It drives progress, but it also raises profound questions about meaning, responsibility, and the future of civilization. In the 21st century, science cannot be separated from culture. The two are braided together, shaping our politics, our art, and our understanding of what it means to be human.

13.8 is a space for examining that relationship. Through essays and conversations, it explores the beauty, power, promise, and peril of science as a cultural force. If we want to understand our moment in history, this is where the inquiry begins.

with

Adam Frank is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester, a leading researcher on stellar evolution, and the author of four books. He is the co-founder of 13.8, where he writes about science and culture.

Marcelo Gleiser is a professor of natural philosophy, physics, and astronomy at Dartmouth College and the author of five books. A recipient of the 2019 Templeton Prize, he is the co-founder of 13.8, where he explores science and culture.

Aerial aliens: Why cloudy worlds might make detecting life easier
Astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger spoke with Big Think about how "the colors of life" could leave detectable traces on distant planets.

Adam Frank

Three planets are silhouetted against deep space with a bright red star and nebula clouds in the background.
An illustration of a woman's head with lines drawn on it.
To hallucinate means you must first perceive.
A group of people standing in a circle.
Human civilization has always survived periods of change. Will our rapidly evolving technological era be an exception to the rule?
An image of a spiral galaxy in space.
In 1924, Edwin Hubble found proof that the Milky Way isn't the only galaxy in the Universe.
A man with a beard is standing in front of a screen.
Big Think columnist Adam Frank makes the case for why the 2023 video game Alan Wake 2 is a boundary-pushing piece of art.
A black background with blue bubbles on it.
Explore how QBism reframes science by placing the observer at the heart of quantum reality.
An image of a red light shining on a dark background.
Millennia ago, philosophers like Anaximander grasped that nature is the ultimate recycler.
A forest overlaid with an image of a city
The answer is set to change in the year 2113, a recent estimate suggests.