Responding to the shooting of a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo, Bill Nye says the treatment of animals in zoos is plainly unethical. Yet zoos do have a role in maintaining the health of ecosystems.

Stephen Hawking said there’s a way out. Stephen Hawking lied. “Not only does God play dice, but… he sometimes throws them where they cannot be seen.” –Stephen Hawking By definition, black […]

“The Greatest” defeated all opponents when the heavyweight division was its richest. Has any physicist done the same? “The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did […]

Scientists will combine stem cells, lasers, and other techniques to (hopefully) reanimate the brain stems of 20 brain dead patients. The technique has promise, and perhaps unforeseen pitfalls.  

A report by a team of scientists highlights the dangers of "gene drive" technology that can eliminate unwanted species.

Physicists confirm the presence of a second layer if information in DNA that determines how it folds and what kind of cells it creates.

And if it is, what does that mean for dark energy, and our Universe’s fate? “Until the 1990s, there were few reliable observations about movement at the scale of the […]

From amputees to porn addicts, the art of touch is being explored and monetized by the growing haptics industry. 

Humanity's languages and moralities evolved for social coordination. And for productive teamwork. Our moral sense, our social-rule processors, work just like our language-rule processors.   

On this week's episode of Think Again – a Big Think Podcast, Ethan Hawke and host Jason Gots discuss fatherhood, perpetual warfare, and the daily struggle between light and dark within every person.

Princeton historian Sean Wilentz says that from a historical perspective the rise of Donald Trump signals the end of the Republican Party as we know it — and a worrisome new politics.

Neither happiness nor success “can be pursued,” says Viktor Frankl. These states of being must “ensue…as the unintended side-effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself.” 

The gravitational waves were real. But earlier announcements that X-rays and gamma-rays were detected, too? Not so much. “What’s really exciting is what comes next. I think we’re opening a window […]

Most maps are directional tools, but some are their own destination, like this fun narrative-driven map from the New Yorker.

The FAA has issued a mysterious advisory telling pilots not to trust their GPS for several days this June.

Academy Award-winning documentarian Charles Ferguson says there is a good reason why authoritarian oligarchies are the worst nations at dealing with climate change.

Autoimmune disorders–what do we know about them? Turns out not much. Why are they increasing? Our squeaky clean environments and lack of contact with bacteria may be the reason. Fortunately, recent breakthroughs have brought new treatments, and a cure might even be on the horizon.  

How many trees do you need to see before you feel relaxed? Less than you think. 

Echoing the English psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, Scott Barry Kaufman explains why solitude is considered one of the greatest markers of psychological health.

Two new particles, one maybe seen and one theoretical, have the physics community buzzing.