The Latest from Big Think

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A Tolkien-inspired painting portraying a man and woman amidst a mystical forest.
Ignoring the legacy of William Shakespeare is difficult for any writer, let alone one as quintessentially English as "Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien.
a painting of a group of people in a wooded area.
Throughout history, hundreds — sometimes thousands — of people have been spontaneously compelled to dance until collapsing or dying from exhaustion. What explains this bizarre phenomenon?
a painting of a group of people drinking in a room, depicting the extinction of gatherings.
The separation of pleasure from procreation may occur throughout the cosmos, providing an explanation for the Fermi Paradox.
breakthrough starshot
A Harvard astronomer went to the bottom of the ocean, claiming he recovered alien technology. But what does the science actually indicate?
An image of a green DNA replication background.
As cells divide, they must copy all of their chromosomes once and only once, or chaos would ensue. How do they do it? Key controls happen well before replication even starts.
Research suggests there's truth to regional stereotypes in the U.S. — with some caveats.
an image of a nebula with TRAPPIST stars in it.
The space telescope's findings challenge the notion of a galaxy brimming with life.
a group of men standing next to each other.
The path of a curling stone on ice — and how it can be influenced — is a revealing metaphor for life's decisions.
quantum tunneling instantaneous
Some processes, like quantum tunneling, have been shown to occur instantaneously. But the ultimate cosmic speed limit remains unavoidable.
A man's head symbolizing consciousness with a red heart on it.
Our minds seem both physical and intangible. That paradox has gripped this neuroscientist since childhood.
Outrage machine fueled by emojis with expressions on a black background.
The outrage machine is fueled by toxicity. But there are practical steps that we can take to recapture control over our emotions.
an image of consciousness represented by a brain on a pink background.
Will we ever unravel the mystery of consciousness? Two academics made a 25-year bet on it. The scientist lost.
flight through universe CEERS JWST NASA
From the present day all the way to less than 400 million years after the Big Bang, we're seeing how the Universe grew up like never before.
Learn to spot the scientists who are searching for the truth rather than money, ego, or fame.
a large white dome in the middle of a city.
Get ready for the most peculiar road trip that will help you understand the vastness and emptiness of the solar system — and Sweden.
A wizard owl soars over an orange background.
The space‑specific neurons in the owl’s specialized auditory brain can do advanced math.
A pacifist's explosive, adorned with blooming flowers.
No, Gandhi did not single-handedly bring about Indian independence. Pacifism alone usually gets you killed.
photosynthesis plants
All biological systems are wildly disordered. Yet somehow, that disorder enables plant photosynthesis to be nearly 100% efficient.