The Latest from Big Think

Text reading "The Latest" in a large, serif font on a light background.
Illustration of the universe's large-scale structure with colorful concentric circles, representing cosmic structure distribution, against a black background.
Observations with the Hubble space telescope helped cement dark energy and reveal the Hubble tension. How are these two things so different?
The whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts; that's a flaw in our thinking. Non-reductionism requires magic, not merely science.
Collage with "The Nightcrawler" text, an image of a tree, two photos of elderly hands working with clay—reminiscent of Warren Buffett’s wisdom—and partial faces of an older person, all highlighted by orange accents.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
A spacecraft with bright engine exhaust approaches Mars, depicted with its reddish surface and a large crater visible.
"Think of it like a transcontinental railroad — not the fastest way to move a lot of mass, but certainly the most efficient,” Jared Isaacman said about nuclear electric propulsion.
A series of solar sail spacecraft harvest solar power at night, floating above Earth's atmosphere with the sun shining in the background.
Solar power has the disadvantage that there's no Sun at night. Satellite startup Reflect Orbital wants to change that, but at what cost?
The cover of "All That We See or Seem" by Ken Liu features blurred colorful lines and glowing blue text on a dark background, perfectly capturing the enigmatic spirit of all that we see or seem.
A preview of the latest novel by the Hugo- and Nebula-winning author.
Aerial view of two groups of people waiting in line and walking on a paved surface, casting long shadows in the sunlight.
In this excerpt from "Lucky By Design," Judd Kessler explains how opportunity costs shape our choices and why time is the real price we pay.
A sketch of a seated, nude figure resting their chin on one hand, surrounded by dark shading and a textured background, evokes an atmosphere of philosophy horror.
Each of these stories rests on a foundation of great ideas that will scare you to death and make you think.
Book cover for "Bag Man" by Lew Frankfort, featuring a brown leather Coach handbag against a blue background with Lew Frankfort’s name in bold white text.
Lew Frankfort — Chairman Emeritus of Coach, Inc. — reveals the surest way for a brand to stand the test of time.
Artistic illustration depicting one of the biggest mysteries of the origin of the universe, showing entangled particles connected by curved paths in space, inspired by concepts from quantum physics and wormholes.
Inflation's two main criticisms, that it can predict anything and that the "measure problem" remains unsolved, can't erase its successes.
A medieval scribe sits at a desk, writing in a manuscript with quill and ink, surrounded by open books and a basket holding writing supplies.
"What’s happening now has, in fact, been happening since the very invention of language and writing."
A yellow bird silhouette reveals a woman sitting on steps using her laptop, symbolizing the watchful presence of AI canaries, set against a dark, patterned background.
Early warning signs show AI is eating into the entry-level job market — a potential harbinger of things to come.
The Orion Nebula surrounded by stars, with a bright green meteor streaking diagonally across the image, evokes the wonder of shooting stars illuminating the night sky.
The Orionids meteor shower peaks October 20th/21st here in 2025, coinciding with a new Moon. See the brightest shooting stars of the year!
A view of deep space showing numerous galaxies of various shapes and sizes scattered across a dark background.
To learn how our Universe grew up, we have to look at large numbers of galaxies at all distances to find out. Good thing we have JWST!
A section of the U.S. Constitution, with the iconic words "We the People" partially obscured by red scribbles, highlights the enduring significance of this historic document.
In "We the People," Harvard historian Jill Lepore examines how the U.S. Constitution became unamendable and its implications for the health of the democracy.
A colorful, irregular galaxy with bright clusters of stars, some possibly from a generation stars before sun, and nebulae against a dark background scattered with distant stars.
Our Sun only arose after 9.2 billion years of cosmic history: with many stars living and dying first. How many prior generations were there?
A raised hand with bracelets is shown in focus against a blurred background of people indoors.
Nearly 30 would be "nones" — an amorphous group that spans from zealous atheists to the vaguely spiritual.
Book cover for "The Art of Spending Money" by Morgan Housel, featuring an origami bird made from money and a quote from Steven Bartlett at the top, exploring how to be miserable spending money unwisely.
In this excerpt from "The Art of Spending Money," Morgan Housel lays out the spending and financial habits guaranteed to end in regret.
Collage with hands shaping dough, overlapping U.S. flags, circular architectural elements, and "THE NIGHTCRAWLER" at the top—reflecting on the AI divide woven into the fabric of American life.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.