The Latest from Big Think

Text reading "The Latest" in a large, serif font on a light background.
simple collage of runner
Technology, shifting rules, and human ambition push athletes beyond biology’s perceived limits.
A silhouette of a person reading a book sits on abstract, geometric stairs overlaid on collaged text and blue circular patterns.
Books don’t just stimulate the mind — they trigger physiological changes throughout the body.
Illustration of silhouetted people on scaffolding assembling a large globe with a crane hook against a textured pink background.
New biotech tools could clean up everything from construction to agriculture.
A split image explores the nature of life, with a gray rock on a dark background on the left and a colored microscopic view of a cell—hinting at intelligence—in vivid detail on the right.
Sixty years ago, a little-known philosopher challenged how science understands life. His perspective is finding new relevance in the age of artificial intelligence.
Illustration of various animal and human silhouettes in colored circles connected by arrows, set against a textured abstract background, evoking themes of speculative evolution.
Speculative evolution explores the strange paths natural selection might have taken — and what that means for humans.
A collage of scientific and space-themed images, featuring an insect, a planet, a human face, a robot, dandelion, star charts, and hints of aliens—all in varied colors and textures.
Some sci-fi aliens are wildly implausible. Others aren’t so far-fetched.
A 3D model of a green fluorescent protein (GFP) structure, showing beta sheets and an outer transparent molecular surface against a black background.
By treating the human body as an information system, scientists are using AI to simulate cells, visualize hidden biology, and detect disease at its earliest — and most preventable — stages.
Biohub
Three men in dark clothing sit and talk on a small boat in a harbor with ships and calm water in the background, under a hazy sky.
"Broadly speaking, it's at least plausible, this might be right."
A section of a map labeled "West McKinley Town Site" with surrounding property names and numbers in blue and orange text.
A century ago, an American colony named after Trump's favorite president was thriving on the Isle of Pines. Then came hurricanes and geopolitical reality.
Angus Fletcher, a man in a suit and glasses, stands in profile, touching his face in a dimly lit room with blurred lights and equipment in the background.
The great investor instinctively knew that humans are much smarter than computers in volatile environments. So he bet on common sense.
From the vastness of space, Earth at night reveals its exo-earth beauty, with illuminated continents showcasing a tapestry of lights across North and South America. Major cities and regions emerge from the glowing darkness, painting a vivid picture against the backdrop of oceans.
One big goal of science is to find an inhabited, Earth-like planet. But if we find an Earth-like world, will we even recognize it?
Stellar explosion
Many reactions emit energy, often in large amounts, but cosmic efficiency is another metric altogether. Here's how to maximize your output.
A calculator on a blue surface displays a smiling face on its screen.
The benefits of mathematical literacy reach far beyond the realm of numbers and equations.
A split image showing a human hand making an "OK" gesture on the left, and an alien hand pointing with a glowing fingertip on the right.
The unanswered questions about sex, love, and pregnancy in space could shape the future of humanity more than we think.
Visualization of the timeline of the universe, from the beginning big bang to the present.
The Universe is expanding, the expansion is accelerating, and some galaxies even recede faster-than-light. Can we see a change in real time?
A book cover titled "The Laws of Thought" by Tom Griffiths appears next to the phrase "an excerpt from" on a split lavender and beige background.
In this excerpt from The Laws of Thought, Tom Griffiths shares how George Boole developed a mathematical theory of logic.
einstein
Even the most brilliant mind in history couldn't have achieved all he did without significant help from the minds of others.
A luminous dying sun with jets and swirling clouds appears at the center of a dark background, encircled by concentric patterns—an image reminiscent of Hubble’s stunning cosmic view.
Before Sun-like stars die, they transition from AGB red giants into preplanetary nebulae. Here's how Hubble sees the famous Egg Nebula.