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Philosophy
Examine life’s biggest questions, from ethics to existence, with curiosity and critical thinking.
Presidential gravesites are spread out “democratically” — but this is more by accident than design.
Research shows that octopuses are sentient, emotional creatures.
There are pros and cons to sending interstellar messages to aliens that may or may not exist.
What responsibility do social media companies like Twitter have to free speech? It depends on whether they are "landlords" or "publishers."
Some question the ethics of sanctions aimed at cancelling Russian art and culture and punishing ordinary citizens.
Singularities frustrate our understanding. But behind every singularity in physics hides a secret door to a new understanding of the world.
It didn't look like anything I'd seen before, but I'd be a great fool to consider "aliens" as a reasonable possibility.
Today, we could use Big Data to radically reform democracy. Tomorrow, we could build nanofabricators and usher in an era of abundance. Is society ready?
Nanofabricators could quickly synthesize whatever we need, molecule by molecule.
We take for granted that time is real. But what if it's only an illusion, and a relative illusion at that? Does time even exist?
There is strong evidence that invertebrates are sentient beings.
Moral dilemmas reveal the limitations of ethical principles. Oddly, the most principled belief system might not have any principles at all.
5mins
Thinking as a group and going along with the loudest voices can feel easy and even natural. But to make real positive change in our world, it’s important to hear all voices and question the perceived majority.
Stand Together
After mammoth investments and two decades of anti-aging research, what do immortality proponents have to show for it?
"Immodest Acts" tells the story of Benedetta Carlini, a lesbian nun who claimed to be a mystic visionary but failed to convince the leaders of her faith.
How efficiently could quantum engines operate?
Inflection points veer life in unexpected directions. While unnerving, they provide opportunities for those who can navigate them.
Satire and an inflated sense of self-importance collide in a series of maps that goes back more than 100 years in American history.
Plants are very sensitive to touch, with research showing that touching a plant can change its genome and launch a cascade of plant hormones.
Theoretical physicist Brian Greene explores the potential particles of time and why we could, in theory, travel forward in time but not back.
John Templeton Foundation