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The Big Think Interview

138 episodes

Intimate interviews with the world’s biggest thinkers.

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All Episodes (138)

A note pinned to a wall with the words "1 Rule to Focus" in red, viewed through the crosshairs of a scope or lens.

The CIA method for making quick decisions under stress

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13 min

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with

Andrew Bustamante

A hand holding a fork is positioned toward a photo of Earth against a green background.

We have the tools to fix our food system. Why aren’t we using them?

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20 min

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with

A dinosaur stands in a field as a flaming asteroid falls from the sky; bold text reads "DON'T BE THE DINOSAUR.

Michael Watkins: You can’t afford to be a dinosaur

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8 min

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with

Michael D. Watkins

A lighthouse shines its beam at dusk with the words "HAPPINESS GUIDES" in large white text over the image.

We’ve been wrong about happiness. Here’s what philosophy says

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5 min

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with

A man in a blazer holds up a yellow card with black line drawings and gestures with his other hand against a plain background.

The question nobody’s asking about space colonization

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9 min

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with

Illustration of three planets orbiting a star, with colored bands indicating the habitable zone; text reads "FINDING LIFE Habital Zone.

How close are we to finding alien life?

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19 min

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with

A small person stands at the base of a large staircase with the words "IT STARTS HERE" in bold black letters on a yellow background.

A neuroscientist’s guide to fixing your mind in 15 mins

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15 min

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with

Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Target symbol over a world map with a central orange circle displaying "< 2°", surrounded by numbers on concentric circles.

Is it too late for us to slow climate warming?

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6 min

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with

A mural shows an angel pointing toward a golden emblem, with rays emanating. Monks stand in reverence below, surrounded by flowers and architectural details.

Sam Harris: Is AI aligned with our human interests?

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13 min

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with

Several microphones facing forward against a blue background with the text "Agents of Conflict" above them.

Depression and anxiety triggers are ‘best practices’ in bad journalism

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11 min

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with

Two luminous circles connected by a glowing blue wave on a dark background, creating a sense of energy and motion.

Physicist Brian Cox explains quantum physics in 22 minutes

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22 min

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with

A person sitting on a chair in a studio setting with a white backdrop and two small tables on either side, each holding a small plant.

The Hard Problem of Consciousness | Annaka Harris

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11 min

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with

A person with long curly hair and a headband gestures with one hand, wearing a black shirt that says "everyday" and a smartwatch on the other wrist, against a plain background.

Former CIA agent: The truth about manipulation

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13 min

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with

Andrew Bustamante

The words "Cosmic Origins" appear in bold against a colorful, radiant explosion resembling a galaxy or cosmic event.

3 discoveries that change the way we think of the Universe

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22 min

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with

A person sitting on a chair in a cozy interior with brick walls, two windows, plants, and a lamp.

Are we disciplining ourselves out of happiness?

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8 min

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with

Oliver Burkeman

A missile in motion with the words "2025's Top Threats" against a blue background.

10 biggest world threats of 2025, ranked | Ian Bremmer

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22 min

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with

Close-up view of a marble sculpture's lower face, showing a smile with detailed lips and chin against a dark background.

The philosophy of happiness, explained in 10 minutes

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11 min

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with

A pink brain shaped like a heart with rays emanating from it against a black background.

Emotional intelligence: The 4 domains of high performance

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8 min

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with

Aerial view of a large cargo ship with multicolored containers navigating through deep blue ocean waters.

The basics of post-COVID monetary policy, explained by an economist

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11 min

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with

Joseph Politano

Close-up image of a human iris featuring vibrant blue and yellow hues with a dark pupil in the center.

The mystery at the heart of consciousness

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10 min

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with

A man with short, grayish hair, wearing a dark blazer and black shirt, stares directly at the camera against a black background.

Sam Harris: Your mind is all you have. Is yours working?

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10 min

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with

A person with glasses and a black blazer is looking directly at the camera against a black background.

Yuval Noah Harari’s guidebook for navigating the age of AI

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75 min

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with

Yuval Noah Harari

The image shows the words "Organizational Friction" in bold white text on a black background with red arrows crossing over them.

Why ‘friction thinkers’ see hidden opportunities first

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7 min

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with

Illustration of two human silhouettes facing each other with neural connections and nodes, featuring the text "BORN AND MADE" on a green background.

6 key abilities of strategic thinkers (you can learn them)

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7 min

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with

Michael D. Watkins

London Business School professor explains how to improve your critical inquiry skills

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6 min

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with

Illustration depicting human evolution from a primate to an early human holding a spear, advancing from left to right.

Everything about civilization is changing. Why aren’t our bodies evolving?

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8 min

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with

Sean B. Carroll

A dark background with the words "Generative AI HYPE" written in flames.

Generative AI is not the panacea we’ve been promised

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8 min

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with

The Earth partially submerged in water, symbolizing climate change and rising sea levels, against a black background.

Doomerism won’t fix the planet, but we can

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13 min

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with

Digital illustration of a human brain, displaying vibrant colors transitioning from green to blue and pink, set against a gradient and black background.

Reboot your mind for flow, unanxiousness, and resilience

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26 min

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with

The history of work: 3 experts debunk common myths

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25 min

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with

Related

An older man sits on a chair in front of a white backdrop, surrounded by rows of hanging beef carcasses in a meat processing facility.

Peter Singer: Animal suffering is human responsibility

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s about reducing suffering where we can, and right now, we’re choosing not to.”

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01:55:01 min

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with

A note pinned to a wall with the words "1 Rule to Focus" in red, viewed through the crosshairs of a scope or lens.

The CIA method for making quick decisions under stress

“The very same time that’s making you anxious is actually your most valuable asset. You can always create more energy and more money—but you can never create more time.”

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13 min

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with

Andrew Bustamante

A man in a suit sits on a chair against a white backdrop, with illustrated green skyscrapers, solar panels, and trees in the background.

A liberal critique of liberalism: What needs to change

“The disease is the fact that liberalism, which used to be an ideology of building, has become an ideology of blocking.”

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01:17:12 min

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with

A hand holding a fork is positioned toward a photo of Earth against a green background.

We have the tools to fix our food system. Why aren’t we using them?

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20 min

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with

A dinosaur stands in a field as a flaming asteroid falls from the sky; bold text reads "DON'T BE THE DINOSAUR.

Michael Watkins: You can’t afford to be a dinosaur

“You need to embrace these systems and try out what’s going on because if you don’t understand it, you really can’t hope to help your organization adapt and stay in front of this momentous, world-changing technology.”

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8 min

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with

Michael D. Watkins