The Well

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Ideas that inspire a life well-lived

Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional?

Life’s biggest questions rarely have simple answers. That is precisely why they continue to occupy the world’s most thoughtful minds. The Well is a place to engage those questions, drawing on insights from science, philosophy, and the humanities.

Created by the John Templeton Foundation in partnership with Big Think, The Well brings together ideas that inspire deeper understanding and a more considered approach to living.

in partnership with

The Templeton Foundation supports interdisciplinary research and catalyzes conversations that inspire awe and wonder.

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Physics doesn’t explain the universe. Computation does.
What do the laws of physics, biological evolution, and your free will have in common? The same mathematical principle runs through all of them. Stephen Wolfram has spent 40 years finding it.

by Stephen Wolfram

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Everything Articles Videos
Vintage illustration of a human head in profile with labeled sections of the brain, representing different personality traits and mental faculties.
3mins
The Well
This one essential trait begins shaping us seconds after birth
What if emotional regulation isn’t just a trait, but a skill parents and teachers can help develop? Ethan Kross reveals what science says about shaping young minds.
Ethan Kross
A person in a long, light-colored garment leans forward with their head pressed against a brick wall against a red background.
7mins
The Well
Manage your emotions, in 9 minutes
From trepanning to lobotomies, humans have long struggled to manage emotion. Today, we have better tools. Psychologist Ethan Kross shares what actually works, and why.
Ethan Kross
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3mins
The Well
Why philosophy needs the Bible (and vice versa)
Philosopher Meghan Sullivan challenges the idea that religious texts can’t be taken seriously in modern philosophy. She explains how parables, scripture, and debate have always been connected to asking life’s biggest questions:
Meghan Sullivan
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2mins
The Well
The ocean is evolving, and it’s not based on the ‘survival of the fittest’
The ocean is evolving, and it’s not based on the ‘survival of the fittest.’ Astrobiologist Betül Kaçar explains how it’s not competition that has kept the ocean alive, but collaboration.
Betül Kaçar 
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3mins
The Well
A philosopher’s guide to caring deeply
According to philosopher Meghan Sullivan, effective altruism may overlook the moral importance of seeing others as individuals. She explains how love should guide how we care for both present and future humans.
Meghan Sullivan
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2mins
The Well
What NASA is really looking for in space
We may be close to finding life beyond Earth. But would we even recognize it if we did? Astrobiologist Betül Kaçar explains what signs NASA is looking for.
Betül Kaçar 
A woman in a blue and yellow headscarf and pearl earring holds a smartphone, looking over her shoulder, mimicking the style of a classic painting.
3mins
The Well
Does hope for humanity rely on philosophy?
From the printing press to the internet, every technological revolution in history has reshaped human thought. Now, with AI accelerating by the day, philosopher Meghan Sullivan asks: Are we ready for the philosophical shift that must follow?
Meghan Sullivan
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6mins
The Well
Meet the survivors of Earth’s worst days
These microbes endured the unlivable. The NASA astrobiologist who studies them reveals what that means for us today
Betül Kaçar 
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6mins
The Well
The three laws of love, and how to follow them
Aristotle thought that a friend you love is considered your ‘second-self’, someone whose pain feels like your own. Philosopher Meghan Sullivan asks, what happens when you extend that kind of love to strangers?
Meghan Sullivan
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3mins
The Well
Zero: The key to understanding everything?
From nothing to everything: How zero changed our understanding of the universe, forever.
Talithia Williams
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1mins
The Well
Math is art. Here’s how to appreciate it that way.
What would the world be like if we focused on “the inherent beauty of math,” rather than its technical aspects? A statistician reflects:
Talithia Williams
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2mins
The Well
How math brings order to our universe
Statistician Talithia Williams on how math is the clearest path to understanding our existence.
Talithia Williams
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3mins
The Well
How do scientists measure—and define—life?
How do scientists measure and define life in the natural world? Dr. Lee Cronin gives us a definition, in 4 minutes:
Lee Cronin
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6mins
The Well
Win back your agency from algorithms with data literacy
Algorithms dictate a lot more than your social media feeds. Here’s how to win back your agency.
Talithia Williams
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3mins
The Well
A bold new theory on why the universe keeps expanding
What drives the universe's expansion? Chemist Lee Cronin explains the theories linking time, space, and selection, providing a fresh perspective on this cosmic mystery.
Lee Cronin
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4mins
The Well
Human development has 5 key principles – here’s why they matter
These 5 human development principles could completely change the way we think about learning and potential.
Mary Helen Immordino-Yang
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3mins
The Well
Don’t fall into the determinism trap. Everything is, in fact, random
Don’t fall into the determinism trap. Everything is, in fact, random, says chemist Lee Cronin:
Lee Cronin
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3mins
The Well
Yes, you CAN control your emotions — with these techniques
“Say what you want to say, and not what you feel.” Harvard happiness professor explains ‘metacognition’ techniques so you can grow your emotional intelligence:
Arthur Brooks
Microscopic close-up of a cell undergoing division, showing two forming daughter cells with visible internal structures against a purple background.
7mins
The Well
How matter becomes life, in 7 minutes
“The physics of the universe doesn't predict the emergence of biology.” Glasgow chemist Lee Cronin explains how inanimate matter becomes evolutionary:
Lee Cronin
A pencil fills in the first answer bubble on a multiple-choice test sheet, option "1" for question 90.
1mins
The Well
The big problem with how we measure “intelligence”
Testing is an attempt to measure intelligence. But is intelligence really what’s getting measured? A neuroscientist weighs in:
Mary Helen Immordino-Yang
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