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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.
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The Templeton Foundation supports interdisciplinary research and catalyzes conversations that inspire awe and wonder.
The biggest obstacle to discovering life beyond Earth
The biggest obstacle to discovering life in space? Not distance. Not capability. It’s ambiguity — and it’s built into science. MIT astrophysicist Sara Seager explains.
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Statistician Talithia Williams on how math is the clearest path to understanding our existence.
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How do scientists measure and define life in the natural world? Dr. Lee Cronin gives us a definition, in 4 minutes:
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Algorithms dictate a lot more than your social media feeds. Here’s how to win back your agency.
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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.
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These 5 human development principles could completely change the way we think about learning and potential.
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Don’t fall into the determinism trap. Everything is, in fact, random, says chemist Lee Cronin:
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“Say what you want to say, and not what you feel.” Harvard happiness professor explains ‘metacognition’ techniques so you can grow your emotional intelligence:
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“The physics of the universe doesn't predict the emergence of biology.” Glasgow chemist Lee Cronin explains how inanimate matter becomes evolutionary:
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Testing is an attempt to measure intelligence. But is intelligence really what’s getting measured? A neuroscientist weighs in:
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“Not only does Mother Nature not care about your happiness, she knows that we need lots of negative emotions to keep us alive.” Harvard happiness professor on why suffering IS necessary:
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“We wouldn’t be able to talk about minerals if it weren’t for the minerals themselves.” Mineralogist Bob Hazen explains how Earth’s rocks can teach us about our planet’s technicolor history.
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Traditional definitions of wellbeing focus on the absence of mental illness or disease. But true wellbeing goes beyond that, says this neuroscientist.
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The mind-blowing theory that everything is evolving—from minerals to music—explained in 3 minutes by a Carnegie scientist.
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Finding meaning isn’t just personally fulfilling — it’s critical to our brain’s development, explains USC neuroscientist.
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There’s never been more ways to connect with the people in our lives — so why are we lonelier than ever?
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“Happiness is NOT about feelings.” Harvard happiness expert Arthur Brooks debunks the biggest myths about humanity’s most sought-after state, and explains how to actually get it.
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“I study the mineral kingdom — and its secrets could lead us to alien life.”
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“We could be wrong. But if we are right, it’s profoundly important.” Leading mineralogist Dr. Robert Hazen on the missing law of nature that could explain why life emerges.
John Templeton Foundation
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Nobel Prize winning physicist Frank Wilczek reflects on Einstein’s greatest contribution.
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Are you convincing everyone you’re smart, or accidentally alienating them? Here’s how to find out.