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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The incentive problem at the heart of modern science
"Publish or perish" has become an academic cliché. But the biggest casualty isn't researchers — it's scientific discovery itself.

by David Sloan

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Everything Articles Videos
Abstract digital art of concentric ripples radiating from a glowing center, featuring shades of pink, purple, and orange against a dark background.
5mins
The Well
When neutron stars collide
NASA’s Michelle Thaller explains what happens when the densest stars in the galaxy collide.
Michelle Thaller
Two men standing on top of a mountain with a torch.
The Well
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein can illuminate the debate over generative AI
Humanity is never fully in control of its creations. This lesson from Mary Shelley has remained relevant for over 200 years.
Jennifer Banks
John Templeton Foundation
Black and yellow halftone illustration of a smiling woman with wavy hair, shown from the shoulders up, in a vintage pop art style.
6mins
The Well
Un-sabotage yourself with intrinsic motivation
From marketing to social media, today’s world preys on your values. Here’s how to reclaim them and find true happiness.
Johann Hari
A wooden ladder extends downward from the top edge of the image against a blue sky with scattered white clouds.
6mins
The Well
The weirdness of physics: Dreaming wildly with strict rules
A physicist discusses the boundaries of reality and experimentation.
Janna Levin
A swirling, bright galaxy or nebula in deep space with a luminous center and spiraling blue and purple hues against a dark starry background.
12mins
The Well
Quantum wormholes, explained
Quantum wormholes are mathematically possible — but might also be physically impossible. Physicist Janna Levin explains Hawking’s famous information paradox.
Janna Levin
A statue of justice holding scales on a blue background.
The Well
Few of us desire true equality. It’s time to own up to it
Is true equality achievable — or even desirable? Go on a journey through the strange and unsettling "Land of Justice."
Peter Cave
John Templeton Foundation
Two individuals stand facing each other, holding hands at waist level and touching hands above their heads, forming an arch shape with their arms.
5mins
The Well
What is shared consciousness?
Do humans share one consciousness? This psychologist says yes.
Lisa Miller
A stylized, purple-tinted depiction of a black hole in space, showing a glowing accretion disk and a star-filled background.
5mins
The Well
The problem with the theory of everything
Gravity defies quantum mechanics. What does that mean for a theory of everything?
Janna Levin
Two spherical, yellowish biological structures are positioned side by side against a dark background.
7mins
The Well
Biohacking our way to health
This biologist built a living robot from frog cells — and it could hold the key to the future of regenerative medicine.
Michael Levin
Illustration of an astronaut being propelled through a futuristic, tunnel-like structure against a black background.
9mins
The Well
A 9-minute journey inside a black hole
Ever wonder what would happen if we got sucked into a black hole? Turns out we could live in it for a while — if it was big enough.
Janna Levin
A faint, grayscale image of a classical statue’s face with soft features and minimal details visible against a plain background.
4mins
The Well
The science of the “self”
How do “you” emerge from a collection of cells? A biologist explains.
Michael Levin
Two mirrored human faces with dotted lines and patterns radiating outward, set against a solid blue background, suggesting connectivity or symmetry.
6mins
The Well
The false reality of loneliness
Scientists can't define spirituality. But we can study its healing effects, says this Columbia psychologist.
Lisa Miller
Ancient headless stone Buddha statue with one arm missing, seated cross-legged against a solid dark purple background.
9mins
The Well
How we lost collective spirituality — and why we need it back
Spirituality declines, depression rises. Is there a link?
Lisa Miller
An image of a sunset through a window.
The Well
The case for “dusking”: In a world of light and noise, embracing the dark can be healing
How the simple act of watching twilight can radically transform our perception of the world and our role within it.
Marjolijn van Heemstra
John Templeton Foundation
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5mins
The Well
Why evolution is the Picasso of science
Evolution doesn’t fix things — it reinvents them. A biologist explains.
Michael Levin
John Templeton Foundation
Black and white illustration of a plant stem cross-section with honeycomb-like cell structure, shown on a green background.
8mins
The Well
Can cells think?
We know that humans are an intelligent species. But this biologist breaks down the intelligence of each of our cells — and it will blow your mind.
Michael Levin
A drawing of a man with a beard and a pot.
The Well
Respect alchemy. The crazy, criminal pursuit gave us modern science
Alchemy had its golden age in the 17th century, when it counted Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle among its adherents.
James Hannam
John Templeton Foundation
A vintage illustration shows two rows of glowing, human-like figures with radiating lines, set against a dark, textured background.
6mins
The Well
How spirituality protects your brain from despair
Modern life replaced spirituality with goal-setting — and it’s making us depressed. Here’s how to win back your happiness.
Lisa Miller
a picture of a man with a hat and a tarot card.
The Well
Is atheism destroying the moral fabric of society?
The debate goes back at least 400 years.
Michael McGhee
John Templeton Foundation
A man wearing a red headscarf sleeps against a tree with an open book in hand, while a dog lies nearby on the grass. A basket and fishing rod rest beside him.
6mins
The Well
Hustle culture kills happiness. Here’s how to escape it.
Hustle culture is part of our DNA — but it’s making us unhappy. Yale psychologist Laurie Santos explains how to escape your inner drill sergeant and find peace in imperfection.
Laurie Santos