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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How your brain’s hemispheres actually work
The "logical left, creative right" narrative about our brains took hold in the '80s. It was never fully true. Neuropsychologist Iain McGilchrist on what actually happens in each brain hemisphere.

by Iain McGilchrist

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Everything Articles Videos
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38mins
The Well
Finding the secret of human existence in an atom-smasher
Our host Kmele went inside Fermilab, America’s premiere particle accelerator facility, to find out how the smallest particles in the universe can teach us about its biggest mysteries.
Kmele Foster & Brandon Stewart
A bright sun rises over the curved horizon of a dark planet in space, with a faint glow outlining the planet’s edge against a starry background.
35mins
The Well
Finding meaning in the darkest sky on earth
Dispatches host Kmele Foster is on a journey to understand humanity’s role in the cosmos. His first stop? The Atacama Plateau in Northern Chile, home to the darkest deserts and largest telescopes on earth.
Kmele Foster & Brandon Stewart
Green chalkboard filled with various mathematical equations, graphs, and formulas written in black marker.
3mins
The Well
Unlock your inner math genius, in 4 minutes
Yes, you CAN be a “math person” — as long as you follow these learning techniques.
Po-Shen Loh
Large shards of broken glass lie on the floor in front of a window with cracked glass; red curtains frame the scene.
11mins
The Well
How to master antifragility for a happier life
"Resilience" is being able to withstand hardship; "antifragility" goes one step further.
Jonathan Haidt, Derren Brown, Nancy Koehn, Susan David, Pete Holmes & Shaka Senghor
The Well
Actually, neuroscience suggests “the self” is real
If the "self" is not real, then we are slaves to a billiard ball universe, trapped in a nihilistic nightmare in which we cannot change our fate.
Bobby Azarian
John Templeton Foundation
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6mins
The Well
Why being uncertain is a hidden strength
We’re often ashamed to say, “I don’t know” — but this professional poker player thinks it’s one of our greatest strengths.
Annie Duke
Two men sit facing each other in a barn with pumpkins behind them; one man holds a pipe, and both appear to be engaged in conversation.
5mins
The Well
3 key principles for great conversation
There are 3 key principles that separate a good conversation from a great one — and they’ll completely change how you communicate.
Emily Chamlee-Wright
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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
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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
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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