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.

with

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

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How life changes when you start embracing mystery
David S. Goyer explains how paying attention to mystery, and not brushing it aside, became the foundation for the way he builds stories, characters, and worlds.

David S. Goyer

A silhouette of a child stands on a sunlit path in a dense, dark forest with tall trees and foliage surrounding the scene.
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3 min
“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.
A young woman with long hair rests her head on her hand, eyes closed, wearing a loose white garment and a headband, against a dark background.
3 min
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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3 min
The mind-blowing theory that everything is evolving—from minerals to music—explained in 3 minutes by a Carnegie scientist.
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7 min
Finding meaning isn’t just personally fulfilling — it’s critical to our brain’s development, explains USC neuroscientist.
A young woman in a white dress with a black sash sits beside a body of water, gazing down, with a dark forest in the background.
3 min
There’s never been more ways to connect with the people in our lives — so why are we lonelier than ever?
A close-up of two people with rosy cheeks, smiling and laughing together, wearing historical clothing and ornate collars.
7 min
“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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4 min
“I study the mineral kingdom — and its secrets could lead us to alien life.”