Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds. Together, let's learn from them. Welcome to The Well, a publication by the John Templeton Foundation and Big Think.
Get The Well in your inbox
Featured Interviews
“And so, this is the greatest campaign to understand: Will we ever have a quantum theory of gravity?…
And when we do, we hope that that means we will have a theory of everything, because then, we will be able to fold all of the known forces into one, and (know) that everything in the entire Universe, and everything that has ever happened, will precipitate from that one law of physics.”
Theoretical Astrophysicist, Barnard College
Michael Levin is a developmental and synthetic biologist at Tufts University, where he is the Vannevar Bush Distinguished Professor and serves as director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts[…]
▸
8 min
—
with
Janna Levin is a professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University. She is also director of sciences at Pioneer Works, a center for arts and sciences[…]
▸
9 min
—
with
Michael Levin is a developmental and synthetic biologist at Tufts University, where he is the Vannevar Bush Distinguished Professor and serves as director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts[…]
▸
5 min
—
with
Featured Article
How the simple act of watching twilight can radically transform our perception of the world and our role within it.
“Dusking, it is called...
A verb stemming from a time when people preferred to leave the lights off as long as possible and wait for darkness in the early evening. It was a way to save energy but also, most importantly, a communal end to the day.”
JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM
Gravity defies quantum mechanics. What does that mean for a theory of everything?
There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions. But there’s a whole lot of awe-inspiring possibilities. Thank you to all 100,000 of you who are here exploring those possibilities…
When was the last time you trusted your gut?
Quality over quantity.
Xenobots: The coolest self-replicating cells | Michael Levin
These tadpoles can rearrange their faces | Michael Levin
Embrace the journey.
This biologist built a living robot from frog cells — and it could hold the key to the future of regenerative medicine:
All Stories
Gravity defies quantum mechanics. What does that mean for a theory of everything?
▸
6 min
—
with
This biologist built a living robot from frog cells — and it could hold the key to the future of regenerative medicine.
▸
8 min
—
with
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.
▸
9 min
—
with
How do “you” emerge from a collection of cells? A biologist explains.
▸
5 min
—
with
Scientists can't define spirituality. But we can study its healing effects, says this Columbia psychologist.
▸
6 min
—
with
Spirituality declines, depression rises. Is there a link?
▸
9 min
—
with
How the simple act of watching twilight can radically transform our perception of the world and our role within it.
by
Evolution doesn’t fix things — it reinvents them. A biologist explains.
▸
5 min
—
with
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.
▸
8 min
—
with
Alchemy had its golden age in the 17th century, when it counted Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle among its adherents.
by
Modern life replaced spirituality with goal-setting — and it’s making us depressed. Here’s how to win back your happiness.
▸
00:06:37 min
—
with
The debate goes back at least 400 years.
by
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.
▸
6 min
—
with
Your "social reality" isn’t an absolute reality. A leading neuroscientist explains why.
▸
7 min
—
with
Sophia, the humanoid robot, is not just mirroring emotions; she's leading a revolution in emotional intelligence.
by
Knowing your key strengths can make you happy in anything you do. Here’s how to identify them.
▸
7 min
—
with
The crisis of the Anthropocene challenges our traditional narratives and myths about humanity's place in the world. Citizen science can help.
by
What sets trauma apart from regular bad experiences? A leading neuroscientist explains.
▸
6 min
—
with
Gods and angels have been replaced with hi-tech extraterrestrials.
by
If you don’t feel better after the weekend, the “burnout paradox” could explain why.
▸
7 min
—
with
Unlock the paradoxes of life through poetic realism.
by
Plato and Carl Sagan were wrong about the human brain, says a top neuroscientist.
▸
7 min
—
with
“Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 percent of everything you think, and of everything you do, is for yourself — and there isn’t one.”
by
Your brain isn’t wired for happiness — but you can change that, explains Yale scientist Laurie Santos.
▸
9 min
—
with
Spiritual experiences can be explained in terms of a highly evolved brain. But they also can be extremely meaningful.
by
You’ve heard about your "lizard brain." But what about the other two?
▸
8 min
—
with
No, emotions don’t happen TO you. Here’s what happens instead.
▸
9 min
—
with
"Groupthink" gets a bad rap. In reality, we need groups to focus our thinking and to build on the ideas of others.
by
Ancient societies revered dreams. Modern science tells us why.
▸
5 min
—
with
Geniuses and prodigies are captivating. But generalists rule the world.
▸
6 min
—
with