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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.

Featured Interviews

“My lab has found that there’s almost nothing better for a human being than a moment of awe…

It makes us more altruistic. It combats loneliness. Even if you find awe alone — gardening, reading poetry, watching a great film — you’ll feel more connected. It makes us humble and curious about others. It even decreases ideological polarization around the hot issues of our time.”

Dacher Keltner

Psychologist, UC Berkeley

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How Rainn Wilson discovered sacredness

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A beam of light shines through clouds in a painted sky, with the word "AWE" in large yellow letters centered in the image.

Why Einstein called awe the fundamental emotion

Dacher Keltner is a social psychologist who focuses on the prosocial emotions, such as love, sympathy and gratitude, and processes such as teasing and flirtation that enhance bonds. He has[…]

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14 min

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A detailed black and white illustration of a toad on a green background, with the word "Car" written below it.

Even AI is self-censoring. Here’s why that matters.

Jacob Mchangama

Jacob Mchangama is a lawyer, human-rights advocate, author, podcast host, and founder and executive director of the think tank Justitia. He has written about free speech and human rights in[…]

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Jacob Mchangama

Close-up of a sepia-toned drawing showing a person with crossed arms, wearing a robe with highlights, against a background with a partial view of a stone wall.

This research team studies gratitude. Here’s what they’ve found.

Woman with long brown hair, wearing a blue top, pearl necklace, and earrings, smiling outdoors with greenery in the background.

Sarah Schnitker

Dr. Sarah Schnitker, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University and Director of the BRIGHTS Center, researches virtue development in youth. Specializing in patience, self-control, and gratitude, she[…]

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3 min

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Sarah Schnitker

Featured Article

A painting of a man with a beard.

Is the universe conscious? Panpsychism, religion, and the modern search for meaning

Panpsychist philosopher Philip Goff, PhD on mysticism and the future of faith.

“Empathy doesn’t just fully appear on its own. In large part, it has to be nurtured, and ages 1 to 6 is a prime window. While temperament plays a role, so does a child’s environment, including the people and stories they’re exposed to.”

Man with a dark beard and mustache wearing a blue turban and blue sweater, standing against a plain light gray background, looking at the camera and smiling.

Simran Jeet Singh

All Stories

Why a meaningful life is impossible without suffering

Pain makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. What’s puzzling is why so many of us choose to seek out painful experiences.

A gold crown with pointed tips and ornate detailing is shown against a solid blue background, symbolizing the evolution of kindness through regal elegance.

Has evolution made us ultra-selfish?

We evolved to be kind – and die for others.

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4 min

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A woman cradles a baby while surrounded by four children in a rustic kitchen, with dishes on shelves and blue sky outside—a heartwarming scene that might inspire thoughts like, should I have kids?.

Should I have kids? A psychologist explains how to decide

Kids don’t always make you happier. Here’s why people have them anyway.

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5 min

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A hand holding a whip with multiple knotted tails against a solid orange background, subtly hinting at themes of discipline and exploring why suffering is good.

Why you should want to suffer — just a little bit

There are two kinds of suffering. One is pure pain. The other makes life worth living.

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6 min

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genius

Why Einstein is a “peerless genius” and Hawking is an “ordinary genius”

You’ve heard of Stephen Hawking. Ever heard of Renata Kallosh? Didn’t think so.

Two hands in handcuffs, connected by a DNA double helix chain, symbolize genome blindness against a solid blue background.

Should genetics be used to create social policy?

Eugenics is bad – but understanding DNA is good.

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4 min

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Kathryn Paige Harden

A glowing, radiant figure stands atop dark rocks near a mountain, with bright light illuminating the scene in a monochrome, sketch-like style.

Will we download our minds into new bodies?

According to author and entrepreneur Steven Kotler, at some point this century, we will confront the prospect of immortality.

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Why ignoring genetic differences between people exacerbates inequality

Science doesn’t fit neatly into ideology.

Black text on a beige background reads, "YOU ARE NOT YOUR GENETICS," styled like an eye chart with distance markers, challenging the idea that genetics alone define you.

Schools ignore genetics—and that’s actually a bad thing

Almost all our school improvements fail. Here’s why.

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Kathryn Paige Harden

Close-up image of a green leaf showing detailed vein structure and texture, capturing the intricate design that highlights the essence of nature versus nurture.

Nature vs. nurture, explained by a geneticist

“If 90% of children had ADHD and only 10% of children could sit still at a desk, how would we design school?”

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4 min

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Kathryn Paige Harden

A dark background with vertical lines of varying lengths and colors—yellow, blue, and white—arranged in uneven rows and columns, evoking the randomness of the genetic lottery.

Your genes affect your education. Here’s why that’s controversial.

We all play the genetic lottery – and the outcome matters a lot.

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Kathryn Paige Harden

A red flag on top of a gray rock, with the right side dissolving into particles—like automatic habits breaking apart—set against a solid green background.

Are goals necessary? A habit scientist answers.

The US reduced smoking rates from 50% to 15% with a simple habit hack.

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4 min

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Illustration of a black hole in space with a glowing accretion disk and a stream of stars or gas being pulled toward it.

Do black holes “bleach” cosmic history?

According to renowned physicist Christophe Galfard, physics can’t explain our universe – yet.

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Christophe Galfard

Four sequential diagrams of a figure skater performing moves within oval tracks, each position numbered from 1 to 58 on a blue background—visually illustrating how to change habits through step-by-step progress.

Habits change your life. Here’s how to change your habits.

Willpower alone likely isn’t enough to replace a bad habit with a good one.

Two men in athletic clothing stand against a black background, with glowing light trails swirling around them—symbolizing the energy and persistence involved in forming habits through dedication and motion.

How do elite performers automate their habits?

Practice doesn’t actually make perfect. Here’s the willpower equation necessary for elite athletes and musicians.

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Line drawing of a person with one arm raised, swinging a tennis racket to hit an unseen ball—motion lines suggest the path of the racket and capture the power of habit in each practiced stroke.

Hit peak performance with the power of habit

There’s a psychological reason you haven’t created healthier habits in your life.

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A muscular figure pries open the jaws of a roaring lion lying on its back, depicted in a dramatic, dynamic scene with expressive brushstrokes—symbolizing the struggle of learning how to change habits.

The secret habits that control your life

Habit-forming rituals are subconsciously controlling your life. Here’s how to master them.

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Two black-and-white illustrations blur reality: a woman sits on a chair, while another person’s head unexpectedly emerges through a hole in the floor beneath a nearby chair.

Are you a spectator to reality? Or are you its creator?

Signals from the environment, such as those detected by your sense organs, have no inherent psychological meaning. Your brain creates the meaning.

A digital, wireframe illustration of a DNA double helix strand is displayed against a black background, evoking concepts from quantum biology.

Can quantum science supercharge genetics?

Are physicists about to decode a mysterious field of science that could have huge implications for your health?

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Illustration of a nude male figure with arms and legs extended in two positions, inscribed in a circle and square, known as the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci, exemplifying the law of symmetry in human anatomy.

A mind-blowing explanation of symmetry

Basic and breath-taking – Dr. Frank Wilczek addresses symmetry’s critical role in nature’s laws and what we consider to be beautiful.

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