Big Think

How your cognitive biases lead to terrible investing behaviors

“Let me walk you through the biggest traps that you should be aware of that are a danger to your financial wellbeing.”

So the financial media business model, people seem to think it's selling content, selling news, selling analysis. That's completely wrong. The model is the media sells an audience to advertisers. In other words, they're not selling content, they're selling you.

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1hr

Featured Classes

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Members

8 videos

Productivity for Mortals

Oliver Burkeman

Author, “Meditations for Mortals”

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Members

6 videos

AI and the Future of Civilization

Yuval Noah Harari

Historian and Philosopher, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Best-Selling Author

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Members

9 videos

The 6 Disciplines of Strategic Thinking

Michael Watkins

Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change, IMD Business School, and Author, “The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking”

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Members

12 videos

Radical Respect at Work

Kim Scott

Co-Founder, Radical Candor, and Author, Radical Respect: How to Work Together Better

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Members

7 videos

No-Nonsense Leadership

Ben Horowitz

Founding Partner, Andreessen Horowitz and Author, The Hard Thing About Hard Things

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Members

6 videos

A Primatologist’s Guide to Human Behavior

Frans de Waal

C.H. Candler Professor Emeritus at EMORY University, Atlanta, GA

Starts With A Bang

Ask Ethan: Could evolving dark energy lead to a Big Crunch?

There’s some, but not overwhelming, evidence that dark energy is evolving. What would it take for a “Big Crunch” to be our cosmic fate?

by Ethan Siegel

Books

“The Devil Is a Southpaw”: A novel by Brandon Hobson

A preview of the latest novel by the National Book Award finalist Brandon Hobson.

by Brandon Hobson

Starts With A Bang

Groupthink in science isn’t a problem; it’s a myth

Scientists are notoriously resistant to new ideas. Are they falling prey to groupthink? Or are our current theories just that successful?

by Ethan Siegel

Leadership masterclass: Nike, Jordan, and James Baldwin

George Raveling — the iconic leader who brought Michael Jordan to Nike — shares with Big Think a lifetime of priceless wisdom learned at the crossroads of sports and business.

by Mike Hodgkinson & Mike Fazzini

Man in glasses and a brown jacket with a serious expression; the background features a blue overlay adorned with white sports strategy symbols and a cheering crowd. It's reminiscent of a Coach Raveling masterclass, where every move is meticulously planned.

Why Einstein called awe the fundamental emotion

If you’ve gotten goosebumps when hearing a story about a stranger’s selfless heroism, or you’ve felt your chest swell at a concert, when the audience’s voice and the musician’s instruments align, you have felt awe. And, according to professor Dacher Keltner, who has spent his life studying it, it’s one of humankind’s most unifying traits:

by Dacher Keltner

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

14mins

“The Chinese Job”: Spain’s wild 1580s plan to conquer the world — via Beijing

The plan — conquer China and push west to attack the Ottomans — was peak imperial hubris, as the Spanish themselves eventually realized.

by Frank Jacobs

A color-coded map of Asia shows four migration phases from China, with arrows pointing toward Papua New Guinea and the Andaman Islands, both circled in yellow.

If humans went extinct, could we re-evolve?

Maybe — just don't expect a carbon copy.

by Jonny Thomson

Six orange origami shapes on a light background, with hand-drawn arrows connecting them to illustrate a progression or transformation—evoking themes of change and even human extinction.

Text graphic reads "Explore our LIBRARY" in large, bold, and regular fonts on a light background.

What would you like to learn more about? We have thousands of videos from the world’s biggest thinkers to help you dive deeper into any subject.

14mins

Why Einstein called awe the fundamental emotion

Dacher Keltner

Psychologist, UC Berkeley

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9mins

How facing adversity can help you live a deeper, more meaningful life

Oliver Burkeman

Author, “Meditations for Mortals”

Six brain MRI scan images are arranged in two rows, showing various cross-sectional views of the human brain, with the bottom row featuring a blue and pink color overlay.

3mins

Can you measure love? 3 experts discuss

Meghan Sullivan

Members

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21mins

How accepting impermanence can end the struggle to “fix” your life

Robert Waldinger

Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

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15mins

Why 2025 is the single most pivotal year in our lifetime

Peter Leyden

AI and tech expert, plus thought leader on the future

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3mins

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

Jacob Mchangama

24mins

Are we blinded by our desire to find extraterrestrial life?

David Kipping

Astronomer

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16mins

The ancient origins of partnering and romantic love

Helen Fisher

Senior Research Fellow, The Kinsey Institute

9mins

Sean Carroll: Can we ever escape the logic of a clockwork universe?

Sean Carroll

A person is leaping between two buildings against a clear blue sky.

20mins

The alarm bells are sounding for young men. Will we listen?

Richard Reeves

3mins

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

Jacob Mchangama

15mins

Why 2025 is the single most pivotal year in our lifetime

Peter Leyden

AI and tech expert, plus thought leader on the future

24mins

Are we blinded by our desire to find extraterrestrial life?

David Kipping

Astronomer

16mins

The ancient origins of partnering and romantic love

Helen Fisher

Senior Research Fellow, The Kinsey Institute

9mins

Sean Carroll: Can we ever escape the logic of a clockwork universe?

Sean Carroll

A split image showing a brain scan on the left and hands using a smartphone on the right.

6mins

Addictions and habits, explained by a neuroscientist, a psychologist, and a journalist

Carl Hart

Associate Professor of Psychology, Columbia University

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3mins

How humans create reality through language and beliefs

Agustín Fuentes

Anthropologist

The word "ALONE" in large white letters on a purple background, with a sad person's face visible inside the letter "O.

2mins

So you spend a lot of time alone. Here’s why that’s not a bad thing.

Ethan Kross

Professor of Psychology and Management & Organizations; Author, University of Michigan

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2mins

How to wait well, according to neuroscience and psychology

Sarah Schnitker

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1hr 26mins

Sean Carroll explains why physics is both simple and impossible

Sean Carroll

3mins

Can you measure love? 3 experts discuss

Meghan Sullivan

Members

21mins

How accepting impermanence can end the struggle to “fix” your life

Robert Waldinger

Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

16mins

The ancient origins of partnering and romantic love

Helen Fisher

Senior Research Fellow, The Kinsey Institute

6mins

Addictions and habits, explained by a neuroscientist, a psychologist, and a journalist

Carl Hart

Associate Professor of Psychology, Columbia University

20mins

The alarm bells are sounding for young men. Will we listen?

Richard Reeves

A person with curly brown hair wearing a black shirt and gray t-shirt sits against a plain white background, gesturing with both hands raised near their chest.

10mins

Jesse Eisenberg: How to rewire your anxiety into authenticity

Jesse Eisenberg

Actor, Writer, Director

3mins

How humans create reality through language and beliefs

Agustín Fuentes

Anthropologist

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59mins

Bessel van der Kolk: Trauma isn’t the event, it’s the response

Bessel van der Kolk

Psychiatrist, Neuroscientist, and Author, “The Body Keeps the Score”

Abstract image split in two: the top half shows blue neural-like network lines, while the bottom half displays orange flames and sparks against a dark background.

7mins

Experts from 4 different fields define consciousness

Christof Koch

2mins

How to wait well, according to neuroscience and psychology

Sarah Schnitker

10mins

Jesse Eisenberg: How to rewire your anxiety into authenticity

Jesse Eisenberg

Actor, Writer, Director

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1hr 2mins

Become stronger: Jumpstart your anti-fragile systems

Tal Ben-Shahar

Positive Psychologist and Author, “Happier, No Matter What”

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5mins

Nate Silver: Habits of highly successful risk-takers

Nate Silver

statistician

A hand holding a sealed envelope emerges from turbulent ocean waves against a black background.

13mins

Yuval Noah Harari: How to safeguard your mind in the age of junk information

Yuval Noah Harari

Historian and Philosopher, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Best-Selling Author

Close-up of a person's eyes looking up, with white abstract doodles and lines superimposed over their forehead, symbolizing thoughts or imagination.

2mins

How to expand your influence, according to 2 experts

Robert Greene

Author

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1hr 8mins

Michio Kaku wants to solve Einstein’s unfinished equation

Michio Kaku

Professor of Theoretical Physics

A person sits behind bars at a desk with a computer in a dimly lit setting, suggesting restriction or confinement.

7mins

The genius guide to future-proofing your career

Josh Bersin

Author

A person in a long, light-colored garment leans forward with their head pressed against a brick wall against a red background.

7mins

Manage your emotions, in 9 minutes

Ethan Kross

Professor of Psychology and Management & Organizations; Author, University of Michigan

A man with long curly hair sits on a chair in a white hallway, surrounded by illustrated documents, maps, and notes taped to a gray wall.

1hr 3mins

The hidden process of becoming a CIA agent, from a former spy

Andrew Bustamante

Former CIA Operative and Founder, Everyday Spy

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10mins

The laboratory accident that saved 500 million lives

Derek Thompson

Staff writer at The Atlantic, Host of “Plain English” podcast

16mins

The ancient origins of partnering and romantic love

Helen Fisher

Senior Research Fellow, The Kinsey Institute

9mins

Sean Carroll: Can we ever escape the logic of a clockwork universe?

Sean Carroll

3mins

How humans create reality through language and beliefs

Agustín Fuentes

Anthropologist

Painting depicting a man with a crown of thorns, arms outstretched on a wooden cross, with a sign above his head that reads "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum.

2mins

How censorship turns ordinary men into martyrs

Jacob Mchangama

Close-up of a person's face with brown eyes and freckles, next to an abstract blue and white pattern resembling tree branches and lightning.

7mins

How our expectations shape what we see, hear, and feel

Paul Ekman

Psychologist

13mins

Yuval Noah Harari: How to safeguard your mind in the age of junk information

Yuval Noah Harari

Historian and Philosopher, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Best-Selling Author

Two torn paper cutouts of open mouths are positioned against a black background, both appearing to be yelling or shouting.

6mins

The true cost of always needing to win an argument

Jefferson Fisher

Author

2mins

How to expand your influence, according to 2 experts

Robert Greene

Author

7mins

The genius guide to future-proofing your career

Josh Bersin

Author

Browse All Videos

A desktop with books, a laptop showing expert profiles, a smartphone, stationery, and a "Big Think" magazine, promoting learning from world-renowned thinkers.

A person holds a large white tote bag with "BIG THINK" printed on it. Text on the image reads "The Store Coming Soon.

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The image displays the words “MINI PHILOSOPHY” in a bold, black, uppercase serif font on a white background.

Mini Philosophy is where we pause the busyness of life to reflect on ourselves, our relationships, and the Universe.

with Jonny Thomson

Japanese woodblock print of people sweeping and cleaning a kondo, with straw mats, lanterns, and various objects visible in the background.

6 Japanese concepts you need to know, according to Marie Kondo

It's not just about the home; it's about everything.

Jonny Thomson

Silhouettes of two people facing each other, clinking wine glasses against an orange background, sharing a lighthearted, possibly drunk moment.

The “intoxication thesis”: The evolutionary benefits of getting drunk

Getting drunk might be bad for you but good for us.

Jonny Thomson

Two figures in dark robes bow deeply toward each other on a light background, evoking the spirit of naikan in a traditional Japanese ink illustration style.

Ask these 3 “Naikan” questions for a happier, healthier attitude toward life

You are held, shaped, and sustained by a thousand invisible hands.

Jonny Thomson

A person wearing a wide-brim hat and vest crouches beside a tree stump covered with various fungi, gazing in wonder at the fascinating growths in the green forested area.

3 ways to find and invite more wonder

Wonder is like a guest you haven’t planned for.

Jonny Thomson

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Intimate interviews with the world’s biggest thinkers.

9mins

How facing adversity can help you live a deeper, more meaningful life

“There would be something very, very empty and meaningless about [a] sort of life with no problems.”

Oliver Burkeman

Members

21mins

How accepting impermanence can end the struggle to “fix” your life

“The idea is that we move from a place of wanting the world to conform to what we like [towards] not needing other people to be different from who they are.”

Robert Waldinger

15mins

Why 2025 is the single most pivotal year in our lifetime

"We're living in an extraordinary moment in history. We are at a moment here in 2025 where we have world historic game-changing technologies now starting to scale."

Peter Leyden

24mins

Are we blinded by our desire to find extraterrestrial life?

“Deep down the natural endpoint of this whole goal of looking for planets is to answer the question: are we alone?”

David Kipping

The text "STARTS WITH A BANG" appears in bold, uppercase letters, with "WITH A" in a lighter, italicized font between lines.

The Universe is out there, waiting for you to discover it.

with Ethan Siegel

Ask Ethan: Could evolving dark energy lead to a Big Crunch?

There's some, but not overwhelming, evidence that dark energy is evolving. What would it take for a "Big Crunch" to be our cosmic fate?

Ethan Siegel

Ask Ethan: Could evolving dark energy lead to a Big Crunch?

There's some, but not overwhelming, evidence that dark energy is evolving. What would it take for a "Big Crunch" to be our cosmic fate?

Ethan Siegel

Groupthink in science isn’t a problem; it’s a myth

Scientists are notoriously resistant to new ideas. Are they falling prey to groupthink? Or are our current theories just that successful?

Ethan Siegel

Why aliens might not “speak physics” the same way we do

Physicist Daniel Whiteson challenges the notion that all intelligent species would eventually uncover the same laws of nature. Do you agree?

Ethan Siegel

Big Ideas. Thoughtful Conversations. One Book at a Time.

Out-of-focus trees in the foreground with a clear full moon visible in the dusk sky, evoking a scene worthy of tristan gooley’s natural navigation.

Every tree, star, and cloud is a compass — if you know how to read them

Natural navigator Tristan Gooley joins us to discuss the philosophy of reading nature’s hidden clues — and how relearning this ancient skill can help us see the world, and ourselves, with greater awareness.

Kevin Dickinson

The image features the phrase "an excerpt from" on a red background next to the book cover of "Playful" by Cas Holman with Lydia Denworth, highlighting insights from play research.

More than a game: How play helps wire our social brains

In this excerpt from "Playful," Cas Holman surveys the research that brought the neuroscience of play into the mainstream.

Cas Holman

A close-up of a spotted nudibranch with translucent, pointed cerata on a brown underwater branch against a black background, inviting reflection on the intricate nature of consciousness in marine life.

What sea slugs can teach us about the nature of consciousness

In this excerpt from "One Hand Clapping," Nikolay Kukushkin makes the case that neurons reveal how memory, meaning, and even consciousness emerge from the same biological roots in humans, sea slugs, and beyond.

Nikolay Kukushkin

Two figures in military gear salute, rendered in white and red with visible brain scans over their heads, set against a black background—a striking nod to the neuroscience of war.

How neuroscience is rewriting the art of war

In “Warhead,” neuroscientist and national security adviser Nicholas Wright explains how the brain navigates warfare and why it is our ultimate weapon (and instrument for peace).

Tim Brinkhof

Learn Business from the World’s Biggest Thinkers.

The surprising business model of Costco

While Costco warehouses may remind shoppers of Walmart, this membership-only retailer has a business model that more closely resembles Amazon or Netflix.

Tim Brinkhof

Million Stories

A collage featuring Andrew Markell thinking at a desk, a close-up of a handshake, and a person standing alone, overlaid with swirling red and green arrows.

Resilience is overrated: Unlock the real secret to business longevity

Andrew Markell — philosopher, martial artist, and CEO advisor — argues that true endurance comes from desire, ritual, and learning to evolve through chaos.

Eric Markowitz

An older man sits on a chair gesturing with his hands in front of a blue background featuring a black sinusoidal waveform and an arrow.

Josh Bersin: The Secrets of Crafting Enduring Organizations

Why the most enduring organizations stop chasing trends and start designing systems that prioritize people over processes.

Josh Browning

Wikipedia visionary Jimmy Wales wants innovators to have fun. Seriously

Wales shares with Big Think his thoughts about the future of media, the promise of AI, and our need to build a culture on trust.

Mike Hodgkinson

Text that reads "Strange Maps" in a decorative font on a light background.

Cartography that show the world from a different angle

with Frank Jacobs

A raised hand with bracelets is shown in focus against a blurred background of people indoors.

Mapped: If America were 100 people, this is what they’d believe

Nearly 30 would be "nones" — an amorphous group that spans from zealous atheists to the vaguely spiritual.

Frank Jacobs

A world map comparing landmass outlines of the Equal Earth projection in pink and Mercator projection in green, with grid lines overlaid.

Africa wants its true size on the world map

The African Union argues that the Mercator projection distorts the continent, both in size and global attention.

Frank Jacobs

Illustrated map showing streets, parks, and landmarks of a coastal city bordered by Hob's River and Delaware Bay, with a compass rose in the lower right corner.

The strange cartography of Superman’s ever-shifting hometown

The latest "Superman" film sets Metropolis in the First State.

Frank Jacobs

Diagram showing a galaxy, zooming in to highlight a small area labeled "Human Experience" within a grid mapping time and space on logarithmic scales.

Mapped: The boundaries of human perception

Science helps us imagine the vastness of space and time — and our small but meaningful place within it.

Frank Jacobs

The image displays the number 13.8 in large, bold, black digits on a light background.

A series by Adam Frank and Marcelo Gleiser exploring the beauty and power of science in culture.

A smiling man with short dark hair wears a button-up shirt, standing in front of a purple, splattered-texture background.

David Kipping on how the search for alien life is gaining credibility

Big Think spoke with astronomer David Kipping about technosignatures, "extragalactic SETI," and being a popular science communicator in the YouTube age.

Adam Frank