13.8

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Where science meets the human story

We live in a scientifically dominated age. Nearly every aspect of modern life is shaped by science and technology, from medicine and space exploration to climate change, nuclear risk, and artificial intelligence.

Science is the source of our greatest hopes and our deepest fears. It drives progress, but it also raises profound questions about meaning, responsibility, and the future of civilization. In the 21st century, science cannot be separated from culture. The two are braided together, shaping our politics, our art, and our understanding of what it means to be human.

13.8 is a space for examining that relationship. Through essays and conversations, it explores the beauty, power, promise, and peril of science as a cultural force. If we want to understand our moment in history, this is where the inquiry begins.

with

Adam Frank is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester, a leading researcher on stellar evolution, and the author of four books. He is the co-founder of 13.8, where he writes about science and culture.

Marcelo Gleiser is a professor of natural philosophy, physics, and astronomy at Dartmouth College and the author of five books. A recipient of the 2019 Templeton Prize, he is the co-founder of 13.8, where he explores science and culture.

Two astronauts in spacesuits stand on a pink, marbled surface, facing the dark starry sky.
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.

by Adam Frank

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Everything Articles
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13.8
Even the smartest AI likely won’t be “alive.” Here’s why.
33 years ago, the theoretical biologist Robert Rosen offered an answer to the question "Is life computable?"
Adam Frank
A robotic hand and a human hand reach towards each other against a dark background.
13.8
Humanity needs an ethical upgrade to keep up with new technologies
The preservation and celebration of life, and not greed, should be our primary decision-making value. 
Marcelo Gleiser
A dark, rocky planet is shown in space with a bright star in the background, surrounded by numerous smaller stars and cosmic dust clouds.
13.8
Nearby TRAPPIST-1 exoplanet may have a rich atmosphere after all
In 2023, data from the James Webb Space Telescope soured hopes that TRAPPIST-1 c had an atmosphere. That disappointment might have been premature.
Adam Frank
Illustration of a drone exploring over a dusty, red martian landscape with mountains in the background.
13.8
Dragonfly: The billion-mile mission to explore Saturn’s biggest moon
NASA's minivan-sized drone is scheduled to search for signs of life on Titan in 2034.
Adam Frank
A digital rendering of a planet partially illuminated by a nearby star, with a galaxy visible in the dark space background.
13.8
Alien Earths: How to find habitable worlds in our galaxy
An interview with Lisa Kaltenegger, the founding director of the Carl Sagan Institute, about the modern quest to answer an age-old question: "Are we alone in the cosmos?"
Marcelo Gleiser
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13.8
QBism: The simplest interpretation of quantum physics
Discover how Quantum Bayesianism challenges traditional quantum mechanics by focusing on the role of the observer in creating quantum reality.
Adam Frank
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13.8
The key problem with the “brain in a vat” thought experiment
Even with the best technology imaginable, you'd probably never be able to exist as a consciously aware brain in a vat.
Adam Frank
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13.8
A cosmic coincidence: What eclipses tell us about Earth
Total eclipses are a product of a strange and almost eerie cosmic coincidence — one that makes Earth an even rarer world in the galaxy and, by proxy, in the Universe.
Marcelo Gleiser
A striking view of a blue planet, similar to earth, seen from space with part of its surface illuminated by sunlight against a starry background.
13.8
A new theory for how oceans form on other worlds
Explore how the study of exoplanets is transforming our understanding of ocean formation.
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13.8
The Big Bang’s mysteries and unsolvable “first cause” problem
The "first cause" problem may forever remain unsolved, as it doesn’t fit with the way we do science.
Marcelo Gleiser
Colorful interstellar gas and dust form towering pillars in a star-forming region of space.
13.8
How the Universe forges stars from cosmic clouds
A deep dive into the chaotic journey of star formation.
Adam Frank
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13.8
The “blind spot” in science that’s fueling a crisis of meaning
Here's the case for why science can't keep ignoring human experience.
Adam Frank
An aerial view of an iceberg in antarctica.
13.8
Antarctica: Are we awakening a sleeping giant?
13.8 columnist Marcelo Gleiser reflects on his recent voyage to Earth's last wild continent.
Marcelo Gleiser
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13.8
Stop saying that ChatGPT “hallucinates”
To hallucinate means you must first perceive.
Adam Frank
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13.8
Have we created a society that’s too complex to survive?
Human civilization has always survived periods of change. Will our rapidly evolving technological era be an exception to the rule?
Adam Frank
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13.8
100 years after the “Great Debate”: How Edwin Hubble expanded the cosmos
In 1924, Edwin Hubble found proof that the Milky Way isn't the only galaxy in the Universe.
Marcelo Gleiser
A man with a beard is standing in front of a screen.
13.8
Alan Wake 2: Blurring the lines between gaming and revelatory art
Big Think columnist Adam Frank makes the case for why the 2023 video game Alan Wake 2 is a boundary-pushing piece of art.
Adam Frank
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13.8
What reality does quantum theory describe? QBism has a radical answer
Explore how QBism reframes science by placing the observer at the heart of quantum reality.
Adam Frank
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13.8
Ancient philosophers understood a key truth of modern cosmology
Millennia ago, philosophers like Anaximander grasped that nature is the ultimate recycler.
Marcelo Gleiser
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13.8
Biology or technology: Which moves more information per second?
The answer is set to change in the year 2113, a recent estimate suggests.
Adam Frank
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