13.8

Two astronauts in spacesuits stand on a rocky, marbled pink surface, looking out into a dark star-filled outer space.
White numbers “168” in a bold font appear against a light gray background.
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.

A physicist explains what the Kardashev scale gets wrong
The famous framework ranks civilizations by energy use — but ignores a critical factor that can halt their progress.

Adam Frank

Illustration of Earth overlaid with a grid and energy types from the Kardashev Scale: Type I, II, and III, representing planetary, stellar, and galactic energy usage.
image of subatomic particles
The quantum world — and its inherent uncertainty — defies our ability to describe it in words.
a yellow drawing of a man's face with a wave pattern.
A concept known as "wave-particle duality" famously applies to light. But it also applies to all matter — including you.
Light carries with it the secrets of reality in ways we cannot completely understand.
a black and white photo of a man sitting at a desk.
The quantum world is one in which rules that are completely foreign to our everyday experience dictate bizarre behavior.