History & Society

History & Society

Trace how culture, power, and ideas shape societies across time.

A storytelling collage featuring a man inspecting barrels, a person holding a skull mask, another man observing the mask, and the text "THE NIGHTCRAWLER" in bold black and orange.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
There could be variables beyond the ones we've identified and know how to measure. But they can't get rid of quantum weirdness.
Pencil drawing of an adult hand holding a child's hand, surrounded by colorful, illustrated borders with various faces and map elements.
Sikh American scholar and historian Simran Jeet Singh on helping kids imagine — and create — a more empathetic world.
John Templeton Foundation
Abstract collage with a butterfly, brain sketches, graphs, and scientific diagrams overlaid with red, black, and beige shapes and textured patterns.
A conversation with neuroscientist Erik Hoel about the future of consciousness research.
Diagram showing a galaxy, zooming in to highlight a small area labeled "Human Experience" within a grid mapping time and space on logarithmic scales.
Science helps us imagine the vastness of space and time — and our small but meaningful place within it.
Three circles show, from left to right, an oyster shell, a Vitruvian-style human figure, and a swirling spiral, linked together on a textured lavender background.
Philosophers once prophesied that evolution would lead to minds far greater — and stranger — than our own.
Abstract illustration of a human figure with glowing neural-like lines and bright light concentrated around the head, set against a red and orange gradient background.
Introducing Big Think's Consciousness Issue.
Black and white illustration of a ship at shore, with people unloading goods and interacting on land; orange arc marks part of the scene.
In the Embers series, historian M.G. Sheftall shares the stories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s last survivors and reveals why their testimony must endure.
A digital illustration of a human brain with glowing neon lines and a translucent geometric cube overlay at the center.
3mins
Humans have always had religion. What does this say about our minds? Reza Aslan PhD, Lisa Miller PhD, and Rob Bell MDiv explain.
Unlikely Collaborators
A man in a suit sits in front of a large NASA logo sign, symbolizing the determination to defy charter limits and push the boundaries of space exploration.
NASA's 1958 charter's top priority was, "the expansion of human knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere and space." Is this how it ends?
A grayscale portrait of David Senra is centered on a collage background featuring a marble statue, abstract black-and-white swirls, and purple book spines.
The host of the Founders podcast joins Big Think for a chat about success, obsession, business genius, human nature, and more.
The Universe was born incredibly hot, and has expanded and cooled ever since. Could life have begun back when space was "room temperature?"
A collage with the text "THE NIGHTCRAWLER," featuring a hand holding money, coins, and a windowed building, all tinted in pink and black tones.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
A hand pulls a green book from a library shelf, surrounded by tsundoku—the gentle art of collecting more books than you can read—with the silhouette of a person formed from the bookshelf and books.
The Japanese practice of "tsundoku" bestows joy and lasting benefits to those who make books an important part of their lives.
Two men in suits sit side by side, each holding a white cup and saucer, with only their torsos and hands visible—one could easily imagine Aaron Hurst sharing a thoughtful conversation over coffee.
Social entrepreneur Aaron Hurst explains why the decline of social connection is the greatest challenge of our time — and offers a roadmap for restoration.
A man with a bald head and beard sits on a chair with arms resting on his lap, in front of a yellow rectangle with black lines and dots extending outward.
Why talent alone isn’t enough to achieve your goals.
A vintage, hexagonal brooch featuring a realistic painted human eye in the center, surrounded by a metallic frame.
2mins
Astrobiologist Betül Kaçar on why the simple act of asking questions (without needing a reason) is one of the most powerful things a human can do.
A hand holding a sealed envelope emerges from turbulent ocean waves against a black background.
13mins
“All information technologies up to the 21st century were organic networks based on our organic brain.”
A woman sits in a Victorian-style room, reading a large book of classic books. She is surrounded by bookshelves, decorative objects, and a curtained window letting in natural light.
These short books offer insights and meditations on timeless themes, without the time commitment.
Two ancient coins depicting explicit erotic scenes with human figures in sexual positions, shown against a black background.
39mins
"One of the ways you can see the Roman Empire is it's the worldwide web of its day."