The Latest from Big Think

In its ancient origins, the liberal education featured science as an abstract elective rather than a practical subject that would net you a job. That science leads to a career while English and other liberal arts are subjects for stimulation is a very modern concept.

The late Maya Angelou taught Tavis Smiley an important lesson about the respective values of art and entertainment.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation had no Ebola program when last year's crisis broke out in West Africa. CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann explains how the foundation innovated on the fly to help fight the disease.

Pope Francis is an effective and engaged leader because he exhibits a sense of confidence in himself and his position, but also a tremendous sense of humility, says Charlene Li. It doesn't hurt that he loves to take selfies.

Successful presenters understand that it’s not about them; it’s about their audience, so says Chris Anderson, the curator of TED Talks.

Sometimes being moody is a good thing. Psychiatrist Julie Holland explains that women should embrace their emotions rather than try to repress spats of moodiness.

How do you typically let other people into your minds? You smile. You laugh. You use language to communicate thoughts and feelings. Jason Silva is here to explain why that's all going to change once virtual reality reaches its full potential.

We as a society are conditioned to love Fridays and hate Mondays. This is outdated, argues best-selling author Jon Acuff. There's no reason why we can't rescue Monday and make our jobs as awesome as they can be.

Many organizations are reluctant to share important information across national borders. Astronaut Ron Garan, whose time in space helped him see the world in a whole new way, argues that these apprehensions fail to take into account the big picture: We're all in this together.

Too many people continue to die in hospitals, often in pain and hooked up to machines, when they'd much prefer to die at home in peace surrounded by family and friends. Dr. Angelo Volandes' new book helps guide families to understanding end-of-life scenarios and to take control over their fates.

Architect Marc Kushner explains the radical changes you can expect from residential architecture in the coming years.

There's no reason why humanity can't re-establish its moon presence while also keeping an eye on the red planet.

Top New York real estate broker Fredrik Eklund explains the mindset necessary to enter in negotiations and how a savvy negotiator uses tension to his or her advantage.

Is political correctness just a spineless form of self-discipline that doesn’t really allow you to overcome racism?

According to economist Thomas Piketty, the debate over whether it's better to raise or lower taxes is pointless if a government does not invest in growth and infrastructure.

Author Kabir Sehgal discusses several reasons why Wall Street investors make irrational decisions that lead to market instability.

Journalist Fareed Zakaria discusses the true cost of American higher education and the structural changes that must take place to correct an unsustainable trend.

Famed evolutionary biologist E.O. Wilson argues that humans came to dominate the Earth thanks to a social condition called eusociality.

Lawrence Summers, economist, professor, former president of Harvard University, and economic adviser to President Obama, asks this question in a thought provoking lecture about the evolution of ideas and the critical importance of education in an increasingly multi-faceted world.

Architect Marc Kushner explains how the goals of architecture and design vary between locations and contexts.