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John Templeton Foundation

A collection of content made in partnership with John Templeton Foundation.
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Close-up of a classical painting depicting a sleeping child with curly blonde hair, rosy cheeks, and closed eyes—lying on their side against a dark background, capturing the peaceful transition between wakefulness and consciousness.
The Well
When do humans become conscious — in the womb or after birth?
Neuroscience is beginning to provide clues about the emergence of human consciousness.
Tim Bayne
John Templeton Foundation
Abstract illustration of segmented, wood-textured shapes arranged in an oval formation on a green background.
7mins
The Well
The invisible math that controls the world
This network physicist is mapping the world's most significant data to create the most beautiful visualizations of information we have ever seen.
Albert-László Barabási
John Templeton Foundation
a man with glasses is looking out a window.
The Well
The Axial Age: With the birth of rational thinking, what happened to imagination?
Man does not live by measurement alone.
Gary Lachman
John Templeton Foundation
The Well
The horrifying problem of meaning
Thinking about the problem of meaning is unsettling because it introduces us to a list of solutions that all feel a bit insane.
Kelle Dhein
John Templeton Foundation
a painting of people sitting at a bar.
The Well
Smithsonian scientist: I found the 8th wonder of the world in a coffee shop
How humans came to feel comfortable among strangers, like those in a café, is an under-explored mystery.
Mark Moffett
John Templeton Foundation
a person holding a glass ball in their hand.
The Well
Why we are the only humans in the Universe and why it matters for our collective future
The acceptance of our cosmic loneliness and the rarity of our planet is a wakeup call.
Marcelo Gleiser
John Templeton Foundation
a painting of a building with a red sky in the background.
The Well
Why has every postwar generation since the 1950s become less religious?
Adolescents actively shape the transformation of religion and become the bearers of new religious patterns, worldviews, and values.
Christel Gärtner
John Templeton Foundation
A white rooster, symbolizing the protein origin of life, stands on straw near a wooden fence, a dish, and some greenery in the background.
The Well
Biology’s unsolved chicken-or-egg problem: Where did life come from?
In the beginning, genes weren't needed.
Ken Dill
John Templeton Foundation
a group of people standing around a blue object.
The Well
How saying “me” or “we” changes your psychological response — and the response of other people
Considering the perspectives of others has important benefits for individuals and for society. There is one easy way to do it.
Susan Gelman
John Templeton Foundation
The Well
Change your mind with these gateway drugs to intellectual humility
Intellectual humility demands that we examine our motivations for holding certain beliefs.
David McRaney
John Templeton Foundation
The Well
Stanford anthropologist: On hearing the voice of God
"I am an anthropologist, and for years, I have spoken to people who have had these experiences."
Tanya Luhrmann
John Templeton Foundation
A red-orange background with atom-like scribbles
The Well
How meaning emerges from matter
The answer to the age-old philosophical question of whether there is meaning in the Universe may ultimately rest upon the power of information.
Adam Frank
John Templeton Foundation
Black and white sketch of a man in formal attire with short hair, bow tie, and jacket, facing sideways with arms slightly raised.
5mins
The Well
How to articulate your thoughts effectively
Make it simple. Make it clear. Make it stick. Alan Alda on how to get everyone to understand your thoughts.
Alan Alda
John Templeton Foundation
A black silhouette of a human head with a rectangular section cut out, revealing a profile face against a cloudy blue sky, symbolizes the limits of our attention span.
5mins
The Well
How to unlock your “peak mind”
“What you pay attention to, is your life.” Where do you place precious brain resources?
Amishi Jha
John Templeton Foundation
Statue of Liberty against an orange background with a horizontal torn bar obscuring the middle section of the statue.
5mins
The Well
Tyler Cowen: America is at a critical point in history
“There’s a sense of crisis today that we did not have in the 1980’s or 90’s” — economist Tyler Cowen on progress in America.
Tyler Cowen
John Templeton Foundation
Illustration of Earth with labeled axes, equator, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, and magnetic and geographic poles. Orange lines indicate Earth's tilt and rotation.
4mins
The Well
How Earth’s axis and rotation created human ritual
Why do so many cultures celebrate holidays at the same time of year?
Sasha Sagan
John Templeton Foundation
Close-up of two figures; one extends an apple towards the other near a tree trunk. The scene references the biblical story of Adam and Eve.
6mins
The Well
Are humans wired for conflict? Charles Darwin vs. “Lord of the Flies”
In 1965, six boys were stranded on an island. Fifteen months later, the survivors were rescued. How many were there?
Rutger Bregman
John Templeton Foundation
A man in a suit stands facing a mirror, but the reflection shows the back of his head instead of his face.
6mins
The Well
How to stop toxic self-talk, explained in 6 minutes
If your inner voice is cruel, try these steps to reclaim your mind.
Ethan Kross
John Templeton Foundation
A sequence of human silhouettes in shades of blue and green shows progressive motion of a person walking from left to right.
3mins
The Well
Bayes’ rule: A powerful thinking paradigm
Think via Bayes’ rule to become more rational and less brainwashed.
Julia Galef
John Templeton Foundation
Illustration of a volcanic eruption with thick clouds of smoke, ash, and flowing lava rising from the volcano’s crater.
6mins
The Well
Stop chasing utopia. Create “protopia” instead.
Pessimism sounds smart. Optimism sounds dumb. Don’t fall for it, says Wired’s Kevin Kelly.
Kevin Kelly
John Templeton Foundation
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