When one path is blocked, a new one must be paved. How Einstein, Heisenberg and Gödel used constraints to make life-changing discoveries:

James Fadiman PhD, who has 60 years of experience in the field, believes they are.

Coleman Hughes advocates for a colorblind America, presenting compelling arguments in favor of treating all individuals without regard to race.

Enlightenment: After the ecstasy, the laundry. Why enlightenment is never an end in itself.

What is perception, really? Philosopher Alva Noë on why perception is a puzzling phenomenon:

Author of the Canceling of the American Mind Greg Lukianoff explains the current state of free speech in the United States.

The creative force behind The Vampire Diaries explains how she learned to deal with her insecurities.

Science writer George Musser on the unsung role of friendship in science’s biggest discoveries.

From hunter-gatherers to the American Dream: This is how humanity’s definition of “work” has developed over time.

“I was incarcerated well before I was in prison and I was free before the gates of prison opened up and let me out.”

60% of people feel disconnected. Harvard professor Robert Waldinger addresses the science behind humanity’s loneliness epidemic and suggests ways to solve it.

Biology plays an important role in emotional reactions, but neuroscientist Kristen A. Lindquist posits that our culture is just as influential.

Eastern religion meets Western psychology: meet the Harvard professor who’s also a Zen priest as he explains how to relieve suffering using both faith and neuroscience.

Kmele talked with a planetary scientist, a physicist, and a futurist, to understand how visionaries across disciplines are thinking about the future of our planet and humankind.

Filmmaker Godfrey Reggio, rock icon Steve Albini, and comedian Fred Armisen told Kmele how they make sense of the world — and leave their mark on it.

Consciousness isn’t just a problem for philosophers. On this episode of Dispatches, Kmele sat down with scientists, a mathematician, a spiritual leader, and an entrepreneur, all trying to get to the heart of “the feeling of life itself.”

Are we the stories we tell? Kmele sat down with legendary conservationist Jane Goodall, actor Terry Crews and psychologist Dan McAdams to discuss how humanity makes its meaning.

Bo Seo, Esther Perel, and Dan Shapiro share their tips for arguing better.

The Santa Fe Institute is a cradle of modern research. Our host Kmele meets some of the brilliant minds who work there.

He co-created one of TV’s funniest shows. He still felt like a failure in his 30s. This is comedian Neal Brennan’s story about conquering toxic self-talk.