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History and Society
Ryan Condal, who worked in pharmaceutical advertising before Hollywood, talks with Big Think about imposter syndrome, "precrastination," and Westeros lore.
7mins
Is human overpopulation alarmist hype with disturbing consequences? Oxford data scientist Hannah Ritchie debunks the overpopulation myth.
3mins
The mind-blowing theory that everything is evolving—from minerals to music—explained in 3 minutes by a Carnegie scientist.
While the concept stretches back centuries, it has garnered significant attention in recent decades.
The world needs a moral defense of progress based in humanism and agency.
A new method of mapping migration factors in erratic movements and changing climate.
We know of stellar mass and supermassive black holes, but intermediate mass ones have long proved elusive. Until now.
For most of human history, babies probably picked up language by overhearing.
In "Moral Ambition," Dutch historian Rutger Bregman argues that all would benefit from a collective redefinition of success.
Half a century ago, idealistic punks shook a fist at the status quo — and their legacy is a blueprint for modern leadership.
On a cosmic scale, our existence seems insignificant and inconsequential. But from another perspective, humans are completely remarkable.
Concerns about privacy and pressures regarding the physical appearance of women and their homes contributed to the failure of AT&T’s 1960s Picturephone.
The military is courting tech startups to help it win the AI arms race.
Each year, over half a million migrants cross the deadly jungle separating Colombia from Panama in search of a better life in the United States.
The properties of a ghostly particle called a neutrino are coming into focus.
From the explosions themselves to their unique and vibrant colors, the fireworks displays we adore require quantum physics.
In ancient Sparta, it was accepted practice for more women to marry and have children by more than one man.
The structure of our Solar System has been known for centuries. When we finally started finding exoplanets, they surprised everyone.
“Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
There are many things that separate science from ideology, politics, philosophy, or religion. Follow these 10 commandments to get it right.
Architecture in the age of AI — argues professor Nayef Al-Rodhan — should embed philosophical inquiry in its transdisciplinary toolkit.
Is a repressed memory always so bad?
10mins
“We control nothing but influence everything.” Political scientist Brian Klaas on how every decision we make - both massive and miniscule - shapes our futures.
"We should be informed and educated about the risks of AI, but we can’t be afraid,” Khan Academy founder Sal Khan told Big Think.
The near and far sides of the Moon are so different from each other, and no one is sure why. New lunar samples could confirm a wild theory.
The evolution of quantum technology is far from over.
TikTok and its allies won't go down without a legal fight.
Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Tower is poised to become the world’s tallest building. What’s behind the century-plus drive to build ever taller skyscrapers?
Is there a force keeping humanity in check?
Gravitational waves carry enormous amounts of energy, but spread out quickly once they leave the source. Could they ever create black holes?