5-MeO-DMT may offer a practical way to access and study consciousness in its most basic form.

A universal signature could make surgeries safer — and help reveal what holds consciousness together.

After the trauma of a high-risk medical procedure, Eric Markowitz discovered a kind of consciousness that lives not in thought — but in presence.

These expert-recommended books try to answer the questions of consciousness, from its fundamental nature to its role in human experience and the natural world.

A conversation about intelligence and consciousness with philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith.

Philosophers once prophesied that evolution would lead to minds far greater — and stranger — than our own.

"For many people, the idea that consciousness is a set of tricks is offensive," the late philosopher told Big Think in 2012. "I think that's a prime mistake."

Introducing Big Think's Consciousness Issue.

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.

Fund manager and writer John Candeto is on a mission to decode the hidden patterns that drive extraordinary outcomes.

Many of us rely on emotional advice that doesn’t actually work. Psychologist Ethan Kross offers a smarter, science-backed approach to managing emotions with flexibility and perspective.

“There's a very pervasive belief that human nature is fundamentally selfish, but I know for a fact that that can't be true in part because my life was saved by a stranger a long time ago when I was 19.”

When your head is full of information, how can you actually make use of it?

Harvard Kennedy School professor and author Arthur C. Brooks guides us through the give-and-take of feedback — even when it is negative.

What happens when the boundaries of “you” disappear? James Fadiman, PhD, Jamie Wheal, and Matthew Johnson, PhD explore how supported experiences with psychoactive drugs can dissolve identity and reveal a deeper reality.

Just pretend you're someone else.

“All information technologies up to the 21st century were organic networks based on our organic brain.”

These short books offer insights and meditations on timeless themes, without the time commitment.

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

Wonder is like a guest you haven’t planned for.

“What did you win? You won awkward silence. You won their contempt. You won the first to apologize. When you win an argument, you will lose their confidence, you will lose their respect, you will lose the connection.”

Your body language sends messages before your mouth does. Author Robert Greene and negotiation expert Daniel Shapiro PhD explain the key characteristics of nonverbal power and emotional presence that shape how others perceive you.

The investment advisor and host of the Talking Billions podcast explores childhood curiosity, building networks through kindness, and more.

Why some of philosophy’s strangest scenarios are more than mental games.

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

Our minds crave simple, linear narratives. But society rarely follows a straight line.

Duke sociologist Dr. Christopher Bail on the tech’s potential to foster empathy in an age of division.

The psychologist, educator, and former NBA player discusses the professional volumes and childhood stories that shaped his life and his approach to it.

Three doctors break down brain function, somatic awareness, and how to recover from bad experiences.

What if emotional regulation isn’t just a trait, but a skill parents and teachers can help develop? Ethan Kross reveals what science says about shaping young minds.