The Well

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Ideas that inspire a life well-lived

Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional?

Life’s biggest questions rarely have simple answers. That is precisely why they continue to occupy the world’s most thoughtful minds. The Well is a place to engage those questions, drawing on insights from science, philosophy, and the humanities.

Created by the John Templeton Foundation in partnership with Big Think, The Well brings together ideas that inspire deeper understanding and a more considered approach to living.

with

The Templeton Foundation supports interdisciplinary research and catalyzes conversations that inspire awe and wonder.

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Why Einstein called awe the fundamental emotion
If you’ve gotten goosebumps when hearing a story about a stranger’s selfless heroism, or you’ve felt your chest swell at a concert, when the audience’s voice and the musician’s instruments align, you have felt awe. And, according to professor Dacher Keltner, who has spent his life studying it, it’s one of humankind’s most unifying traits:

by Dacher Keltner

A beam of light shines through clouds in a painted sky, with the word "AWE" in large yellow letters centered in the image.
Everything Articles Videos
Illustration of a human brain with a metallic on/off switch embedded in its side, set against a solid dark purple background.
8mins
The Well
How to turn information into intelligence
Having trouble learning? A PhD engineering professor gives you one key tip.
Barbara Oakley
John Templeton Foundation
The Well
Why a meaningful life is impossible without suffering
Pain makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. What's puzzling is why so many of us choose to seek out painful experiences.
Stephen Johnson
John Templeton Foundation
A gold crown with pointed tips and ornate detailing is shown against a solid blue background, symbolizing the evolution of kindness through regal elegance.
4mins
The Well
Has evolution made us ultra-selfish?
We evolved to be kind – and die for others.
Paul Bloom
John Templeton Foundation
A woman cradles a baby while surrounded by four children in a rustic kitchen, with dishes on shelves and blue sky outside—a heartwarming scene that might inspire thoughts like, should I have kids?.
4mins
The Well
Should I have kids? A psychologist explains how to decide
Kids don’t always make you happier. Here’s why people have them anyway.
Paul Bloom
John Templeton Foundation
A hand holding a whip with multiple knotted tails against a solid orange background, subtly hinting at themes of discipline and exploring why suffering is good.
5mins
The Well
Why you should want to suffer — just a little bit
There are two kinds of suffering. One is pure pain. The other makes life worth living.
Paul Bloom
John Templeton Foundation
genius
The Well
Why Einstein is a “peerless genius” and Hawking is an “ordinary genius”
You've heard of Stephen Hawking. Ever heard of Renata Kallosh? Didn't think so.
Albert-László Barabási
John Templeton Foundation
Two hands in handcuffs, connected by a DNA double helix chain, symbolize genome blindness against a solid blue background.
3mins
The Well
Should genetics be used to create social policy?
Eugenics is bad – but understanding DNA is good.
Kathryn Paige Harden
John Templeton Foundation
A glowing, radiant figure stands atop dark rocks near a mountain, with bright light illuminating the scene in a monochrome, sketch-like style.
The Well
Will we download our minds into new bodies?
According to author and entrepreneur Steven Kotler, at some point this century, we will confront the prospect of immortality.
Steven Kotler
John Templeton Foundation
The Well
Why ignoring genetic differences between people exacerbates inequality
Science doesn't fit neatly into ideology.
Elizabeth Gilbert
John Templeton Foundation
Black text on a beige background reads, "YOU ARE NOT YOUR GENETICS," styled like an eye chart with distance markers, challenging the idea that genetics alone define you.
The Well
Schools ignore genetics—and that’s actually a bad thing
Almost all our school improvements fail. Here’s why.
Kathryn Paige Harden
John Templeton Foundation
Close-up image of a green leaf showing detailed vein structure and texture, capturing the intricate design that highlights the essence of nature versus nurture.
4mins
The Well
Nature vs. nurture, explained by a geneticist
“If 90% of children had ADHD and only 10% of children could sit still at a desk, how would we design school?”
Kathryn Paige Harden
John Templeton Foundation
A dark background with vertical lines of varying lengths and colors—yellow, blue, and white—arranged in uneven rows and columns, evoking the randomness of the genetic lottery.
The Well
Your genes affect your education. Here’s why that’s controversial.
We all play the genetic lottery – and the outcome matters a lot.
Kathryn Paige Harden
John Templeton Foundation
A red flag on top of a gray rock, with the right side dissolving into particles—like automatic habits breaking apart—set against a solid green background.
3mins
The Well
Are goals necessary? A habit scientist answers.
The US reduced smoking rates from 50% to 15% with a simple habit hack.
Wendy Wood
John Templeton Foundation
Illustration of a black hole in space with a glowing accretion disk and a stream of stars or gas being pulled toward it.
The Well
Do black holes “bleach” cosmic history?
According to renowned physicist Christophe Galfard, physics can’t explain our universe – yet.
Christophe Galfard
John Templeton Foundation
Four sequential diagrams of a figure skater performing moves within oval tracks, each position numbered from 1 to 58 on a blue background—visually illustrating how to change habits through step-by-step progress.
The Well
Habits change your life. Here’s how to change your habits.
Willpower alone likely isn't enough to replace a bad habit with a good one.
Elizabeth Gilbert
John Templeton Foundation
Two men in athletic clothing stand against a black background, with glowing light trails swirling around them—symbolizing the energy and persistence involved in forming habits through dedication and motion.
3mins
The Well
How do elite performers automate their habits?
Practice doesn’t actually make perfect. Here’s the willpower equation necessary for elite athletes and musicians.
Wendy Wood
John Templeton Foundation
Line drawing of a person with one arm raised, swinging a tennis racket to hit an unseen ball—motion lines suggest the path of the racket and capture the power of habit in each practiced stroke.
The Well
Hit peak performance with the power of habit
There’s a psychological reason you haven’t created healthier habits in your life.
Wendy Wood
John Templeton Foundation
A muscular figure pries open the jaws of a roaring lion lying on its back, depicted in a dramatic, dynamic scene with expressive brushstrokes—symbolizing the struggle of learning how to change habits.
The Well
The secret habits that control your life
Habit-forming rituals are subconsciously controlling your life. Here’s how to master them.
Wendy Wood
John Templeton Foundation
Two black-and-white illustrations blur reality: a woman sits on a chair, while another person’s head unexpectedly emerges through a hole in the floor beneath a nearby chair.
The Well
Are you a spectator to reality? Or are you its creator?
Signals from the environment, such as those detected by your sense organs, have no inherent psychological meaning. Your brain creates the meaning.
Lisa Feldman Barrett
John Templeton Foundation
A digital, wireframe illustration of a DNA double helix strand is displayed against a black background, evoking concepts from quantum biology.
The Well
Can quantum science supercharge genetics?
Are physicists about to decode a mysterious field of science that could have huge implications for your health?
Jim Al-Khalili
John Templeton Foundation
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