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.

in partnership with

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

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Ancient DNA just proved that ‘pure genetics’ don’t exist
The oldest bones in Britain share almost no DNA with anyone alive today. Here’s what that tells us about human history, genetics, and ethnic “homelands."

by David Reich

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Everything Articles Videos
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6mins
The Well
Un-sabotage yourself with intrinsic motivation
From marketing to social media, today’s world preys on your values. Here’s how to reclaim them and find true happiness.
Johann Hari
A wooden ladder extends downward from the top edge of the image against a blue sky with scattered white clouds.
6mins
The Well
The weirdness of physics: Dreaming wildly with strict rules
A physicist discusses the boundaries of reality and experimentation.
Janna Levin
A swirling, bright galaxy or nebula in deep space with a luminous center and spiraling blue and purple hues against a dark starry background.
12mins
The Well
Quantum wormholes, explained
Quantum wormholes are mathematically possible — but might also be physically impossible. Physicist Janna Levin explains Hawking’s famous information paradox.
Janna Levin
Two individuals stand facing each other, holding hands at waist level and touching hands above their heads, forming an arch shape with their arms.
5mins
The Well
What is shared consciousness?
Do humans share one consciousness? This psychologist says yes.
Lisa Miller
A stylized, purple-tinted depiction of a black hole in space, showing a glowing accretion disk and a star-filled background.
5mins
The Well
The problem with the theory of everything
Gravity defies quantum mechanics. What does that mean for a theory of everything?
Janna Levin
Two spherical, yellowish biological structures are positioned side by side against a dark background.
7mins
The Well
Biohacking our way to health
This biologist built a living robot from frog cells — and it could hold the key to the future of regenerative medicine.
Michael Levin
Illustration of an astronaut being propelled through a futuristic, tunnel-like structure against a black background.
9mins
The Well
A 9-minute journey inside a black hole
Ever wonder what would happen if we got sucked into a black hole? Turns out we could live in it for a while — if it was big enough.
Janna Levin
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4mins
The Well
The science of the “self”
How do “you” emerge from a collection of cells? A biologist explains.
Michael Levin
Two mirrored human faces with dotted lines and patterns radiating outward, set against a solid blue background, suggesting connectivity or symmetry.
6mins
The Well
The false reality of loneliness
Scientists can't define spirituality. But we can study its healing effects, says this Columbia psychologist.
Lisa Miller
Ancient headless stone Buddha statue with one arm missing, seated cross-legged against a solid dark purple background.
9mins
The Well
How we lost collective spirituality — and why we need it back
Spirituality declines, depression rises. Is there a link?
Lisa Miller
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5mins
The Well
Why evolution is the Picasso of science
Evolution doesn’t fix things — it reinvents them. A biologist explains.
Michael Levin
John Templeton Foundation
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8mins
The Well
Can cells think?
We know that humans are an intelligent species. But this biologist breaks down the intelligence of each of our cells — and it will blow your mind.
Michael Levin
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6mins
The Well
How spirituality protects your brain from despair
Modern life replaced spirituality with goal-setting — and it’s making us depressed. Here’s how to win back your happiness.
Lisa Miller
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6mins
The Well
Hustle culture kills happiness. Here’s how to escape it.
Hustle culture is part of our DNA — but it’s making us unhappy. Yale psychologist Laurie Santos explains how to escape your inner drill sergeant and find peace in imperfection.
Laurie Santos
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6mins
The Well
How your brain creates reality, explained by a neuroscientist
Your "social reality" isn’t an absolute reality. A leading neuroscientist explains why.
Lisa Feldman Barrett
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6mins
The Well
Why virtue is key to your happiness
Knowing your key strengths can make you happy in anything you do. Here’s how to identify them.
Laurie Santos
Two detailed anatomical illustrations show human heads: one sliced horizontally to reveal the brain, and the other showing exposed facial muscles, bones, and tissue.
5mins
The Well
The neuroscience of trauma
What sets trauma apart from regular bad experiences? A leading neuroscientist explains.
Lisa Feldman Barrett
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6mins
The Well
Signs you’re burned out — and how to bounce back
If you don’t feel better after the weekend, the “burnout paradox” could explain why.
Laurie Santos
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7mins
The Well
An evolutionary history of the human brain, in 7 minutes
Plato and Carl Sagan were wrong about the human brain, says a top neuroscientist.
Lisa Feldman Barrett
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8mins
The Well
Why humans are surprisingly bad at being happy
Your brain isn’t wired for happiness — but you can change that, explains Yale scientist Laurie Santos.
Laurie Santos
John Templeton Foundation
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