How matter becomes life, in 7 minutes | Lee Cronin The Well 2024-07-29 | “The physics of the universe doesn't predict the emergence of biology.” Renowned chemist Lee Cronin explains how inanimate matter becomes evolutionary.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Finding the secret of human existence in an atom-smasher youtube.com/watch?v=DFFdJX456foWhat is life, really? Despite our scientific advancements, we still don’t really know. Lee Cronin, the Regis Professor of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow, says there is a significant disconnect between the physics of the universe and the biological processes we observe. This discrepancy makes for a difficult challenge in understanding how inanimate matter evolves into breathing, thinking, life forms. The solution? Cronin proposes assembly theory – where we use complexity at scale to piece together all the components that work together to create adaptable life. Assembly theory suggests that life emerges through two key processes: copying and existence. These two simple words, Cronin explains, are the essential essences of life as we know it. Thanks to Cronin, this theory has been put in use by NASA in its search for lifeforms on other planets. Together, we are growing closer to understanding the mystery of life – how it started, what it looks like, and how it might evolve. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-does-matter-become-life-assembly-theory---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Zero: The key to understanding everything? | Talithia Williams The Well 2024-09-09 | From nothing to everything: How zero changed our understanding of the universe, forever.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: How do black holes actually interact with matter? | Michelle Thaller youtube.com/watch?v=ejzboTU0gZI The abstract numeral that changed everything, according to mathematician Talithia Williams. Before the introduction of zero, mathematics was a tangible subject, where numbers held weight and substance. With zero came the concept of a mathematical “nothing;” it turned our solid understanding of values into something theoretical. This development, the addition of zero, led scientists to begin exploring more conceptual ideas, like dark matter and black holes. Without zero, we wouldn’t have discovered equations like E=mc², which fundamentally rely on the concept of nothingness and balance to describe the relationship between energy and mass.Including zero and other abstract numerals like negative numbers, gave us the framework to think about the absence of things. This “nothing number” gave us access to a new layer of understanding, potentially even leading us to new solutions for problems that were unapproachable beforehand.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-zero-fundamentally-changed-our-understanding-of-the-universe---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Find the “inherent beauty” in math, in 2 minutes | Talithia Williams The Well 2024-09-06 | What would the world be like if we focused on “the inherent beauty of math,” rather than its technical aspects? A statistician reflects.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: A bold new theory on why the universe keeps expanding | Lee Cronin youtube.com/watch?v=cYliayfoSDkIf you’ve taken a math class, it’s likely you’ve asked yourself “What am I really going to use this for?” Mathematician Talithia Williams has the answer. The key to understanding math outside of the classroom, Dr. Williams explains, is appreciating how beautiful it really is. Much like taking an art appreciation class, if one were to take a course that highlights the real-world applications of mathematics without the pressure of daunting calculations, complex equations, or graded tests. According to Dr. Williams, taking a course like this would reveal the aesthetic qualities of numbers and their values, and could transform our perception of math from being a subject to pass to a tool for understanding the world. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-to-appreciate-math-like-an-artform---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
How math brings order to our universe | Talithia Williams The Well 2024-09-02 | Statistician Talithia Williams on how math is the clearest path to understanding our existence.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Sorry, but you DO need suffering in your life | Arthur Brooks youtube.com/watch?v=L0Bfs2BPRxIWhat does math have to do with theology? According to Dr. Talithia Williams, a math professor and science communicator, quite a lot. In just under three minutes, Williams explains how mathematics connects the natural world with deeper ideas of order and purpose. Math, she says, helps us make sense of everything from the migration of fish to the patterns we see in nature, uncovering the structure of our universe.Dr. Williams believes math is more than just numbers—it’s a universal language that offers insights into our existence. This intersection of math, nature, and culture reveals something deep and profound about our lives and the purpose behind them. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-math-brings-order-to-our-universe---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
How do scientists measure—and define—life? | Lee Cronin The Well 2024-08-30 | How do scientists measure and define life in the natural world? Dr. Lee Cronin gives us a definition, in 4 minutes.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: How the universe randomly unfolded from “quantum foam” | Lee Cronin youtube.com/watch?v=3f6TSjR2GrkHave we found a new way of defining life? This scientist thinks so. Lee Cronin, the Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow, proposes that Assembly Theory may hold the key to discovering how life began and evolved. His theory introduces three parameters for understanding the transition from nonliving to living entities: the time it takes to make the object, the time it takes for the object to fall apart naturally, and the time the object can persist in living lineages. These parameters help to quantify life by calculating a system's construction, which measures the extent of selection that has occurred.In his laboratory, Cronin and his team have used this concept to create an "origin of life machine." It aims to replicate the conditions that allow life to emerge from nonliving materials. By leveraging these time-based parameters, Cronin and his team are constructing engines designed to perform random chemistry experiments, seeking systems that exhibit these life-like characteristics.If successful, this research could completely change how we think about where life came from —and its future. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-do-scientists-define-and-measure-life---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Win back your agency from algorithms with data literacy | Talithia Williams The Well 2024-08-27 | Algorithms dictate a lot more than your social media feeds. Here’s how to win back your agency.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: The big problem with how we measure “intelligence” | Mary Helen Immordino-Yang youtube.com/watch?v=1rXGQg0KvdUIn a world where our decisions are increasingly influenced by data, understanding the information we encounter has never been more essential. Dr. Talithia Williams explains the case for data literacy. Dr. Talithia Williams, a math professor and science communicator, shares her take on why understanding data is now more important than ever. Using examples like noticing targeted ads after a conversation, Williams shows how data shapes our everyday experiences. But she also warns of the dangers, like biases in data-driven models that can lead to unfair outcomes. While AI and machine learning offer powerful insights, it’s up to us to ensure these tools are used fairly and accurately.Dr. Williams also emphasizes that by deepening our understanding of data, we can better navigate the challenges that arise in our daily lives. She encourages us to see data not just as numbers, but as a tool for making more informed, fairer decisions in our bewilderingly complex world.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/beat-the-algorithm-with-digital-literacy---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
A bold new theory on why the universe keeps expanding | Lee Cronin The Well 2024-08-19 | “I’m not 100% comfortable saying that, but it’s fun.” Chemist Lee Cronin on his bold theory on the ever-expanding universe.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: All of the universe’s disorder, explained in 6 minutes youtube.com/watch?v=Htjs4aSnaJQThe universe is inflating like a cosmic balloon. Lee Cronin, Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow, has a new theory about why. Many scientists believe cosmic inflation is occurring as a result of the Big Bang, but Cronin has a different idea. Time, he explains, may be expanding alongside space. This suggests that time and life may have a deeper connection to one another. According to Cronin, life could be seen as the amount of selection happening per unit volume, with selection being what keeps the universe inflated. Where there's interaction, there's selection, and, perhaps, this could explain the expansion.We don't fully understand what drives the universe's expansion or what time truly is. Testing this idea, even if it's wrong, could lead to ground-breaking discoveries about the nature of time, space, and the forces that shape our universe. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/why-does-the-universe-keep-expanding---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Human development has 5 key principles – here’s why they matter | Mary Helen Immordino-Yang The Well 2024-08-12 | Our predetermined view of what we are capable of is severely limiting our human potential, says neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next:The powers of transcendental thinking, explained by a neuroscientist youtube.com/watch?v=SxoVhcvun7gCan the power of community transform our educational systems for the better? This neuroscientist says absolutely. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang is a neuroscientist and USC professor, and she has spent her career studying education and the ways we can enhance it. Her findings claim that diversity has a huge impact on brain growth and even life experience. She explains that similarly to how fabric is composed of thousands of intricately woven threads, our schools need the active coordination of many people and skills, making them stronger together.Immordino-Yang stresses the importance of this strong social fabric, explaining that spending time around those who differ from us can help us become adaptable and truly deepen our understanding of the world around us. This idea calls for a new approach to education, where teachers and students work together to create systems of learning that help them grow alongside one another, instead of on confined and isolated paths.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/human-development-principles-could-unleash-our-collective-potential---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
How the universe randomly unfolded from “quantum foam” | Lee Cronin The Well 2024-08-09 | “The universe only looks deterministic because evolution has occurred.” Chemist Lee Cronin reminds us why the universe, and everything is it, is in fact totally random:❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Are non-living things… evolving? Yes, says leading mineralogist youtube.com/watch?v=VQNAEec9W38How did something come from nothing? Chemist Lee Cronin explains.According to current physics, the universe began with a Big Bang, leading to an expanding universe where matter, hydrogen, stars, and galaxies formed. From exploding stars came planets, and eventually, life emerged, leading to human beings and technology as we know it today.Quantum physics reveals the universe as a field of probabilities, full of entirely random sequences. When these sequences produce objects that can copy themselves and survive in their environment, evolution takes place. This quantum randomness provides the fuel for these processes, making the universe appear deterministic over time.Cronin uses a flipping coin as an example. If a system were truly random, it would yield an equivalent number of heads and tails on a flipped coin. If the coin were weighted, however, and showed mostly heads upon flipping, the system would be considered deterministic. Cronin’s perspective might just be imperative to understanding how the universe has evolved, through processes of selection and replication, and eventually brought us to this place in space and time. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-the-universe-unfolded-from-randomness---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Yes, you CAN control your emotions — with these techniques | Arthur Brooks The Well 2024-08-02 | “Say what you want to say, and not what you feel.” Harvard happiness professor explains ‘metacognition’ techniques so you can grow your emotional intelligence.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: There is a formula for happiness — but it’s highly misunderstood | youtube.com/watch?v=cJOi5z2IoG8You’ve heard of cognition. Now, here’s metacognition: the act of thinking about thinking. Arthur Brooks, author and public speaker, explains how metacognition helps us reflect on our emotional life, allowing our prefrontal cortex to evaluate signals from the limbic system. For instance, telling children to "use their words" instead of screaming encourages them to engage their prefrontal cortex. The same applies to adults: interrogate your emotions before reacting, and you might just become a more emotionally healthy person. According to Brooks, this is a skill that can be developed over time, so if you’re new to the idea of consciously regulating your own emotions, it’s not too late. He stresses that negative emotions - though unenjoyable - are entirely normal and are even representative of a healthy brain. What matters is how we engage with these negative emotions and what lessons we take away from the experiences they give us. Metacognition is a skill that requires patience and self-kindness. With enough practice and effort, we all can learn to master this ability and enhance our own happiness, as well as the happiness of those around us.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/use-metacognition-for-emotional-intelligence---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The big problem with how we measure “intelligence” | Mary Helen Immordino-Yang The Well 2024-07-26 | “We have this incredible drive in our culture to enumerate everything, to measure everything.” Should we be doing that with intelligence?❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: What geniuses get wrong about being “smart” youtube.com/watch?v=Gi6bo2TI8EgWe’ve been looking at intelligence all wrong, explains a neuroscientist. Our society has an obsession with quantifying everything, often applying measurements and numerical values where they aren't necessary. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a neuroscientist and professor at USC, argues that we've taken this approach with intelligence, and it might not be the right path.Immordino-Yang uses standardized testing as an example, explaining how modern-day education systems equate high test scores with high intelligence levels. However, these tests usually only measure a student's ability to perform under specific conditions, focusing narrowly on memorization and regurgitation of predetermined answers.Instead, Mary Helen suggests a more dynamic concept of intelligence, considering a child's ability to navigate complex situations, understand new information, and innovate in real-time. This kind of intelligence is adaptive and essential for societal progress, as it allows for a more well-rounded perception of the world and situations that occur within it.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/does-testing-really-measure-intelligence---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Sorry, but you DO need suffering in your life | Arthur Brooks The Well 2024-07-22 | “Not only does Mother Nature not care about your happiness, she knows that we need lots of negative emotions to keep us alive.” Harvard happiness professor Arthur Brooks on why suffering IS necessary for true happiness.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Why humans are surprisingly bad at being happy youtube.com/watch?v=Kt2tydVnVvAArthur Brooks, author and Harvard professor, has some startling news: In order to be happy, we also need to be unhappy, at least a little bit. To explain this theory, Brooks reflects on the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, who proposed that the key to happiness is to simply suffer less, not by seeking constant pleasure but by eliminating sources of discomfort. This idea, although intuitive, has significant implications. Avoiding the relationships and activities that cause friction can indeed make us happier. However, Brooks warns against the modern trend of overprotecting ourselves and our children from any form of suffering or conflict. In the long run, these types of “protection” could actually be more harmful than beneficial. Suffering is a natural part of life that teaches resilience and helps us especially appreciate the good moments we experience. As Carl Jung noted, we need contrast in our lives to truly experience joy.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/Epicurus-was-wrong–suffering-is-necessary---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The vibrant colors of Earth’s 4.5 billion year lifespan | Robert Hazen The Well 2024-07-19 | “We wouldn’t be able to talk about minerals if it weren’t for the minerals themselves.” Mineralogist Bob Hazen explains how Earth’s rocks can teach us about our planet’s technicolor history.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next:How Earth’s minerals set us apart — and could lead us to alien life youtube.com/watch?v=es6Cs5V-M7AWhat can minerals tell us about the Earth's evolving colors? According to mineralogist Bob Hazen, they reveal an incredible history. Thanks to new research, we now know that minerals play immense roles in technology, agriculture, and the very origin of life itself, even down to our planet’s colors. Hazen explains the mineral roadmap of Earth’s transformation – starting as a black basalt-covered planet, evolving into a blue ocean world, transitioning to a red rusted landscape, and finally becoming the green, lively planet we know today. Hazen elaborates on how minerals have been essential in processes like plate tectonics and biomineralization, exemplifying the co-evolution of the geosphere and life. Using the knowledge that each and every mineral serves as a time capsule, we are able to better understand the 4.5 billion-year history - and potential future - of our Earth.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/a-technicolor-history-of-planet-earth---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
What well-being is (and isn’t), according to neuroscience | Mary Helen Immordino-Yang The Well 2024-07-15 | Traditional definitions of wellbeing focus on the absence of mental illness or disease. But true wellbeing goes beyond that, says this neuroscientist.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: How spirituality protects your brain from despair | Lisa Miller youtu.be/T0GETX5_VJ4?feature=sharedCultivating your own well-being does not mean getting rid of discomfort, according to neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang. Immordino-Yang is a professor of education, psychology, and neuroscience at the University of Southern California, and she has spent years researching what makes one “well.” Turns out, true well-being comes from balance and flexibility, not just from filling your life with positive experiences. Immordino-Yang suggests a few practical tips for maintaining this balance, such as prioritizing quality relationships, monitoring our social media usage, and engaging in activities that bring joy and reflection.We can’t fully eradicate suffering, but we can accept it and choose to grow through it. By welcoming healthy levels of discomfort and taking agency over our own activities and habits, we can achieve wellness as it was meant to be achieved - as a state of being, not a destination. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/wellbeing-explained-by-a-neuroscientist---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Are non-living things… evolving? Yes, says leading mineralogist | Robert Hazen The Well 2024-07-12 | The mind-blowing theory that everything is evolving—from minerals to music—explained in 3 minutes by a Carnegie scientist.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Why evolution is the Picasso of science youtube.com/watch?v=OqbgfLMhknoHow did mineral evolution shape our planet? Robert Hazen, a renowned mineralogist, shares his fascinating insights into the co-evolution of minerals and life on Earth. Science has shown us that the universe started with a mere few dozen minerals, and those have since evolved into thousands. This discovery has proven that evolution does not only apply to living systems, like flora and fauna, but is relevant to non-living systems as well. Hazen highlights a deeper connection between these living and non-living systems, emphasizing that all evolving systems share three critical characteristics: interacting components, the generation of new configurations, and a selection mechanism. Whether it’s atoms and molecules forming minerals, genes in living organisms, or musical notes creating new compositions, these principles apply universally.When considering how living and non-living systems evolve alongside one another, we can begin to understand how truly connected all of the universe’s systems may be. Thanks to this knowledge, we may be closer to discovering our place in the cosmos. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-rocks-minerals-survive-and-evolve---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The powers of transcendent thinking, explained by a neuroscientist | Mary Helen Immordino-Yang The Well 2024-07-08 | Finding meaning isn’t just personally fulfilling — it’s critical to our brain’s development, explains USC neuroscientist.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: How your brain creates reality youtube.com/watch?v=xdGgVYIqvrQAre our current school systems stifling learning that matters? Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a professor of education, psychology, and neuroscience at the University of Southern California, says yes. According to Immordino-Yang, our education system focuses too much on memorizing facts and procedures, neglecting autobiographical memory—the personal story we tell ourselves about who we are and what we stand for. This type of memory is crucial for growth, development, and well-being.Immordino-Yang tested this theory with a 5-year study that analyzed how young people’s brains are affected by deep thinking and reflection. She found that when teens were exposed to real-life stories and were asked to respond critically to how they made them feel, it had significant positive impacts on identity development and brain structure. Instead of teaching students to memorize and reiterate learned facts and figures, Immordino-Yang encourages us to focus on this type of “transcendent thinking,” as it can help young people give more context to their knowledge. By fostering this deeper level of understanding, we can better prepare students to navigate and contribute to the complex, constantly developing world we live in. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/rewire-your-brain-with-transcendental-thinking---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
We’re lonelier than ever — and there’s one big reason | Arthur Brooks The Well 2024-07-05 | There’s never been more ways to connect with the people in our lives — so why are we lonelier than ever?❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: The biggest myths about emotions, debunked youtube.com/watch?v=0QfCvIJRtE0Thanks to modern-day social media, it’s easier than ever to connect with the people you care about. But is this really the case? Professor Arthur Brooks discusses how social media is actually harming our ability to socialize, and proposes a way to fix it. Oxytocin, the bonding neuropeptide in our brains, needs eye contact and touch—things we don’t get from Zoom or social media. This lack leaves us feeling hungrier for connection, which only fuels the loneliness epidemic, and causes us to further distance ourselves from others. Does this mean we should ban social media and prevent young people from using it? Brooks says no, social media can be a wonderful complement to real-life interactions, like when it is used to arrange plans to meet up with friends. If social media substitutes for real-life relationships, it harms our happiness. If it complements them, it can be beneficial. We need connection now more than ever, and using social media wisely can help us stay connected and support our mental well-being.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
There is a formula for happiness — but it’s highly misunderstood | Arthur Brooks The Well 2024-07-01 | “Happiness is NOT about feelings.” Harvard happiness expert Arthur Brooks debunks the biggest myths about humanity’s most sought-after state, and explains how to actually get it.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Why humans are surprisingly bad at being happy youtube.com/watch?v=Kt2tydVnVvAHow does one become truly happy? Arthur Brooks, author and Harvard professor, explains.Throughout his career, Brooks has pinpointed the essence of real happiness. His key insight? Happiness is not just a feeling, it’s a state of mind. In this interview, Brooks shares three primary elements of well-being, and explains how each one – enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning – contributes to your own happiness factor. Enjoyment, he explains, involves more than mere pleasure—it’s about shared experiences and lasting memories. Satisfaction arises from overcoming challenges, and meaning comes from understanding life’s coherence, significance, and purpose.Brooks further breaks down the pursuits that genuinely contribute to happiness: faith, family, friendship, and meaningful work. He stresses that happiness is not a final destination but a continuous direction. By focusing on these core aspects, we can build a fulfilling and happier life. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/debunking-the-biggest-myths-about-happiness---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
These minerals are our #1 clue for the existence of other lifeforms | Robert Hazen The Well 2024-06-28 | “I study the mineral kingdom — and its secrets could lead us to alien life.”❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: The missing law of nature, and how we found it | Robert Hazen: youtu.be/lepxTr9zKDcAccording to leading mineralogist Bob Hazen, minerals may hold the key for discovering if we actually are alone in the universe. He highlights how Earth's dramatic increase in mineral diversity—from 2000 to over 6000 types—aligned with the emergence of life, which drastically altered our planet's atmosphere and chemical processes.Knowing this, scientists can now look for specific clues in minerals as they study other planets. If another planet, such as Mars, were to have similar biosignatures, it could be a clear indicator that it harbored life at some point in time. This method would not only help us discover if life existed on other planets, but, depending on the specific similarities, could tell us how closely this life resembled our own, and could prove how unique humanity truly is. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/the-mineral-kingdom-alien-life---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The missing law of nature, and how we found it | Robert Hazen The Well 2024-06-24 | “We could be wrong. But if we are right, it’s profoundly important.” Leading mineralogist Dr. Robert Hazen on the missing law of nature that could explain why life emerges.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: A 9-minute journey inside a black hole youtube.com/watch?v=9D4J_I7pQe8You may be familiar with the “arrow of time,” but did you know there could be a second one?Dr. Robert Hazen, staff scientist at the Earth and Planets Laboratory of Carnegie Science in Washington, DC, thinks that a single arrow of time may be too limiting. A second arrow, which he dubs “the law of increasing functional information,” takes evolution into account. Specifically, Hazen explains that evolution seems to not only incorporate time, but also function and purpose.Consider a coffee cup: it works best when holding your coffee, but it could also work as a paperweight, and it would not work well at all as a screwdriver. Hazen explains that it appears the universe uses a similar way of evolving not only biology, but other complex systems throughout the cosmos. This idea suggests that while as the universe ages and expands, it is becoming more organized and functional, nearly opposite to theories surrounding increasing cosmological disorder. Hazen suggests that these two “arrows” – one of entropy and one of organized information – could very well run parallel to one another. If true, this theory could be groundbreaking in the way we perceive time, evolution, and the very fabric of reality. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/the-second-arrow-of-time---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The symmetry that shaped physics: Frank Wilczek on Einstein’s legacy The Well 2024-06-10 | Nobel Prize winning physicist Frank Wilczek reflects on Einstein’s greatest contribution.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: The strong force: holding our universe together | Frank Wilczek youtube.com/watch?v=qpPYM5EW-IQNobel Prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek is considered by many to be Albert Einstein’s successor. He studied Einstein’s discoveries, expanded upon Einstein’s ideas, and, for several years, even lived in the same house Einstein used to. Wilczek’s dedication led to even more advancements in humanity’s understanding of our world, particularly his work on symmetry in the laws of physics. Thanks to Einstein, scientists were introduced to the concept of symmetry amid theories of general relativity and the fundamental laws of physics. Though he hadn’t explicitly articulated the role of symmetry in our universe, he did set up a framework that future scientists could expand upon. Here, Wilczek explains the steps taken to understand symmetry as a key component to physics, and how these steps ultimately contributed to his own career as a physicist. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/frank-wilczek-einstein-successor---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Words do matter—and you might be using them all wrong | Alan Alda The Well 2024-05-27 | Are you convincing everyone you’re smart, or accidentally alienating them? Here’s how to find out.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: What geniuses get wrong about being “smart” | Barbara Oakley youtube.com/watch?v=Gi6bo2TI8EgWhile jargon has the advantage of communicating a lot of information in a short amount of time, it has deeply alienating effects on those even slightly outside the field of reference. Director, actor, and master communicator Alan Alda uses examples from film sets and hospital rooms to illustrate jargon’s impact on our interactions, and how it can exclude those we are trying to communicate with. Now more than ever, we need to find ways to foster connections and encourage close relationships with one another. The solution, Alda explains, is to use jargon only when you are confident that it is completely understood by the person you are speaking with. Otherwise, you risk losing the opportunity to truly communicate, causing misunderstanding and even disinterest.Approaching conversations with this level of empathy creates an environment where all listeners can feel included, encouraging them to learn, share their ideas, and continue keeping knowledge accessible. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/alan-alda-how-to-communicate-better---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
How ‘mind-uploading’ stands to shake the core of humanity | Steven Kotler The Well 2024-05-13 | We’re closer than ever to being able to upload our minds and become “digitally immortal.” But should we?❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Michio Kaku: 3 mind-blowing predictions about the future youtube.com/watch?v=wSv2yp2TXwQWhat if our minds could live after our bodies have died? What if mortality became obsolete? Steven Kotler, award-winning journalist and executive director of the Flow Research Collective, has studied these seemingly sci-fi ideas, and it turns out that they’re not so fictional, after all. In fact, mind-uploading technology is expected to be available as early as 2045. “Digital immortality” would have its upsides; we could preserve the minds of modern geniuses and have their guidance through future conflicts. Or, alternatively, things could get dark, as we have never before interfered with such complex evolutionary processes. Kotler explains that the ability to store human personalities and consciousness on computers poses profound ethical and societal questions.By developing and using this mind-uploading technology, we are simultaneously redefining what it means to be a human being, pushing the boundary between life, death, and whatever is in between. It seems, whether we’re ready or not, that it is going to happen soon. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/will-humanity-become-digitally-immortal---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
All of the universe’s disorder, explained in 6 minutes | Sean Carroll The Well 2024-04-30 | The universe is heading towards “maximum chaos.” Here’s what that actually means.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Solving Stephen Hawking’s famous paradox youtube.com/watch?v=d_cO4Dxm9A0Join physicist Sean Carroll in a thought-provoking exploration of how life emerges in a universe governed by the second law of thermodynamics, which dictates an inevitable increase in disorder. This video delves into the intriguing contradiction between the universe's natural progression towards chaos and the existence of complex life forms. Carroll introduces the concept of entropy and its role in the “heat death” of the universe, questioning how, against all odds, life could arise from such disorder.Diving into the scientific debate on the origin of life, Carroll discusses the replication-first versus metabolism-first theories and the groundbreaking discovery of hydrothermal vents, which support life's potential emergence from non-biological processes. This concise exploration highlights the significant strides being made in understanding life's origins, bridging the gap between physics and biology, and offering a glimpse into one of science's most captivating unsolved questions.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/Sean-Carroll-on-entropy-complexity-origins-of-life---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
What geniuses get wrong about being “smart” | Barbara Oakley The Well 2024-04-15 | With great genius comes great rigidity. Professor Barabara Oakley on how to stay mentally agile — and get smarter as a result.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up nextYou have 3 brains. This is how to use them youtube.com/watch?v=A4_GpSok5VIJoin Barbara Oakley as she delves into the concept of "Einstellung," a psychological phenomenon where our brains become stuck in one way of thinking. Oakley explains how this tendency to stick with what we know from an early age narrows our cognitive abilities, as unused brain connections are pruned away, limiting our potential to perceive and embrace new ideas.Using her own personal anecdotes, Oakley illustrates the dangers of these echo chambers and the importance of maintaining open dialogues with differing viewpoints. She warns of the societal risks of polarization and the dismissal of opposing opinions, drawing parallels between historical and contemporary issues with fake news and the importance of critical thinking. Whether you're looking to enhance your problem-solving skills or simply curious about the workings of the human mind, Oakley's insights offer a path towards a more flexible and enriched mental landscape. Join us to discover how to break free from mental ruts and embrace a life filled with learning and growth.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/why-einstellung-is-stopping-you-from-getting-smarter---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
You can change your brain in just 10 minutes. Here’s how | Daniel Goleman The Well 2024-04-01 | “Focused attention is an endangered species.” Psychologist Daniel Goleman on how mindfulness can actually make you more productive. ❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Hustle culture kills happiness. Here’s how to escape it. youtube.com/watch?v=FhVxVcU6bzsMultitasking is our new normal, and our ability to focus is being challenged like never before. We’re constantly checking our emails, scrolling social media, consulting our endless to-do lists, and even watching YouTube videos, and, according to renowned psychologist Daniel Goleman, it’s slowing us down in more ways than one. According to Goleman, a remedy for our fast-paced lives can be found in a simple, ten-minute exercise. He explains how a daily mindfulness practice can significantly enhance attention span, reduce the negative effects of multitasking, and help individuals remain concentrated and productive. Goleman’s insights reveal how mindfulness meditation offers immediate stress reduction and a calmer mind, showcasing its potential benefits for people with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and enhancing focus in children facing challenging environments. Drawing from cognitive science and recent research, Goleman provides actionable advice for incorporating mindfulness into daily routines, aiming to improve mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall wellness. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/the-immediate-benefits-of-mindful-meditation---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
What today’s hunter-gatherers can teach us about modern life | James Suzman The Well 2024-03-18 | James Suzman lived with a tribe of hunter-gatherers to witness how an ancient culture survives one of the most brutal climates on Earth. His learnings may surprise you.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Hustle culture kills happiness. Here’s how to escape it. youtube.com/watch?v=FhVxVcU6bzsWhat do you imagine life was like for hunter-gatherers throughout human history? You might guess that daily life for them was a constant struggle between eating and being eaten in a world where surviving was a full-time job.But anthropological research suggests that probably wasn’t the case. When the anthropologist James Suzman went to the Kalahari Desert to study the Ju/'hoansi hunter-gathers, for example, he found that they worked only 15 hours per week, and that much of that time was spent on activities that many people in the modern West consider leisure, like hiking and fishing.Of course, hunter-gatherers experienced plenty of hard times throughout world history. But a general theme has emerged from anthropological research on hunter-gathers both contemporary and ancient: Rather than being a constant battle for energy between people and their environment, life was more of a continuous flow of give and take between species, and leisure was part of the fabric of daily life.As Suzman told us, looking at the lives of hunter-gatherers can help us rethink the ways we conceptualize work and society.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/modern-hunter-gatherers-how-to-live---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
How do black holes actually interact with matter? | Michelle Thaller The Well 2024-03-04 | Is information intrinsic in our universe? NASA’s Michelle Thaller explains.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next:A 9-minute journey inside a black hole | Janna Levin youtube.com/watch?v=9D4J_I7pQe8How do black holes store information? Is the universe a hologram? How can we use what we know about energy and mass to begin approaching the idea of virtual particles? NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller unpacks these questions and more in less than eight minutes. We know that matter cannot be created nor destroyed, but what about information? Michelle explains that matter and information are a lot more connected than we think, and this has massive implications on our understanding of black holes, particle physics, and our universe as a whole. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-black-holes-interact-with-matter---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Turning scientific constraints into breakthroughs: Einstein, Heisenberg and Gödel | Janna Levin The Well 2024-02-19 | When one path is blocked, a new one must be paved. How Einstein, Heisenberg and Gödel used constraints to make life-changing discoveries: ❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Einstein wasn’t a lone agent. Here’s why that matters. youtube.com/watch?v=Zv5N6KbEyiAAstrophysicist Janna Levin discusses three examples of constraints in science, and how they ultimately led to massive breakthroughs in physics and mathematics. Abiding by the speed of light caused Albert Einstein to begin his pursuit into the theory of relativity, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle planted the seed for quantum mechanics, and Kurt Gödel’s incompleteness theorem led directly to the invention of computers and artificial intelligence. We often think of constraints as impenetrable barriers that cannot be broken. However, these very constraints have the potential to inspire new ways of thinking and revolutionize the world as we know it. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/how-constraints-lead-to-scientific-breakthroughs---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Perception, explained in 3 minutes | Alva Noë The Well 2024-02-05 | What is perception, really? Philosopher Alva Noë on why perception is a puzzling phenomenon.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: What is shared consciousness? youtube.com/watch?v=X4wvSmqefycDoes perception exist outside of our own nervous system? Philosopher Alva Noë thinks so. We can visualize the back of a tomato, even if our eyes cannot see it. We aren’t offended by profane statements written in a language we aren’t fluent in. This is because our perception is based on more than our five senses; it relies on experience and context as well. Alva Noë unpacks this puzzle with a few examples, from being able to visualize things we are not looking at, to a phenomenon called “change blindness.” Ultimately, this information can be used to challenge our original understanding of perception, and can expand on the idea that the way one person assesses an object may not precisely match the assessment of another. Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/what-is-perception---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
How science is a social enterprise ft. George Musser #shorts The Well 2024-01-31 | George Musser is an accomplished science writer and editor, known for his expertise in the fields of physics and astronomy. With a background in scientific research and a deep passion for explaining complex scientific concepts to the public, Musser has made significant contributions to the field of science communication.Musser's work is widely recognized for its clarity and depth, particularly in topics such as quantum mechanics, space, and the nature of the universe. He has served as a contributing editor for "Scientific American" magazine, where his articles have elucidated various scientific theories and discoveries for a broad audience.In this interview, Musser discusses how imperative it is to collaborate in science. We often view scientific endeavors as being solitary projects, as one person dedicating themselves solely to an idea or experiment. Musser explains that this should not be the case, and oftentimes, is more collaborative than one would expect.
Einstein wasn’t a lone agent. Here’s why that matters. | George Musser The Well 2024-01-29 | Science writer George Musser on the unsung role of friendship in science’s biggest discoveries.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: Can you separate science from the scientist? youtube.com/watch?v=HFYro2HoF5IScience writer George Musser discusses the essence and nature of science, emphasizing its purpose as a means to understand and create a consistent view of reality. While we often imagine science geniuses such as Einstein as lone rangers in their field, scientists continuously share and refine ideas among colleagues, underlining the importance of friendships and trust in discoveries.Such relationships enable the initial testing of concepts in a supportive environment before they face the broader, often critical scientific community. Citing Einstein's interactions with Niels Bohr, Musser illustrates how even foundational principles, like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, were continually probed and questioned — not out of disbelief, but out of a quest for deeper understanding.However, not all scientific dialogues result in consensus. One study suggested that the most innovative scientists often remain firm in their views, hinting that a certain degree of stubbornness might be beneficial for scientific progress. In essence, the rigorous, collaborative, and sometimes contentious interactions among scientists are fundamental to advancing knowledge.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/the-relationships-of-scientists---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
What wins fights–facts or emotions? #shorts The Well 2024-01-24 | Tali Sharot explores the limitations of using information to change beliefs, citing instances like climate change opinions and vaccine hesitancy. They conducted a study on climate change, revealing that presenting information led to increased polarization rather than unity. Brain scans during disagreements showed reduced information processing. Intelligence may lead to data manipulation to align with existing beliefs. The speaker suggests understanding common motives, exemplified by a study on vaccines, where focusing on health, not autism, increased acceptance. The lesson is to address shared concerns for effective behavior change.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Facts don’t win fights — but this can | Tali Sharot The Well 2024-01-22 | We’ve all tried to win an argument by bringing up statistics that support our view. But here’s why that doesn’t work, according to a neuroscientist.❍ Subscribe to The Well on YouTube: bit.ly/welcometothewell ❍ Up next: What is shared consciousness? youtube.com/watch?v=X4wvSmqefycWe’ve all tried to win an argument by laying down some strong statistics to prove that we’re right. But cognitive neuroscientist Tali Sharot discusses the limitations of information in changing people's beliefs. In fact, intelligent people are likely to manipulate data to align with their pre-existing beliefs. That’s when your super smart statistics start to backfire.In one experiment, providing more extreme data to both believers and skeptics resulted in increased polarization rather than consensus. Brain scans reveal that when two people disagree, the brain seems to "switch off," not encoding the opposing views. In a study at UCLA aiming to convince parents to vaccinate, directly refuting the autism link wasn't effective. Instead, shifting the focus to the purpose of vaccines – protecting against deadly diseases like measles – was more persuasive. The key is identifying a shared objective or common motive, as seen with the mutual concern for children's health, rather than emphasizing divisive points.Read the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
You get 3 billion heartbeats. The Well 2023-12-14 | ❍ Catch the full episode here, with Sean Carroll, Kevin Kelly, and Nina Lanza: youtu.be/y6U9cFH_N1E?feature=shared---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Why are people afraid of the future? The Well 2023-12-13 | ❍ Catch the full episode here, with Kevin Kelly, Nina Lanza, and Sean Carroll: youtu.be/y6U9cFH_N1E?feature=shared---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
NASAs plan to retrieve rock samples from Mars The Well 2023-12-12 | NASA's plan to retrieve rock samples from Mars | Dispatches from The Well ft. Nina LanzaWatch the full ep here: youtu.be/y6U9cFH_N1E?feature=shared---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
How should we be thinking about the future? | Dispatches from The Well Ep.7 The Well 2023-12-12 | 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.Listen on Spotify ► open.spotify.com/show/4LmnPS24vUhZ2fNudWmq0l?si=goOud8pTRQy2Qu9ctA9iEgListen on Apple ► podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dispatches-from-the-well/id1716445883❍ Watch the rest of Dispatches from The Well Season 1 here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_B7bI1QVmJBz9-5hI4sihQbxgcShW77l❍ Podcast Episode 6: youtu.be/-UcxXX7rgx0?si=IwDJ7Muth3V6iuZG The future is coming, whether we’re ready or not. Physicist Sean Carroll, planetary scientist Nina Lanza, and futurist Kevin Kelly are three brilliant minds who have spent their careers studying how time has affected the Earth — and Kmele is on a mission to understand their findings. Part of understanding what we know includes identifying the things we don’t know; this way, we can keep our minds open to new discoveries and ideas. What is it really like to be a theoretical physicist, who only works with ideas? How does philosophy underline the progress we’ve made as a society? And, finally, what is humanity’s role in the future, and what can we do to make sure our lives have meaning? Find out this, and much, much more, in the last episode of Dispatches from The Well. Featuring: Sean Carroll, Nina Lanza, Kevin KellyRead the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/dispatches-podcast-episode-7---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The eternal advantage of analog media ft. Steve Albini #shorts The Well 2023-12-10 | ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Fred Armisen already has his funeral planned #shorts The Well 2023-12-09 | ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Are we underestimating the consciousness of animals? #shorts The Well 2023-12-09 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The Godfrey Reggio Philosophy #shorts The Well 2023-12-08 | ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The ocean theory of consciousness #shorts The Well 2023-12-07 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
3 rebellious creators tell us the meaning of life | Dispatches from The Well Ep.6 The Well 2023-12-07 | 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.Listen on Spotify ► open.spotify.com/show/4LmnPS24vUhZ2fNudWmq0l?si=goOud8pTRQy2Qu9ctA9iEgListen on Apple ► podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dispatches-from-the-well/id1716445883❍ New episodes of the Dispatches podcast releasing every week here on The Well❍ Podcast Episode 5: youtube.com/watch?v=2Y3n3TgGpOcIn this episode of Dispatches from The Well, Kmele Foster continues his search for the meaning of life inside the minds of some of the world’s most creative visionaries. Godfrey Reggio revolutionized film with his experimental documentaries. Steve Albini is preserving the spirit of music by committing to analog recording. Fred Armisen turned his creativity into a career by combining his passion for music and comedy. Kmele sat down with each of these creators and asked them about the “why” behind their existence. From sitting behind the camera to stepping in front of it, these artists have found meaning in their lives by committing to the things that, in simple terms, are the most fun. Join us as we explore the perspectives of these “rebellious creatives” in episode six of Dispatches from The Well. Featuring: Steve Albini, Fred Armisen, Godfrey ReggioRead the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/dispatches-podcast-episode-6---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
The common thread through all human experience #shorts The Well 2023-12-05 | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook❍ Instagram
Consciousness: Not just a problem for philosophers | Dispatches from The Well Ep. 5 The Well 2023-12-05 | 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.”Listen on Spotify ► open.spotify.com/show/4LmnPS24vUhZ2fNudWmq0l?si=goOud8pTRQy2Qu9ctA9iEgListen on Apple ► podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dispatches-from-the-well/id1716445883❍ New episodes of the Dispatches podcast releasing every Monday here on The Well❍ Podcast Episode 4: youtube.com/watch?v=gYeKQ7p8bz8We’re diving deep into the “hard problem of consciousness.” Kmele combines the perspectives of five different scientists, philosophers, and spiritual leaders to approach one of humanity’s most pressing questions: what is consciousness?In the AI age, the question of consciousness is more prevalent than ever. Is every single thing in the universe self-aware? What does it actually mean to be conscious? Are our bodies really just a vessel for our thoughts? Kmele asks these questions, and many more, in the most thought-provoking episode yet. This is Dispatches from The Well. Featuring: Sir Roger Penrose, Christof Koch, Melanie Mitchell, Reid Hoffman, Swami SarvapriyanandaRead the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/dispatches-podcast-episode-5---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
How Jane Goodall became interested in science at age 4 #shorts The Well 2023-11-24 | ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
Terry Crews on how one teachers encouragement changed his life #shorts The Well 2023-11-22 | Terry Crews is an actor, artist, and former professional football player. Before his successful acting career, Crews played in the NFL for several teams, showcasing his athleticism and strength as a defensive end and linebacker. Beyond entertainment, he's become an outspoken advocate for gender equality, mental health awareness, and the importance of overcoming stereotypes, using his platform to address social issues and inspire others to pursue their passions. In episode four of Dispatches from The Well, Kmele Foster interviewed Terry Crews to learn his story, and discover how stories have changed the way Terry looks at his own life. Here, he shares the story of one teacher who believed in him, and how that belief permanently changed his life for the better. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jane Goodall on death, her next great adventure #shorts The Well 2023-11-21 | Jane Goodall is a renowned primatologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Her groundbreaking work with wild chimpanzees in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park revolutionized our understanding of animal behavior. Goodall's pioneering research highlighted the striking similarities between humans and chimpanzees, challenging traditional scientific beliefs and reshaping the way we perceive our place in the natural world. In this episode of Dispatches from The Well, Kmele Foster interviewed Jane to get her take on the power of stories. Here, she tells us about her next great adventure: death. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How humanity makes its meaning, from Jane Goodall to Terry Crews | Dispatches from The Well Ep.4 The Well 2023-11-21 | 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.Listen on Spotify ► podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/freethink-media/episodes/Why-we-tell-stories-Jane-Goodall--Terry-Crews--more--Ep-4-e2c6ih9Listen on Apple ► dispatchesfromthewell.podbean.com/e/why-we-tell-stories-jane-goodall-terry-crews-more-ep4❍ New episodes of the Dispatches podcast releasing every Monday here on The Well❍ Podcast Episode 3: youtube.com/watch?v=8gjZ_dfzaDEIn the fourth episode of Dispatches from The Well, our host Kmele Foster unravels the significance of storytelling in the human experience. From the profound words of psychologist Dan McAdams to the life stories shared by renowned conservationist Jane Goodall and actor Terry Crews, we delve deep into the art of narrative creation. We set out to explore how we craft narratives to make sense of our past, present, and future, forging our identities and purpose along the way. Join us as we contemplate the timeless question: Are we the stories we tell? This episode invites you to ponder the intricate tapestry of existence, where storytelling serves as the compass guiding our journey through the enigmatic cosmos.Featuring: Jane Goodall, Terry Crews, Dan McAdamsRead the full video transcript: bigthink.com/the-well/dispatches-podcast-episode-4---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❍ About The Well ❍Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.So what do they think?How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?Let’s dive into The Well.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join The Well on your favorite platforms:❍ Facebook: bit.ly/thewellFB ❍ Instagram: bit.ly/thewellIG
