If AI steers us towards homogeneity, how do we keep our thinking original? Dr. Susan Schneider talks to Eric Markowitz about what she calls the “megasystem problem”: networks of AI models colluding in ways we can’t predict.

If death is part of how life renews, can we pursue longevity without freezing progress? Read the full article by Josie Zayner: www.freethink.com/opinion/immo...

Why you feel hungover without drinking | Goldie Chan Extroverts refill by connecting; introverts by disconnecting. What’s your go-to ritual for recharging?

How play helps wire our social brains | Cas Holman Rats still played even without most of their neocortex. If play is that primitive, what does that say about our culture’s obsession with being “serious”? Images: Stuart Boulton / Alamy

What sea slugs teach us about consciousness | Nikolay Kukushkin Chalmers says there’s a ‘hard problem’ of consciousness. Friston/Clark say the ‘hard problem’ is our belief in it. Which camp are you in—and why?

If humans went extinct, could we re-evolve? | Jonny Thomson & Toby Ord Would you find comfort or despair in the idea that something human-like might evolve again — long after we’re gone?

Why your best ideas come after your worst | Rachel Barr According to former Co-owner of The Onion, Scott Dikkers, the brain has both a Clown and an Editor — one generates ideas, the other judges them. Which one do you think runs your life most of the time?

5 ways immersion in art can make you happier | Marine Tanguy If art can measurably lower stress, sharpen thinking, and deepen empathy — why do we still treat it as a luxury instead of a daily necessity?

Why the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts | Ethan Siegel @startswithabang.bsky.social If the list of things science can’t explain keeps shrinking…should we stop creating gods to fill the gaps?

If you want to be miserable, then spend your money like this | Morgan Housel If money can buy freedom, why do so many of us spend it on new forms of dependence?

Seaflooding: How we could engineer the next Mediterranean | Tomas Pueyo We have the tech to create new seas, should we?

Are young workers canaries in the AI coal mine? If AI eats away at entry-level jobs, where will the next generation get experience?

What can we learn from two of the greatest investors of all time? Eric Markowitz speaks with Alex Morris to distill lessons from Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger.

5 horrifying stories that double as philosophy lessons 🧵

Does drinking have evolutionary benefits? Philosopher Edward Slingerland argues that behaviors often dismissed as evolutionary “mistakes” — like masturbation, overeating, and drinking — actually serve deeper adaptive purposes. Read the full article: bigthink.com/mini-philoso...

How do you tell real breakthroughs from scams in a growing field like longevity? Andrew Steele, scientist and author of "Ageless", explains why longevity science is both the next revolution in medical science and a wellness fad. #Longevity

When has discomfort turned out to be a good thing in your life? Neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff explains how to harness periods of uncertainty for growth. Read the full article: bigthink.com/smart-skills... #Neuropsych

What happens when we design a society where our bodies outlast our brains? Edd Gent explains why brain health has lagged behind increases in life expectancy, and what we can do about it. Read the full article: www.freethink.com/biotech/brai... #Longevity

If we build AI to think like humans, are we just teaching it to repeat our blind spots? Primatologist Christine Webb talks bias in AI and what we can learn from mosses. #Philosophy

How do we make the shift to seeing failure as an opportunity for learning? Acquire CEO Andrew Gazdecki talks "outrageous optimism", failure as signal, and overthinking. Read the full article by Tim Brinkhof: bigthink.com/business/why... #Business

Toxic positivity combines a belief that being optimistic will change an outcome with attempts to deny, minimize, and invalidate what teams are experiencing. Here are three major red flags that your boss is embracing toxic positivity: 🧵 #Business

When was the last time you truly changed your mind about something that mattered? Read the full article by Shai Tubali: bigthink.com/thinking/5-g... #Philosophy

What do you find helps you "click" with people? Read the full article by Jonny Thomson: bigthink.com/mini-philoso... #Philosophy

If you had to pick... would you rather live longer or better? Read the full article: www.freethink.com/biotech/eric... #Longevity

Chase problems, not profits | Josh Bersin @Josh_Bersin #BTPlus Workforce analyst, author, and educator, Josh Bersin explains how companies can refocus on solving problems and generate profits as a result.

How important is good storytelling when it comes to company success? Christina Farr shares how Alexis Ohanian, cofounder of Reddit, grew the company with brilliant storytelling. #ChristinaFarr #AlexisOhanian #Reddit #Business

How to communicate with aliens | David Kipping #Astronomy

What does true innovation look like? #Business Read the full interview with Alex Osterwalder here: bigthink.com/business/how...

How to get your attention back (a short thread) #SmartSkills #Neuropsych

How much can we actually learn from the past? Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins talk Hegel, their new podcast, and what we can learn from strangeness. Read the full article by Jonny Thomson: bigthink.com/mini-philoso... #MiniPhilosophy #ThePast

Will the next discovery trigger forces beyond our control? Thomas Moynihan explores the concept of "mirror life" and how similar fears have haunted science for centuries. Read the full article: bigthink.com/the-past/mir...

How to personalize your leadership | Josh Bersin #Leadership

What does it mean to feel awe? Join us for an extraordinary evening of storytelling with scientists, artists, explorers, and authors. ✨ A Night of Awe and Wonder 📍 September 27, 2025 | Los Angeles, CA 🎟️ Register here: freethinkmedia.com/events/naaw-...

5 great books to demystify the brain — a short thread: 🧵 #Neuroscience #Books

Our brains aren't computers. #Neuroscience #Storytelling #AI Will our process of making sense of the world through story outlast AI? Read the full interview between Eric Markowitz and Angus Fletcher here: bigthink.com/the-long-gam...

Our brains aren't computers. #Neuroscience #Storytelling #AI Will our process of making sense of the world through story outlast AI? Read the full interview between Tim Brinkhof and Angus Fletcher here: bigthink.com/the-long-gam...

What does asking better questions look like in an age where we have an almost magical access to knowledge? #Business #AI Read the full article by Jeff DeGraff: bigthink.com/business/ai-...

Speed reading is bullshit. The neuroscience is clear that speed comes at the cost of decreased comprehension. Read the full article by Ross Pomeroy: bigthink.com/smart-skills...

In America, liberalism is being squeezed from both sides of the political aisle. #BTBooks Cass Sunstein makes the case for a reinvigoration of liberalism by sharing what we stand to lose if we can't save it from crisis.

How to lead by listening | Interview with JoJo Simmons #BTBusiness "I like to lead by listening. I like to listen to everyone around me, and especially to the people we hire and trust to do their job...If people feel valuable and appreciated, they’ll work hard for themselves and for you."

Will AI create more jobs than it replaces? | James Barrat #BTBusiness #AI #Excerpt James Barrat, author of The Intelligence Explosion, explores the impact of "multimodal AI" on jobs. Read the full excerpt here: bigthink.com/business/wil...

Why some fads may never work for you | Interview with Rachel Barr Read the full article here: bigthink.com/mini-philoso...

Why today’s publishers fear Goodreads more than government | Interview with Adam Szetela Szetela examines the rise of the “Sensitivity Era” in publishing and how outrage campaigns try to control what books authors can write. Full article: bigthink.com/books/danger... #BTBooks

Why the 21st century could bring a new “consciousness winter” | Interview with Erik Hoel #Consciousness #Neuropsych Read the full article in The Consciousness Issue here: bigthink.com/neuropsych/e...

How "contemplative leadership" can help us face uncertainty with confidence | Patrick Boland Read the full excerpt here: bigthink.com/business/how... #BTBusiness #Leadership

How anesthesia could reveal the mysteries of consciousness | Earl K. Miller "You shut the whole thing off — now you can ask what has changed about the brain." Read the full article by Ross Pomeroy: bigthink.com/neuropsych/u...

Fire is a relatively recent phenomenon. Peter Brannen explores our deep relationship with fire, from culture to human evolution. Read the full excerpt from "The Story Of CO2 Is The Story Of Everything" here: bigthink.com/books/fire-a...

“The internet is mostly being used to scare people.” Can AI help to reverse that? Read the full interview with Caterina Fake here: bigthink.com/business/cat...

We all love to criticize. Unfortunately, we also hate being criticized. How can we give and take better feedback for a happier life? Professor Arthur C. Brooks breaks down 4 research-backed rules to getting and giving criticism. @arthurbrooks @harvardbiz 🧵 1/4

"What is America without Lincoln? What is China without Mao? What is France without Napoleon?" Investor John Candeto discusses the “power laws” that come into play whenever significant impact can be traced to a small number of key factors.