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Big Think
By bigthinkEducation
Big Think episodes
- Brian Cox: The quantum roots of reality | Full Interview
“We don't have enough knowledge to precisely calculate what is going to happen, and so we assign probabilities to it, which reflects our ignorance of the situation.”
What do snowflakes, glowing street lamps, and Einstein’s “crazy” idea have in common? Physicist Brian Cox unwinds the surprising origins of quantum mechanics—the theory that shattered classical physics and redefined our understanding of reality.
From Kepler’s insight in a 17th-century snowstorm to Planck’s revolutionary leap in 1900, Cox traces how curiosity and confusion gave rise to the most baffling theory in science.00:00:00 Part 1: The power of quantum mechanics00:00:24 What are considered the earliest glimpses of quantum mechanics?00:06:39 How did Einstein's work on the photoelectric effect impact science?00:12:17 How does quantum physics conflict with classical theory?00:17:11 What is the double-slit experiment?00:26:25 Why is it important that we seek to solve the mysteries of quantum physics?00:33:30 Part 2: The fundamental measurements of nature00:45:15 What kinds of insights does the Planck scale reveal?00:52:15 Where does our comprehension of scale break down?01:01:30 Part 3: The frontiers of the future01:10:21 How can humanity influence the universe?---------------------------
About Brian Cox:Brian Cox obtained a first class honors degree in physics from the University of Manchester in 1995 and in 1998 a Ph.D. In High Energy Particle Physics at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. He is now Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society.Brian is widely recognized as the foremost communicator for all things scientific, having presented a number of highly acclaimed science programs for the BBC watched by billions internationally including ‘Adventures in Space and Time’ (2021), ‘Universe’ (2021), ‘The Planets’ (2018), ‘Forces of Nature’ (2016), ‘Human Universe’ (2014), ‘Wonders of Life’ (2012), ‘Wonders of the Universe’ (2011) and ‘Wonders of the Solar System’ (2010).As an author, Brian has also sold over a million books worldwide including ‘Black Holes’, ‘Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos’, ‘Quantum Universe’ and ‘Why Does E=mc2?’ with co-author Professor Jeffrey Forshaw. He has set several world records for his sell-out live tours, including his most recent tour Horizons which has taken in venues across the globe.Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes--------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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1 hr 27 min - 3 predictions for the future of music | Michael Spitzer
**🎵 The Future of Music: Diverse, Technological, and Beyond Sound**
Will music survive the digital age? Absolutely — and not just survive, but evolve in ways we can barely imagine.
Despite the internet’s overwhelming access and ease, music won't become a dull, uniform noise. Why? Because *every artist craves uniqueness*. There’s an innate drive to rebel against trends and innovate. Plus, music is deeply tied to **personal identity**, and with thousands of genres already in existence, this creative diversity isn’t going anywhere.
Looking ahead, several bold predictions emerge:
- **Music will become more functional**, like a prescription for your emotions. Imagine sounds tailored to treat anxiety or boost focus.
- **Technology will empower everyone**, not just trained musicians. From home studios to AI tools, we’re reclaiming music’s communal roots — where everyone can create and participate.
- Instruments like AI music programs (e.g., Watson Beat) aren't replacing humans — they're expanding our creative reach. Humans will still shape the final output.
- **Future music may transcend sound entirely** — incorporating *taste, color, body sensations,* and frequencies beyond human hearing. Just as today’s music would astonish Mozart, tomorrow’s sonic landscape will likely be unimaginable to us.
🎧 In short: The future of music is deeply *human*, increasingly *technological*, and wildly *experimental*. We’re only just beginning to hear what’s possible.
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8 min - Love, sex, and happiness, explained by philosophy | Jonny Thomson: Full Interview
"Plato would argue that sex in and of itself is not what true love is. Sex can reach a point where you are in union with that person, where you see behind their appearances and you see behind the flesh and you experience something which is more transcendental."
Chapters:
00:00 Why has the study of happiness become your focus?
02:30 Why is happiness elusive?
05:09 What are the 3 pillars of happiness?
13:15 How can we apply the 3 pillars of happiness to our lives?
16:08 What is true love?
19:08 Is there right and wrong?
20:45 How does someone become evil?
23:26 Why does money matter in our society?
25:23 How is philosophy applicable to each of us?
About Jonny Thomson:
Jonny Thomson taught philosophy in Oxford for more than a decade before turning to writing full-time. He’s a columnist at Big Think and is the award-winning, bestselling author of three books that have been translated into 22 languages.
Jonny is also the founder of Mini Philosophy, a social network of over half a million curious, intelligent minds. He's known all over the world for making philosophy accessible, relatable, and fun.
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40 min - Who decides what is socially “normal”? | Christine Emba
**🧭 Who Decides What’s “Normal” Anymore? Rethinking Social Norms in a Shifting World**
Why do we follow social norms — and how do we know when they’ve expired?
Social norms act as **shortcuts**, like a guidebook for fitting into your time and place. They offer structure, a sense of belonging, and even emotional rewards like pride or guilt. They help us function — not just because we believe in them, but because *everyone else* does too.
But today, the old rules feel... Wobbly.
From door-opening etiquette to gender roles, many norms seem out of place in a rapidly changing world. So how do we decide what to keep — and what to toss?
💡 Enter *Chesterton’s Fence* — a concept that says: **before tearing down a fence, find out why it was put there.**
Even if a social norm feels outdated, it might have served a purpose worth understanding before dismissing it outright.
Take the example: *Should men open doors for women?*
It may feel old-fashioned now, but originally, it might’ve symbolized respect or protection. The key is asking: **Does it still serve a helpful function today? Or has the context changed too much?**
In the past, people looked to parents, clergy, or state leaders for guidance.
Now? We turn to **influencers**, coaches, and self-described gurus on everything from success to masculinity. But here’s the catch: **self-proclaimed experts might not be experts at all.**
And that raises a new question:
🌍 **Are today’s norms built for *you* — or are they just viral advice designed to sell?**
Norms should be adaptive — customized to the community, time, and individual. What works for a niche internet following may not work in your real life.
**3 key takeaways:**
1. 🧠 *Don’t discard old norms blindly.* First, ask what purpose they served.
2. 🧍♂️ *Be wary of self-appointed experts.* Charisma doesn’t equal wisdom.
3. 🌐 *Seek context over consensus.* Norms should flex with culture, not freeze in time.
**✨ Big idea:** Social norms aren't just rules — they’re cultural technology. If we want to upgrade them, we need to understand the code they were written in.
About Christine Emba:
Christine Emba is an opinion columnist and editor at The Washington Post, where she focuses on ideas, society, and culture. She is also a contributing editor at Comment Magazine and an editor at large at Wisdom of Crowds, which includes a podcast and newsletter. Before this, Emba was the Hilton Kramer Fellow in Criticism at The New Criterion and a deputy editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, focusing on technology and innovation. Her book, Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, is about the failures and potential of the sexual revolution in a post-#MeToo world. Emba was named one of the World’s Top 50 Thinkers by Prospect Magazine in 2022.
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8 min - Would we even recognize alien life? NASA astrobiologist explains
What’s the best way to understand ancient life on Earth? Replicate the conditions it survived in.
NASA astrobiologist Betül Kaçar is recreating conditions from 3 billion years ago to study how microbes have evolved throughout history. By studying the way life once endured a frozen, unstable planet, Kaçar and her team are hoping to find clues for how we might face environmental challenges today and prepare for what’s coming next.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About Betül Kaçar:Dr. Betül Kaçar is a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and NASA-funded research leader exploring life’s early evolution. Her team has developed methods to uncover ancient biological innovations. She earned her Ph.D. In Chemistry from Emory and trained at Harvard in Evolutionary Biology.Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes----------------------------------06:30-19Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
5 min - Is monogamy good for society? | Louise Perry
Is polygamy good for society? Author Louise Perry explains.
What is the future of romantic relationships? Louise Perry, author of "Women Aren't Human," explores the possibilities of polyamory as the next sexual minority rights movement. While some proponents argue for legal recognition of their relationships, Perry cautions against rejecting the monogamous model entirely.Despite the commonality of polygynous mating models in human history, Perry argues that monogamy has proven to be a more stable and peaceful system in society. She cites the "Cinderella effect," where households with multiple wives are more prone to conflict and stepparents are more likely to abuse their stepchildren. Perry also traces the historical roots of monogamy to ancient Rome, where sexual ethics were vastly different and cruel, and to the advent of Christianity, which introduced radical and revolutionary ideas about sexuality.Despite the downsides of Christian views on sexuality, Perry argues that their fundamental tenet of protecting the weak and restraining the strong remains relevant today.0:00 Monogamy vs. Polygyny1:46 Monogamy: Better for society?2:57 Ancient Rome & the Christian inflection point4:24 “De-Christianizing” sexual ethics----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About Louise Perry:Louise Perry is a writer and campaigner based in London, UK. She is a columnist at the New Statesman and a features writer for the Daily Mail. Her debut book, The Case Against the Sexual Revolution: A New Guide to Sex in the 21st Century, is published by Polity.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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9 min - Is the gender pay gap a myth? | Richard Reeves
Author Richard Reeves debunks multiple gender pay gap myths, on both sides of the debate.
The gender pay gap has narrowed significantly over the last few decades, with 40% of women now earning more than the median man. But the gap still exists. Why?The main driver is no longer discrimination but rather the different patterns of work between men and women, says Richard Reeves, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Women's earnings decline significantly after having children, as they take more time out of the labor market or work part-time during critical career development years.To further address the gender pay gap, Reeves argues that society should reduce the impact of time away from the labor market, redesign career ladders for more flexibility, and encourage shared parenting responsibilities. Policies such as paid leave for both parents and support for fathers' involvement in childcare are crucial to achieving true gender equality, says Reeve.Chapters:
0:00 What is the gender pay gap?1:13 Is it caused by discrimination?2:01 Is it a myth?3:07 “The economic equivalent of being hit by a meteorite”4:20 How to fix the parent gap6:14 The deep problems of equality----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About Richard Reeves:Richard V. Reeves is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, where he directs the Future of the Middle Class Initiative and co-directs the Center on Children and Families. His Brookings research focuses on the middle class, inequality and social mobility.Richard writes for a wide range of publications, including the New York Times, Guardian, National Affairs, The Atlantic, Democracy Journal, and Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Dream Hoarders (Brookings Institution Press, 2017), and John Stuart Mill – Victorian Firebrand (Atlantic Books, 2007), an intellectual biography of the British liberal philosopher and politician.Dream Hoarders was named a Book of the Year by The Economist, a Political Book of the Year by The Observer, and was shortlisted for the Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice. In September 2017, Politico magazine named Richard one of the top 50 thinkers in the U.S. For his work on class and inequality.A Brit-American, Richard was director of strategy to the UK’s Deputy Prime Minister from 2010 to 2012. Other previous roles include director of Demos, the London-based political think-tank; social affairs editor of the Observer; principal policy advisor to the Minister for Welfare Reform, and research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research. Richard is also a former European Business Speaker of the Year and has a BA from Oxford University and a PhD from Warwick University.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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11 min - The power of criticism — and the cost of silence
America’s real danger isn’t free speech. It’s silence.
Founder of The Future of Free Speech Jacob Mchangama argues that free speech is not a threat but society’s strongest safeguard against violence. Suppressing expression creates a pressure cooker that can push people toward violent action when peaceful dissent is denied. While acknowledging its harms — especially in the digital age — Mchangama warns that censorship is far worse.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About Jacob Mchangama:Jacob Mchangama founded and leads The Future of Free Speech, is a research professor at Vanderbilt, and a Senior Fellow at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). A prolific commentator and author on free speech and human rights, he created the podcast “Clear and Present Danger” and wrote the 2022 book “Free Speech: A History From Socrates to Social Media.”----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About The WellDo 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.Together, let's learn from them.----------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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5 min - The hidden cost of cheap meat exposed by Peter Singer
**Peter Singer on Animal Liberation – Summary in Bullet Points**
**Cultural Context & Awakening**
- People are deeply conservative about food—it's tied to culture and tradition.
- In 1975, Singer published *Animal Liberation* after realizing the cruelty behind animal products.
- Animals used for meat, eggs, and milk often live in horrible conditions—confined, abused, and exploited for cheap production.
**Ethical Foundation**
- Singer questions the moral justification of eating animals.
- Most people are *speciesist*—valuing human life over animal life unjustifiably.
- Moral status should be based on the **capacity to suffer**, not intelligence or language.
- Cites Jeremy Bentham: *“The question is not, Can they reason? Nor, Can they talk? But, Can they suffer?”*
**Utilitarian Argument**
- Any being that can feel pain has interests that must be given **equal consideration**.
- Pain is pain—regardless of species.
- Therefore, causing suffering to animals for food is morally wrong.
**Examples of Cruelty in Factory Farming**
1. **Egg-laying hens:**
- Cramped wire cages, unable to stretch wings, extremely overcrowded.
2. **Breeding sows:**
- Confined in stalls so narrow they can't turn around.
- Similar treatment to a dog would be considered abuse.
3. **Meat chickens:**
- Bred to grow unnaturally fast; often collapse under their own weight.
- Many die of dehydration due to immobility.
**True Costs of Cheap Food**
- Factory farms pollute the environment and harm animals.
- Workers (often undocumented immigrants) suffer from poor conditions.
- Contribute heavily to **climate change**.
- "Cheap" food only appears cheap—hidden costs are enormous.
**Progress and Policy**
- Some reforms in the EU, UK, and certain US states.
- Progress often comes through **citizen-led referendums** (e.g., California).
- Informed voters typically support animal welfare reforms.
**Conscientious Omnivorism**
- Some defend eating meat from animals raised ethically.
- This is hard to ensure; labels like "Certified Humane" may be unreliable.
- Ethical meat is more expensive—but leads to appreciation and moderation.
**Hope for the Future**
- Rise in **vegetarianism, veganism**, and **convenient plant-based foods**.
- Growth of **cultured meat** and **realistic meat substitutes**.
- Ethical diets are becoming easier and more accessible.
**Final Thought**
You don’t *need* to eat animals—better options now exist for you, the animals, and the planet.
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17 min - We are more alone than everFolllow this Podcast for daily Episodes
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4 min
About Big Think
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