Big Think

By bigthink

Big Think is the leading source of expert-driven, actionable, educational content -- with thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, we help you get smarter, faster.... more

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FAQs about Big Think:

How many episodes does Big Think have?

The podcast currently has 458 episodes available.

Big Think episodes:

November 18, 2025 Sam Harris: The great problem of our time
**"We’re on the brink of a crisis—one of meaning, of truth, of civilization itself."**
In this gripping Big Think episode, Sam Harris unpacks the silent catastrophe unraveling in modern society: a shattered culture where digital isolation, political extremism, and misinformation have made genuine conversation nearly impossible. He warns that without open, honest dialogue, we’re left with only one alternative—violence.
With striking clarity, Harris exposes how our deepest conflicts aren’t driven by "bad people," but by **good people trapped in bad ideas.** The stories we believe shape our world, and when those stories become untethered from reality, chaos follows. But there is hope. The future isn’t set in stone—it depends on what we choose to believe, what we choose to fight for, and whether we can still find common ground in an era of division.
Can we break free from the toxic cycle of outrage and misinformation? Or are we doomed to spiral into deeper conflict? **The answer may decide the fate of civilization itself.**
"I think we need a truly open-ended conversation with 8 billion strangers, andwhat makes that hard to do increasingly is a level of political fragmentation and extremism andpartisanship born of our engagement with these new technologies."
Our culture has atomized: We’re all on our own with our phones, laptops, and digital media experiences. No one knows what everyone else is seeing. In some ways, these technologies have caused a shattering of culture, and we can’t seem to agree about our perceptions of the world, says philosopher and neuroscientist Sam Harris. To combat this, we need to secure some semblance of human wellbeing. What makes that an increasing challenge is the political fragmentation and extremism born from our engagement with new technologies. We’re witnessing a zero-sum contest between those of us who want to maintain open societies and those who increasingly want to build closed, belligerent ones that make it impossible to share space. We have to become more intelligent to deal with these threats without losing the values we seek to defend. That’s why dogmatism is an intellectual sin, and overcoming it is key to building a better future for us all, says Harris. Timestamps: 0:00: A crisis of meaning2:03: Conversation vs. Violence3:51: Good people, bad ideas5:37: Eliminating dogma7:36: Your mind is all you have
About Sam Harris: Sam Harris is the author of the New York Times bestsellers, The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation. The End of Faith won the 2005 PEN Award for Nonfiction.Mr. Harris' writing has been published in over ten languages. He and his work have been discussed in Newsweek, TIME, The New York Times, Scientific American, Rolling Stone, and many other journals. His writing has appeared in Newsweek, The Los Angeles Times, The Times (London), The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, Nature, The Annals of Neurology, and elsewhere.Mr. Harris is a graduate in philosophy from Stanford University and holds a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA, where he studied the neural basis of belief with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). He is also a Co-Founder and CEO of Project Reason.
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14min
November 18, 2025 The hidden networks of everything | Albert-László Barabási
Our world is filled with an abundance of data. Albert-László Barabási, a network scientist, believes that understanding the underlying structure and relationships of complex systems is crucial. Barabási’s research has challenged the notion of random connections and led to the discovery of a more accurate representation of how these systems are organized.
Barabási’s exploration began with the vast internet. Surprisingly, he found that the intricate web of connections did not follow random patterns but instead followed a power load distribution. He named these networks “scale-free networks.”
Barabási’s groundbreaking work reveals that new connections in our networks tend to form with already well-connected elements. Scale-free networks exist in various complex systems, such as cellular interactions and social networks. This discovery is an important step toward comprehending the remarkable complexity that arises from countless interactions among the world’s many components.
0:00 Networks: How the world works
1:23 The theory of random graphs
3:15 What is network science?
6:49 Complex systems
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About Albert-László Barabási:
Albert-László Barabási is a network scientist, fascinated with a wide range of topics, from unveiling the structure of the brain and treating diseases using network medicine to the emergence of success in art and how science really works. His research has helped unveil the hidden order behind various complex systems using the quantitative tools of network science, a research field that he pioneered, and has led to the discovery of scale-free networks, helping explain the emergence of many natural, technological, and social networks.
Barabási is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He is the author of The Formula (Little Brown), Network Science (Cambridge), Bursts (Dutton), and Linked (Penguin). He co-edited Network Medicine (Harvard, 2017) and The Structure and Dynamics of Networks (Princeton, 2005). His books have been translated into over twenty languages.
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11min
November 18, 2025 Michio Kaku: Quantum computing is the next revolution
"We're now in the initial stages of the next revolution."
Dr. Michio Kaku, the renowned theoretical physicist, walks through the evolutionary journey of quantum computing, from analog to digital to the quantum era. Quantum computers hold immense promise because of their ability to tap into parallel universes, which boosts their computational power exponentially. They could revolutionize agriculture, energy, and medicine, solving complex problems like creating efficient fertilizers, achieving fusion energy, and modeling diseases at the molecular level.
The race between major tech companies and intelligence agencies to actualize this power is intense, as they could redefine industries and even global power structures if they succeed.
The endeavor isn’t without challenges; we’ve yet to create a fully functional quantum computer. But Kaku envisions a future where quantum computers unravel complex equations, potentially shedding light on profound cosmic mysteries.
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About Dr. Michio Kaku
Dr. Michio Kaku is the co-founder of string field theory, and is one of the most widely recognized scientists in the world today. He has written 4 New York Times Best Sellers, is the science correspondent for CBS This Morning and has hosted numerous science specials for BBC-TV, the Discovery/Science Channel. His radio show broadcasts to 100 radio stations every week. Dr. Kaku holds the Henry Semat Chair and Professorship in theoretical physics at the City College of New York (CUNY), where he has taught for over 25 years. He has also been a visiting professor at the Institute for Advanced Study as well as New York University (NYU).
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17min
November 18, 2025 America is rife with political traps. What’s your escape route? | The Dilemma Ep. 3
Can we let go of the need to win arguments without losing a part of who we are?
As Founder of Interfaith America Eboo Patel explains, there’s something romantic about a fist-in the-air approach, so much so that we often become caught up in the roles we play and the persona we adopt for ourselves. This can cause us to be perceived in ways we never intended; we can become misinterpreted, and even more disconnected to our true selves and intentions. How easy is it to ride our anger and our outrage, to chase the adrenaline of ego, the desire to be correct? Of course, it feels good to win, to “catch” your opponent, but why does it matter? Is succeeding in a debate truly more impactful than fueling a comprehensive discussion? When we move beyond the need to be right and let go of the desire to dominate, we can make room for something far more powerful: genuine curiosity. Letting go of the allure of competitive discourse - where there are winners and losers - allows us to create more meaningful conversations where both sides can learn and grow. This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College.
About Irshad Manji: Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.
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22min
November 18, 2025 Harvard’s stress expert on how to be more resilient | Dr. Aditi Nerurkar
Harvard physician Aditi Nerukar explains how to rewire your brain’s stress response to live a more resilient life.
**💥 You're not weak. You're human.**
Stress isn’t a flaw to fix — it’s a biological force we all live with, just like gravity. But modern life turns it chronic, silent, and often shameful. Most of us wear resilience like armor, whispering "I'm fine" while our minds scream from the pressure. Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, once a burnt-out ICU doctor, exposes the myth of invincibility and reveals the truth: **real resilience honors your limits, not just your strength**.
From cave tigers to overflowing inboxes, our brains haven't caught up with the modern world. And when the amygdala hijacks your thinking, your inner critic gets louder — and compassion feels impossible. But there's hope. Neuroplasticity means you’re not stuck. You can train your brain to handle stress differently. ✨
🔁 Start with two powerful resets:
1. **Stop. Breathe. Be.** – In 3 seconds, pull yourself out of panic and into presence.
2. **Gratitude journaling** – List 5 things and *why* you’re grateful for them. It rewires your brain toward peace.
🧠 Stress isn’t just something to survive. It’s something you can *relearn*. It’s not your fault. You're not alone. And with small, consistent resets, you can find your calm — even in chaos.
**Because the goal isn't zero stress. The goal is healthy stress that moves your life forward.**
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14min
November 17, 2025 An inclusion expert explains why women of color are held back | Ruchika T. Malhotra
If you have hiring power, here are 6 steps to help you act on diversity.
Chapters:
0:00 The 'Lean In' Myth
2:06 Hypervisibility & Invisibility
4:44 BRIDGE: 6 Steps for Inclusion
Imposter syndrome has a long-term, damaging impact on people in the workforce, particularly women of color.
To improve inclusivity in the workplace, Ruchika T. Malhotra recommends six interpersonal habits that she calls the BRIDGE framework:
Be okay with being uncomfortable.
Reflect on what you don’t know.
Invite feedback.
Defensiveness doesn’t help.
Grow from mistakes.
Expect that change takes time.
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About Ruchika T. Malhotra:
Ruchika T. Malhotra is the author of Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work (MIT Press). She’s also the founder of Candour, an inclusion strategy practice. A former international business journalist, Ruchika is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Harvard Business Review.
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11min
November 17, 2025 A guide to surviving humanity’s tipping point | Ari Wallach
Futurist Ari Wallach asks, “how do you want to be remembered?”
Humans have a "lifetime bias." When we plan ahead, we do so by thinking in terms of years and decades rather than centuries and millennia.
We need to escape this short-term thinking if we want to be great ancestors to the generations of humans that will come after us.
One way to do so is through transgenerational empathy, by which we reconcile ourselves with the past in order to focus on the attributes that we want to pass on to the next generation.
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This video is part of The Progress Issue, a Big Think and Freethink special collaboration.
In this inaugural special issue we set out to explore progress — how it happens, how we nurture it and how we stifle it, and what changes are required in how we approach our most serious problems to ensure greater and more equitable progress for all.
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About Ari Wallach
Ari Wallach is an applied futurist and Executive Director of Longpath Labs. He is the author of Longpath: Becoming the Great Ancestors Our Future Needs by HarperCollins and the creator and host of the forthcoming series on PBS A Brief History of the Future, which is being executive produced by Kathryn Murdoch and Drake. He has been a strategy and foresight advisor to Fortune 100 companies, the US Department of State, the Ford Foundation, the UN Refugee Agency, the RacialEquity 2030 Challenge and Politico’s Long Game Forum. As adjunct associate professor at Columbia University he lectured on innovation, AI, and the future of public policy. Wallach's TED talk on Longpath has been viewed 2.6 million times and translated into 21 languages. Ari was the co-creator of 2008's pro-Obama The Great Schlep with Sarah Silverman. He has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, CNBC, Vox, and more. He lives in the lower Hudson Valley with his wife, three children and wonderdog Ozzie. More at Longpath.org and @ariw.
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12min
November 17, 2025 News media wants to keep you angry, anxious, and depressed | Amanda Ripley
"These days, no national news network is trusted by more than half of American adults. And that's a problem."
The news is broken. In the United States, it may feel like our news cycle is designed to make people anxious and depressed. It may feel like journalism exploits our divisions and amplifies our fears more than ever. But how can we fix it?
Amanda Ripley has been a journalist for over 20 years, and she’s diagnosing one of the US’ biggest problems: Our news. Ripley says that adding these 3 considerations back into the equation could save our media.
Chapters:
00:00 A common sense of reality
01:13 The news is broken
03:11 Avoiding the media
06:20 The cost of breaking news
07:20 Depression and anxiety triggers
08:10 A better way to cover news
About Amanda Ripley:
Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author, Washington Post contributor, and co-founder of consultancy firm, Good Conflict. Her books include The Smartest Kids in the World, High Conflict, and The Unthinkable.
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17min
November 17, 2025 The science of menopause in 13 minutes | Dr. Jen Gunter
**"Menopause isn’t the end—it’s an evolutionary power move."**
Most animals die after they reproduce, but humans? We keep going. Why? The **Grandmother Hypothesis** suggests menopause is a strategic advantage—giving older women the freedom to guide, protect, and strengthen their families. But the journey there? It’s no walk in the park.
From hot flashes to brain fog, the menopause transition can last up to **seven years**, bringing a storm of symptoms. What actually helps? Exercise is the gold standard, but when it comes to treatment, **hormone therapy is both misunderstood and controversial.**
In this eye-opening episode, we cut through the misinformation, expose the snake oil, and reveal **what actually works.** Should you take hormone therapy? Are “bioidenticals” a scam? And how can you separate science from marketing hype?
**Get the facts—because your health shouldn’t be left to influencers and guesswork.**
What can you do to support your health during menopause? “If exercise were a drug, that would be the one thing that we would be giving to everybody.”
If every facet of the reproduction process is based in evolution, how does menopause, something where reproduction is no longer possible, benefit our species? We think it's because of an idea called the wise woman hypothesis, says Dr. Jen Gunter, an OB/GYN and author. The wise woman hypothesis describes the idea that historically for humans, having a grandmother in your family unit meant you had an extra pair of knowledgeable hands that themselves weren't occupied with child-rearing. Someone who could go out and help gather food, build shelter, find water, and pass on historical knowledge from other generations. And so menopause represents evolution in the long game, the idea that we retain our power as we age. Dr. Jen Gunter explains both the science and common myths behind the biological process of menopause, and how to know who to trust to guide you while going through it.
About Dr. Jen Gunter:Dr. Jen Gunter is an OB/GYN and a pain medicine physician. She writes a lot about sex, science, and social media, but sometimes about other things because, well, why not?She's been called X's resident gynecologist, the Internet’s OB/GYN, and one of the fiercest advocates for women’s health. She has devoted her professional life to caring for women.
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18min
November 17, 2025 Google’s secret “Project Maven”: Evil—or moral? | Anna Butrico
The U.S. Military once used Google’s tech without their employees knowing. Anna Butrico explains the complicated history behind “Project Maven.”
Google famously used the slogan, “Don't be evil,” to guide its business practices.
However, many Google employees were upset when they learned that the company had partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense on Project Maven, whose goal was to produce AI that could track people and vehicles.
Is it immoral for a tech company to partner with the military to create war technology? Or is it immoral not to?
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About Anna Butrico:
Anna Butrico is Chief of Staff of Odgers Berndtson U.S. Anna supports the OBUS leadership team in driving the firm’s growth strategy. Prior to joining Odgers, Anna was a senior communications associate at the McChrystal Group, where she advised Fortune 100 leaders on how to tap into human potential to achieve stronger business outcomes. A communications expert and former speechwriter, she is the co-author, with GEN (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal, of Risk: A User’s Guide. Anna earned her undergraduate degree in English from Vanderbilt University, where she graduated magna cum laude. She also studied literature at St. Anne’s College at the University of Oxford.
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9min

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How many episodes does Big Think have?

The podcast currently has 458 episodes available.

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