Big Think

• I study patience in a lab. Here’s what I’ve found.

  Feeling more impatient lately? It’s not entirely your fault. Sarah Schnitker, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University, explains how a culture of instant gratification — fueled by our use of smartphones and on-demand everything — has made patience feel unnecessary. But her research shows that patience helps people stay regulated, persist through challenges, and feel more satisfied with their progress. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Sarah Schnitker: Dr. Sarah Schnitker, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University and Director of the BRIGHTS Center, researches virtue development in youth. Specializing in patience, self-control, and gratitude, she has 100+ publications, $10M in grants, editorial leadership, and mentors doctoral students in science and virtue. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. Together, let's learn from them. -----------------------------------------------------------11:10-18 --------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Surprise: There was a universe before the Big Bang | Ethan Siegel

  **Where Did the Universe Come From?** For millennia, questions about the origins of the universe were left to poets, philosophers, and theologians. But in the 20th century, science took over the conversation—offering answers that surpassed even our wildest imaginations. Astrophysicist Ethan Siegel breaks down the groundbreaking discoveries that led to our modern understanding of the universe’s origins. From Edwin Hubble’s discovery of distant galaxies to the Big Bang theory and the revolutionary idea of cosmic inflation, this video explores the fundamental forces that shaped everything we see today. How did space and time evolve? What came before the Big Bang? And what mysteries are still left to solve? Find out in this deep dive into the science of our cosmic origins. "Asking the question of, where did the entire universe come from, is no longer a question for poets and theologians and philosophers. This is a question for scientists, and we have some amazing scientific answers to this question that have defied even the wildest of our expectations." Ethan Siegel, theoretical astrophysicist and science communicator, author of the James Webb Space Telescope book, "Infinite Cosmos," and writer of the science blog, "Starts With A Bang" joins us to explore the cosmic origins of our universe. 0:00 - Where did the entire universe come from? 0:57 - A question for scientists 1:43 - The quest for the beginning of the universe 2:21 - Hubble’s telescope 4:09 - Extragalactic objects 5:11 - Blueshifted vs redshifted 6:53 - General theory of relativity 7:50 - The cosmic egg 8:26 - The origin of The Big Bang 9:55 - A cosmological constant 14:24 - Scale invariant spectrum 15:13 - Testing for Cosmic Inflation 19:34 - Our cosmic origins 21:03 - Ethan Siegel, kilt influencer Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19 ------ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• How 30 seconds of clarity saved my life | Andrew Zimmern

  What happens when an irredeemable person receives love, gratitude, and respect? After decades of drug and alcohol abuse, chef and television personality Andrew Zimmern learned firsthand. As a teenager, Andrew Zimmern experienced deep pain when his mother became permanently disabled, and his father enforced a rule to avoid discussing feelings. Without an outlet, that pain grew into resentment and substance abuse. By 14, Zimmern was drinking daily, and his addiction followed him into adulthood, ultimately costing him his career, relationships, and home.In January 1992, after hitting rock bottom, Zimmern attempted to take his own life. When he woke up, something shifted. For the first time, he asked for help. His friends intervened, sending him to rehab, where he began confronting his emotions and embracing a mindset of learning and giving.Zimmern rebuilt his life, becoming a celebrated chef, author, and TV personality. Today, he credits that one vulnerable moment with saving his life and inspiring him to live with purpose and gratitude. This episode is a deeply personal account of addiction, trauma, and redemption. The speaker reflects on their privileged yet emotionally stifled childhood, the pain of their mother's brain injury, and their descent into substance abuse. They recount their struggles with alcoholism, drug addiction, homelessness, and criminal behavior, reaching a breaking point with a failed suicide attempt. The turning point comes when they finally ask for help, leading them to a 12-step recovery program. Through sobriety, they rebuild their life, finding success in writing, TV, and radio while learning to prioritize giving over taking. The story highlights the power of transformation, self-acceptance, and the strength found in seeking help. About Andrew Zimmern: Andrew Zimmern is a chef, food writer, and television personality best known for hosting Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel. A four-time James Beard Award winner, Zimmern has dedicated his career to exploring global cuisines and advocating for culinary diversity. Beyond television, he is a passionate philanthropist, focusing on hunger relief, food sustainability, and social justice. He founded the Andrew Zimmern Project to support food security initiatives and works with organizations like Second Harvest and Services for the Underserved. Through his work, Zimmern strives to create a more equitable food system and inspire cultural appreciation through cuisine. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19 ------------------------------ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Brian Cox: Why even Einstein doubted the existence of black holes

  "Could black holes be the key to a quantum theory of gravity, a deeper theory of how reality, of how space and time works? Well, I think so." Black holes sit at the crossroads of the two most powerful ideas in physics: relativity and quantum theory. Physicist Brian Cox explains why the mysterious giants force us to confront the deepest questions about space, time, and the structure of reality itself. Cox traces the unlikely history of black hole thought, from the 18th-century notion of “dark stars” to Stephen Hawking’s breakthroughs. Chapters:- 0:00 What are black holes hiding? 2:29 The history of black holes 3:33 Mitchell and Laplace 5:10 Einstein and black holes 9:35 The implications of black holes 12:49 What lies at the center of a black hole? 16:29 Hawking and modern thought about black holes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. -------------------- ----------------------------------------------------06:30-19 --------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Ask yourself: Are you a process, or a person? | Annaka Harris

  "The sense that we are a solid entity, an unchanging entity that exists someplace in our body and takes ownership of our body, and even ownership of our brain rather than being identical to our brain, that is where the illusion lies." What if the “you” you feel so certain about isn’t real in the way you think? Author Annaka Harris argues that the brain’s constant dialogue with the world creates a shifting process, not a fixed identity, and how this discovery changes how we see our choices, our memories, and our place in nature. Harris also explores why quieting the brain’s default mode through meditation, altered states, or deep focus can dissolve the boundary between self and world. Chapters: 0:00 The illusion of self 4:22 The brain as a dynamic process 6:53 Decision-making & “free will" 10:33 Neuroscience of the self 13:11 Losing the self ----------------------------------------------------- About Annaka Harris: Annaka Harris is the New York Times bestselling author of CONSCIOUS: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind and writer and producer of the forthcoming audio documentary series, LIGHTS ON. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Nautilus Magazine, the Journal of Consciousness Studies, and IAI Magazine. She is also an editor and consultant for science writers, specializing in neuroscience and physics. Annaka is the author of the children’s book I Wonder, coauthor of the Mindful Games Activity Cards, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the organization Inner Kids. Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes ----------------------------------------------06:30-19 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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