Culture

A black and white image split into two sections: a half globe on the left and a crowd of people on the right, with the text "More Humans Are Better" in the center and the number 3 in the top right corner.

The overlooked virtues of a crowded world

In a world of rising cynicism, a celebration of our capacity to create, adapt, and thrive.

Jason Crawford

A graphic titled "Humanity vs. Nature" showing a human evolutionary timeline, biocentrism, ecocentrism, and ethos depictions of nature, including a tree, a bird, and marine life.

Why harmony with nature is a myth

Slowing growth and limiting development isn’t living in harmony with nature—it is surrendering in a battle.

Jason Crawford

Entertainment

How the internet changed news, according to The Onion

Freethink spoke to Onion staffers about parodying news from the print era into the digital age.

Tim Brinkhof and Stephen Johnson

Art

The power of sketching in visual communication

1:11

Michael DiTullo, designer for Nike, Honda, and Hasbro to name a few, shares the value of drawing as a means of communicating ideas.

History

Why do selfies matter? Ask Frederick Douglass

7:38

The great abolitionist, freedom fighter and orator, Frederick Douglass, used photography to smash racial stereotypes and reframe Black identity.

Doug Dais

Art

The algorithm playwright

Annie Dorsen allows algorithms to write her plays, and it challenges our fundamental understanding of art.

B. David Zarley

The anti-facial recognition fashion statement

These designers are trying to outsmart surveillance systems with anti-facial recognition makeup, glasses, and clothing. Can they help us go incognito?

B. David Zarley

Love

Hacking the Tinder algorithm to find love

7:47

Dating apps are really good at introducing you to lots of people, but they might not be the best way to find a lifelong partner. Can we decode our data to get better results?

Mental Health

Improv for anxiety

In a judgement-free setting, improv requires the mind to focus on the present, providing natural anxiety relief for performers.

B. David Zarley

Drugs

Legal pot is finally growing up and going to college

As medical marijuana becomes mainstream, so does the need for an educated workforce in the industry. Enter the nation's first-ever cannabis degree program.

Teresa Carey

Education

How to drive student engagement? Unleash a swarm.

11:57

Our favorite principal, Hamish Brewer, is up to something new this school year. Just like Hogwarts, his school is adopting the traditional house system to improve academic performance, student engagement, and behavior.

Startups

Powering the most remote areas on earth

With off-grid solar power systems, this company is building sustainable communities in remote areas, providing a source of renewable energy and clean water.

Teresa Carey

Series| Dope Science

Microdosing psychedelics

5:56

Microdosing is the no-flowers-in-your-hair practice of regularly taking minimal amounts of hallucinogenic substances. Although it’s currently illegal, millions of dollars are being poured into further research.

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