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
Abstract digital collage featuring a hand holding a smartphone, the logo of The Onion, binary code, and a webpage against a green and blue background.
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
Climate Crisis
Using AI to help save wine from wildfires
B. David Zarley
metaverse festival
VR
Decentraland announces the Metaverse Festival
Kristin Houser
jeff bezos star trek
Entertainment
Science fiction doesn’t predict the future. It inspires it.
Kristin Houser
backup childcare
Family
Why employers might pay your parents to watch your kids
Kristin Houser
Hurricane Ida victims
Disaster Response
Furniture store gives Hurricane Ida victims a place to sleep
Kristin Houser
e-bike subscription
Transportation
Don’t want to buy an e-bike? Subscribe to one.
Kristin Houser
adaptive sports
Sports
World-class surfers help kids with disabilities ride the waves
Kristin Houser
history of boredom
History
The history of boredom might surprise you
Jesse Damiani
Tokyo paralympics
Sports
Who to watch for at the Tokyo Paralympics
Kristin Houser
Social Entrepreneurs
What if your ideas about strangers are all wrong?
Jesse Damiani