Videos

Technologist and futurist Ray Kurzweil says our brains, as complex as they are, are constrained by an upper limit of 300 million “pattern recognizers.” But our future, cloud-based “virtual brains” will have no such constraints.

Peter Baumann, musician and founder of a think tank that explores the experience of being human, on “hedonic” and “eudaemonic” pleasure, and how to harness both.

The fate of the world may depend on our ability to teach “global compassion,” empathy for the suffering of people we’ve never met. rn

Tipping is complicated. In some countries, tipping too much is a grave insult. In others, it’s a sign of wealth. And in the US, how much you tip depends entirely on your mood at the time.

Peter Scher, executive VP of corporate responsibility at JP Morgan Chase says governments don’t have the resources to tackle major issues on their own anymore. But urbanization provides an opportunity for private enterprise to step in.

In her first fiction film, “Every Secret Thing,” director Amy Berg explores many of the themes she’s explored in her documentaries. The focus here is on accepting parents with all their imperfections.

When Barack Obama participated in an AMA (ask me anything) on Reddit back in 2012, he was taking an unprecedented presidential step in terms of accessibility and transparency, not to […]

Bitcoin is just one example of how exponential technology is putting the reins of finance in the hands of individuals and small businesses.

In our most recent discussion with Ray, he discusses the ability of natural language machines, such as IBM’s Jeopardy!-slaying computer named Watson, to overleap our own cognitive abilities. The result, he says, will be a computerized personal assistant to help us throughout the day.

Deflategate. A-Rod. Drama erupts anytime the American public suspects our star athletes of cheating. But is the drama just an extension of the sport?

Dr. Julie Holland relays the dangers related to overprescribed medications. She suggests several alternatives to relying on antidepressants.

Tavis Smiley, author of “My Journey With Maya,” recalls many of the topics he and author Maya Angelou debated — notably the use of the N-word — during their long friendship.

Brian Mullaney, founder of organizations that provide free surgeries for millions of children worldwide, says we need to be solving the “little” problems first.

Authenticity is hugely important when building your own brand. Don’t aspire to be something you’re not. Brand “you.”

The author of a new book about attention explains the three distinct kinds: immediate, short, and long. To capture someone’s attention, you have to see these three as stages into a person’s subconscious.

Exponential technologies are rapidly shifting the way we live and do business, says Singularity University’s Peter Diamandis. Those who learn to take advantage of them are sure to ride the wave to extraordinary success.

Being so interconnected is exhausting, says professional consultant Carson Tate. We have to resist the tendency to treat our overwhelming schedules like badges of honor. We have to learn to say “no.”

Most voters value honesty when they head to the polls, but politicians know that being too honest could be counterproductive.

Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sees Twitter and Facebook as tremendous tools for encouraging communities to make healthier choices.

Hollywood producer Brian Grazer extols the many benefits of satiating curiosity by meeting extraordinary people and learning what makes them extraordinary.

Elon Musk exudes confidence and know-how, both essential elements of good entrepreneurship. But even more important, Musk respects the science behind his investments.

Self-described Tesla fanboy Vivek Wadhwa predicts that Elon Musk’s car company will re-invent the battery industry by the end of the decade.

Author and marketing consultant Dorie Clark explains the basic tenets of thought leadership.

Psychologist Paul Ekman, one of the world’s foremost experts on emotion, suggests that police departments can keep risky officers off the streets with one simple technological assessment.

In its ancient origins, the liberal education featured science as an abstract elective rather than a practical subject that would net you a job. That science leads to a career while English and other liberal arts are subjects for stimulation is a very modern concept.

The late Maya Angelou taught Tavis Smiley an important lesson about the respective values of art and entertainment.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation had no Ebola program when last year’s crisis broke out in West Africa. CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann explains how the foundation innovated on the fly to help fight the disease.

Pope Francis is an effective and engaged leader because he exhibits a sense of confidence in himself and his position, but also a tremendous sense of humility, says Charlene Li. It doesn’t hurt that he loves to take selfies.

Successful presenters understand that it’s not about them; it’s about their audience, so says Chris Anderson, the curator of TED Talks.

Sometimes being moody is a good thing. Psychiatrist Julie Holland explains that women should embrace their emotions rather than try to repress spats of moodiness.