“In the Northern Hemisphere, the Spring Equinox arrives at 5:14 a.m. GMT (UT); in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the Autumnal Equinox today. The Equinox is known as the time of year when day and night are equal. This is not precisely true, but it is the popular understanding of the Equinox. Rather than discuss [...]

At first, Crick believed the mysteries of consciousness would be solved with a striking insight, similar to the way the DNA double helix structure explained heredity’s mechanisms. But after a while he realized that consciousness posed a much tougher problem. Understanding DNA was easier because it appeared in life’s history sooner; the double helix template [...]

In clear, nontechnical language, string theorist Brian Greene explains how our understanding of the universe has evolved from Einstein’s notions of gravity and space-time to superstring theory, where minuscule strands of energy vibrating in 11 dimensions create every particle and force in the universe. (This mind-bending theory may soon be put to the test at [...]

Consciousness is the hard problem.  Philosophers speculate on it, scientists work around it, but an actual detailed explanation of consciousness has eluded mankind.  Think of this essay as an exploration. I may not get it right, but this is a journey, not a destination. There are many reasons for the challenge of understanding, starting with [...]

A filter model of consciousness is a different way of understanding how consciousness works. In current models of consciousness, the brain receives input from its environment and reacts to it. What you see is what you get. Daydreaming, hallucinations and such things are generated within the mind.   In the filter model of consciousness, the [...]

Daniel Dennett is Fletcher Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University.   Here Professor Dennett lectures on the philosophical obstacles to understanding consciousness. This lecture includes topics covered in detail in his wonderful books “Consciousness Explained” and “Sweet Dreams: Philosophical Obstacles to a Science of Consciousness”.. See it [...]

Professor David Spiegelhalter of Cambridge University wants to know about your coincidences!   Why? By recording your coincidence stories here, you can help him build a picture of what kinds of coincidences are out there and which ones seem to ‘get to’ us the most. Your coincidence stories can also help him explore the scientific [...]