As part of our recent partnership with The Well by BigThink, the John Templeton Foundation presents a new series of spotlight conversations with our remarkable grantees.

Is ignorance truly bliss?

According to distinguished physicist and author Jim Al-Khalili, the opposite is true. Like many scientists, Al-Khalili believes that the more we know about the world, the more we can understand and appreciate its beauty. 

But is science in and of itself a pathway to uncovering everything about the nature of reality? Al-Khalili says, “There are certain questions that we have always asked about ourselves, about the world, that transcend science. They’re certainly the big questions in science today, but they’ve been questions we’ve been asking for millennia. “Who am I?” “Where is my place in the universe?” “What is the nature of self?” “Where did we come from?” They may be questions that we’ll never find answers to.”

Dr. Al-Khalili explores fascinating insights on quantum mechanics, the malleability of time, and the potential impacts of quantum science on genetics in a brand-new video series on The Well by BigThink.

Watch the videos below.

Where science fails

How Einstein changed time forever

Can quantum science supercharge genetics?

Einstein’s beef with quantum physics, explained

Still Curious?

You can view these conversations and related content on The Well.

Learn more about the ‘Life on the Edge‘ project, funded by the John Templeton Foundation and led by Jim Al-Khalili