We spend a third of our lives asleep. Every organism on Earth—from rats to dolphins to fruit flies to microorganisms—relies on sleep for its survival, yet science is still wrestling with a fundamental question: Why does sleep exist?

Acknowledging the scientists who blazed intellectual trails before him, Isaac Newton wrote, “If I have seen a little further it was by standing on the shoulders of giants.” In this special annual series, we invite our audience to stand on the shoulders of a modern-day giant. This year, we are honored to present an address by a titan of physics, Barry Barish.

Richard Davidson, Karen Armstrong, and Kate Stockly, join Brian Greene to discuss the psychological and physiological impacts of sacred experiences, and how technology may make such experiences more readily available. …

Reader’s Digest has called “Mathemagician” Arthur Benjamin “America’s Best Math Whiz.” Returning in an encore presentation, Arthur Benjamin displays feats of mental mathematical gymnastics and shares the secrets behind his skills.

This video is part of our Brilliant Breakthroughs series: our new 20-episode mini-series exploring the “Eureka!” moments and proud accomplishments of the greatest scientific minds of our time. Join us …

Brian Greene and Nobel Laureate Frank Wilczek discuss quantum mechanics, dark matter, cosmology, consciousness, and Wilczek’s new book, “Fundamentals: Ten Keys to Reality.” This program is part of the Big …