Nearly every culture throughout history has used chemicals that alter consciousness for spiritual exploration. In the 20th century these drugs caught the attention of scientists. Psychedelics, as they were named, …

The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics has been announced. Brian Greene explains the science behind it, and why detecting neutrinos from deep space opens a genuinely new way of observing …

Recent breakthroughs in dating ancient samples of DNA and human remains have led to a radical reassessment of human origins. At least ten other early human groups–some with the cognitive capacity to make …

Has a machine just solved one of the most famous open problems in mathematics? Brian Greene speaks with Tristan Buckmaster, professor of mathematics at NYU’s Courant Institute, about the Navier-Stokes …

Can marching ants, schooling fish, and herding wildebeests teach us something about the morning commute? Robert Krulwich guides this unique melding of mathematics, physics, and behavioral science as Mitchell Joachim, Anna Nagurney and Iain Couzin examine the creative and sometimes counter intuitive solutions to one of the modern world’s most annoying problems.

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 …