Opinion

Person sewing at a workstation in a garment factory, surrounded by sewing machines, fabric, and threads.

America underestimates the difficulty of bringing manufacturing back

Tariffs won’t bring manufacturing back to the US, but there are ways to make it happen — if America is serious about doing so.

A person strolls past a large mural showcasing an animated character reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli creation, with red hair and a pink dress against a blue background.

The artifact isn’t the art: Rethinking creativity in the age of AI

ChatGPT’s Studio Ghibli imitations invite questions about the creative value of people and what we really mean when we talk about creativity.

A collage with ancient Egyptian art, human hands, geometric patterns, rock tools, and the text "Human Agency" on a checkered background.

The Techno-Humanist Manifesto

How humanity transformed its fate

From surviving on wild plants and game to controlling our world with technology, humanity’s journey of progress is a story of expanding human agency.

When the Mac was a “munition”

Macs were once deemed a threat to national security. Will today’s AI rules seem similarly outdated when we look back on them?

Louis Anslow

Michio Kaku makes 3 predictions about the future

Dr. Michio Kaku on what is likely and what is possible provides a stimulating vision of the future.

Scotty Hendricks

What does China’s crypto ban mean for the tech world?

The ban could lead to an exodus of Chinese crypto entrepreneurs and a diffusion of crypto technology in Southeast Asia.

Lily Z. King

Coronavirus

An epidemic of false confidence related to COVID-19

To distinguish between the most optimistic and pessimistic pandemic scenarios, we need to measure how many people have developed an immunity to the virus.

Danny Hillis

Freethink staff picks: Best of 2019

Fear of missing out on some of the year's most loved shows, books, and games? Here's a quick list of what the team at Freethink enjoyed most in 2019.

9 ways the 2010s decade changed the world

From Tinder to CRISPR, these are the top moments, movements, and ideas through which the 2010s decade shaped the world as we know it.

B. David Zarley

Biology

A molecular biologist discusses the morality of gene editing

Molecular biologist Daisy Robinton speaks out on our moral imperative to solve some of humanity's greatest health threats.

Daisy Robinton, Ph.D.

Americans are divided. These people are doing something about it.

Amidst our most intense religious, political, and cultural conflicts, there are people around the country who are...

Dan Hayes

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