13 thinkers, books, and ideas connected to this field.
American nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to provide evidence-based analysis of health and environmental policies — taking science-based positions against junk science in public health debates.
American astronomer and science communicator — author of Cosmos (book and TV series) — Pulitzer Prize winner for The Dragons of Eden — co-founder of the Planetary Society — the most effective science communicator in American history.
A 1980 PBS television documentary series by Carl Sagan exploring the universe and humanity's place in it.
Andrew Huberman's podcast — translating neuroscience and physiology research into actionable health protocols — which became the most listened-to science podcast in 2022–23 — known for long-form episodes on sleep, light, exercise, and supplementation.
American astrophysicist, director of the Hayden Planetarium, and science communicator who has become one of the most prominent popular science figures — known for his Carl Sagan-influenced accessible astrophysics communication and his skeptical engagement with UAP claims.
American author and webcomic artist — creator of xkcd (webcomic) — author of What If? — former NASA robotics engineer — who combines scientific rigor with humor in the most popular science webcomic.
American physicist at UC Berkeley who founded the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature project — originally as a skeptical reanalysis of climate data, which ended up confirming the consensus on human-caused warming — and is known for his willingness to change his views based on evidence.
American experimental physicist at Johns Hopkins who made fundamental contributions to physical optics — discovering Wood's anomalies, pioneering ultraviolet and infrared photography — while being known as one of science's great characters, a man who turned scientific investigation into performance art.
German theoretical physicist and author of Lost in Math who argues that modern theoretical physics has gone astray by valuing mathematical beauty over empirical testability — becoming the most prominent scientific critic of string theory and supersymmetry.
American evolutionary biologist at Rice University and author of Future Humans — which explores how human evolution continues in the modern era — making evolutionary genetics accessible to general audiences.
New Zealand-British psychologist at the University of Nottingham Malaysia whose The Ape That Understood the Universe is one of the best popular evolutionary psychology books.
American writer and illustrator whose Wait But Why blog makes complex topics — AI, space exploration, procrastination, relationships, human progress — accessible through long-form illustrated essays that combine intellectual rigor with humor.
The Unbelievers is a 2013 documentary directed by Gus Holwerda that follows Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss on a global speaking tour advocating for science and secularism. The film presents their arguments against religious belief and for scientific rationalism, featuring celebrity endorsements from figures including Woody Allen, Cameron Diaz, and Ricky Gervais.