Maybe it’s that pesky little issue of lacking self-propelled flight, but as decidedly earthbound mammals, we humans often feel far removed from birds when we think of evolutionary commonalities.

What is the sound of one hand clapping? You may have encountered this cryptic question at some point. It is a koan, or riddle, devised by the 18th-century Zen Buddhist master Hakuin Ekaku. Such ...

An important part of the human experience is striving for higher achievements and deeper understanding. In science, deeper understanding can have practical applications for health and ameliorating the ...

One of HBS’s greatest strengths, says Jed Bullard (MBA 1975), is that it trains students to appreciate different perspectives, in particular, how people brought up in different countries, cultures, ...

One of the most overused expressions now is that "AI will make us more innovative." It’s not that this is untrue; AI may already be doing so and, as it improves, will undoubtedly become essential in ...

Most people like to think of themselves as deep thinkers, more observant or insightful than others give them credit for. But the signs of a truly deep thinker are far more profound than just simple ...

Empathy is a skill—and an incredibly important one. Here's how to develop a deeper understanding of others. This feature is part of Reader’s Digest’s August/September 2026 print cover story, “The New ...

Envy is an unenviable, shameful, and highly secretive emotion. Envy typically appears when we learn of the good fortune of someone we know and love or a celebrity or public figure we admire. When a ...