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Finding the national and global headlines understandably bleak lately? Whether you need mental distraction or stimulation, engross yourself in compelling topics and get a glimpse into a part of our world you may know nothing about.
The United States spends $4.3 trillion—almost one fifth of the nation’s GDP—on health care. As the scale of the medical enterprise expands, venture capitalists are pursuing the next big thing, pharmaceutical companies are developing pathbreaking therapeutics, and hospital systems are consolidating at unprecedented speed. Meanwhile, new care delivery models and the digital...
Today's kids are coming of age against a backdrop of political, social, technological and economic upheaval. While these circumstances are shaping a precocious generation that is changing society and redefining cultural norms, kids are also struggling with mental health challenges, the pressures of social media and the ongoing terror of gun violence in schools. At the same...
Advocates, healthcare providers, legislators, researchers, and venture capitalists are bringing the unique health needs of women to light – from vigorous policy debates on issues affecting women’s bodies to groundbreaking research on fertility and menopause to an explosion of women-centered technology. But much more needs to be done. Gender differences in heart disease, de...
From the debate over reproductive rights to the epidemic of gun violence to the youth mental health crisis, this year's Aspen Ideas: Health sessions tackled many of today's most pressing health issues. Explore the timely conversations with top government officials, medical researchers, business leaders, public health experts, legal scholars, and journalists to hear the ide...
The recognition that all things are connected is at once a scientific principle and a philosophical touchstone. Humans, animals, and the environment are intertwined in complex cause-and-effect relationships, which require interdisciplinary learning and efforts to support our collective health and well-being. From preserving biodiversity and promoting regenerative agricultu...
Everywhere you look, there’s a headline about the power of artificial intelligence and how it will impact our lives in ways we have not yet imagined. From advancing medicine to personalizing education and even understanding animal language, many possibilities lay ahead as machine learning gets smarter. But there are just as many perils, including misinformation, bias, priv...
What makes us happy — really? How can we raise resilient and empathetic children? What does it mean to be truly connected in our increasingly digital world? Can we re-instill optimism in the American Dream? Which bonds are broken in our society, and how do we fix them? In this collection of sessions from the 2024 Aspen Ideas Festival, our speakers explore existential quest...
In a time of growing wealth disparity and changing societal values, can capitalism adapt? How is the economy being transformed by investments in infrastructure, AI, energy, and more? With ESG and DEI initiatives facing pushback, how will businesses continue building a more inclusive economy? Can we reinvigorate the American dream for young generations? Hear from Aspen Idea...
The arts are not just forms of expression, but powerful forces that shape culture and the human experience, both reflecting and influencing our world. Join renowned artists, writers, musicians, actors, and thought leaders — including comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus, award-winning musician Common, legendary producer Brian Grazer, and public intellectual Henry Louis Gates Jr. —...
A couple of degrees makes a world of difference — megafires, rising seas, failing infrastructure, and food systems require our immediate attention. Demands on dwindling natural resources continue to mount, but the roadmap to a healthy relationship with our planet exists. We can turn carbon into meat and apply Indigenous knowledge of forests and fire. We can decarbonize the...
The 2024 presidential election is only months away, and the past few weeks alone have brought shocking headlines that change the political ground we stand on — an attempted assassination of Donald Trump, then President Biden dropping out of the race and endorsing Kamala Harris as his replacement. At the 2024 Aspen Ideas Festival, government officials, legal experts, acade...
The war in Ukraine continues to reshape European security and global alliances, while the war in Gaza raises urgent questions about humanitarian aid and international intervention. Is there any end in sight to these conflicts? What strategies can be employed to uphold human rights and promote democratic values? How can trade policies and economic alliances be leveraged to...
Whether you love setting New Year’s resolutions or ignore them entirely, there’s still a certain mix of nostalgia and excitement over the ending of one year and the possibilities that lay ahead. We’ve gathered five big ideas that offer some food for thought as you head into 2024, including a new mindset for thinking about careers, a glimpse into the history of the cosmos,...
In America, millions of people struggle with mental health including depression, anxiety, and more — all further exacerbated by living through a pandemic. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that one in five adults experience mental illness each year, but despite how common it is, mental health is still surrounded by stigma and shame. Our experts are candid abo...
How does ballet strengthen the mind along with the body? Can Yo-Yo Ma help sixth graders learn earth science? How do the personal and political transform when they come together in performance? The below clips, which feature dance, music, and art pieces performed at the Aspen Ideas Festival, are tantalizing parts of whole sessions that explore how the arts can heal, educat...
At Aspen Ideas: Climate 2024, the world's most ambitious climate problem solvers came together in Miami Beach to address our collective future on this planet. Watch highlights from this year's event, which brought together global and local policy makers, innovators, scientists, artists, young leaders, and many others to forge solutions to climate change. These sessions wil...
Global conflicts and health crises have put into stark relief deeply-ingrained gender roles in society. Yet the past years have also seen record-high numbers of women running for political office and holding executive positions in Fortune 500 companies. Where are we seeing progress, and where do we still desperately need to make headway? How is feminism adapting to tumultu...
Of course, Black history shouldn’t just be a month-long nod on our yearly calendar — it is inextricable from American history and fundamental to the very soul of our nation and our past, present, and future. We’ve put together a collection of talks, podcasts, and interviews from Aspen Ideas speakers that celebrate Black joy, community, and genius while grappling with the i...
The unflinching humanity and morality that Martin Luther King, Jr. embodied is part of what makes his legacy so lasting. In addition to his preeminent civil rights work, he spoke out about worker protections, access to housing, and warmongering. Watch and listen as Aspen Ideas speakers, some of whom worked with Martin Luther King, Jr., explain how he indelibly shaped the w...