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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...

At Aspen Ideas: Climate 2023, we dug into some of the biggest environmental issues of our time, from sea level rise and deforestation to food insecurity and energy policy, and explored the most cutting-edge solutions from inspiring global leaders.

The pandemic put into stark relief deeply-ingrained gender roles in society, as the burden of unpaid care fell to millions of women who left the workforce. 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...

Friends, partners, children, families, coworkers — these connections profoundly shape our lives and happiness. For many of us, the upheaval of the past few years became an unexpected opportunity to take stock of our relationships. Some of those relationships deepened while others fell away. How can I have more positive, productive conversations with my kids? Do I have unfa...

How can Yo-Yo Ma help sixth graders learn earth science? How does ballet strengthen the mind along with the body? The below clips, which feature dance, music, and performance art pieces performed at the Aspen Ideas Festival, are tantalizing parts of whole sessions that explore how the arts can heal and educate. Watch a clip or two and gain a deeper appreciation for how per...

Where do emotions come from? Are they hardwired at birth, or are they constructed by our brains as we develop? Are our varied reactions somehow part of our genetic makeup? Why do emotions feel involuntary? Explore the science of emotion and the hidden forces that drive our behavior and that of those around us.

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...

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.

Whether or not New Year’s resolutions are your thing, it’s still nice to pause and take stock of the year behind and the one ahead. We’ve gathered five ideas that have given us fresh perspectives to bring to 2023, including practical tips for better friendships, advice for talking to kids about their mental health, and how we can cultivate more awe and optimism in the year...

As antagonism between superpowers is escalating, free and fair elections are increasingly threatened, and war plays out on the ground and across cyberspace, the fault lines in democratic institutions are widening. Healthy democracies require trust among members, and that trust is failing. Just how much danger is our political system in? What can we do to repair what’s brok...

From scientists, entrepreneurs, and journalists to politicians, artists, and youth activists, Aspen Ideas is privileged to engage with some of the brightest minds working to shape our collective future. Our blog is a place where we go behind the scenes to learn more about these incredible leaders and the work they do. Start with this curated collection of some of our favor...

Jump in by watching our ten most popular talks of all time. From black holes to jazz and civil rights to psychology hacks, we've collected the talks that remain audience favorites over the years.

Politics are a frenzy right now, with bombshell headlines dropping so often that it’s hard to know what to focus on. Even when you can cut through the noise, what you hear is grim. Culture wars are dividing schools and dinner table conversations. Voting rights are threatened across the country. Distrust of news media is at an all-time high. Political discourse is fraught w...

In May 2022, the world's most ambitious climate problem solvers came together in Miami Beach to address our collective future. Watch highlights from the inaugural Aspen Ideas: Climate, which brought together global and local policy makers, experts, artists, young leaders, and many others for a series of conversations aimed at educating and inspiring action to combat climat...

From the Supreme Court's ruling on abortion rights to public health's role in addressing gun violence to the devastating human toll of the war in Ukraine, this year's Aspen Ideas: Health sessions tackled some of the most pressing issues driving headlines nationally and globally. Explore the timely conversations with top government officials, business leaders, public health...

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 nature of beauty, and whether it’s objective or subjective, is the subject of timeless philosophical debate. Do perceptions of beauty vary culturally and generationally, or are they determined by something more ancient within us? Should beauty be the goal of art, or is conveying a particular emotion between artist and audience more critical? And turning to the mirror,...

While the workforce is still adapting to the changing economic landscape, one thing is certain — the traditional blueprints for education and the workplace have been ripped up. It's the perfect time to reimagine something better. How are workers managing amidst the wake of the pandemic and ongoing economic crises? Is the four-year degree actually helping young people launc...

While the workforce is still adapting to the changing economic landscape, one thing is certain — the traditional blueprints for education and the workplace have been ripped up. It's the perfect time to reimagine something better. How are workers managing amidst the wake of the pandemic and ongoing economic crises? Is the four-year degree actually helping young people launc...

Speakers at the 2022 Aspen Ideas Festival addressed issues in a world that is irreversibly changed by the pandemic, divided by sharpening political polarization, reckoning with race, and craving connection after several isolating years. They looked to the past, present, and future to grapple with many of the most pressing — and simply fascinating — questions of our time....