Psychology

We fear the unknown, but the less you know about something the more knowledge there is to gain, and hence the less afraid you will be. When you understand a situation and are fully prepared having analysed the risks and mitigated them- you may well still be apprehensive, and that's normal.

British Astronaut & ISS Expedition Commander

Space also taught me that when you think you're at 100% of your physical or mental capacity, you're not. We have enormous reserves within us (which we don't tap into for good reason), but we are all capable of pushing ourselves a lot further than we think.

British Astronaut & ISS Expedition Commander

Space triggers that innate curiosity in us about what's out there, where we came from, and the possibilities those answers could bring. Humans are explorers – our imaginations can run wild- it's in our DNA. Our fascination with space links to our ability to dream, to wonder, to be curious and to have big ideas.

British Astronaut & ISS Expedition Commander

I remember one particular interview with a boy, Peter, aged just 14. He told me how he posted on Instagram and then waited and waited for someone to like his posts. When they didn't' it made him feel awful and invisible. It's so heart-wrenching to think of that.

Economist & Author on Globalization, Corporate Power & Digital Society

Whether we look at the rioters who converged on the capital, the Gamestop Redditors, Incels or Qanon followers, what they have in common is that they're groups of people who are lonely and craving community. Right wing populists have very effectively spoken to this feeling. Trump and Le Pen talk about the 'forgotten people' they say 'we hear you' – That fundamental need for human connection is missing for significant swathes of our population, and that's dangerous.

Economist & Author on Globalization, Corporate Power & Digital Society

Loneliness is thought to be as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. We're essentially creatures of togetherness. We are hardwired to connect and so when we're lonely, an alarm bell goes off within our bodies that triggers fight or flight mode. Our heart rate goes up, our stress levels go up, our pulse rate goes up and our blood pressure goes up.

Economist & Author on Globalization, Corporate Power & Digital Society

Creating digital people is really hard. The quality really matters, especially when it comes to the face. We're so attuned to seeing faces that we pick up anything that doesn't look right. Faces communicate so much- when we see someone else, our imaginations go into overdrive.

Creator of AI baby "Baby X" & facial animation technology pioneer

To be a happy human being, we must each have an extraordinary life and an ordinary life. We need both to be connected and happy. We were born to find what we can be extraordinary at, alongside leading our ordinary lives. The important thing is to find both lives and hold onto them.

Connection is not a nice to have. When we lose the right kinds of connections with others, we start to feel we don't exist. Buried underneath the complexity and the contempt, there's something wrong with how we're connecting as a society that's fuelling the anger we see.

the knowledge that we must die 'the worm at the core' of the human condition

Pioneering American psychologist and philosopher; founder of pragmatism

Without what Becker called 'cultural world views' we would be overwhelmed by existential terror. Beliefs about reality that we share foster psychological equanimity by giving us a sense of meaning and value.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Denial of Death

Ernest Becker proposed that we still worship, it's just that we worship money and political leaders or become members of cults, conspiracy groups or yoga! These are just different ways of dealing with death and anxiety.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Denial of Death

the distinguishing characteristic of humanity is our awareness that death is inevitable and the disinclination to accept that fact. Very simply, Becker says that we're just like all other creatures- we want to survive- but the difference is that we're able to do it using our vast intelligence. We can imagine things that don't exist and make them real.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Denial of Death

it is our knowledge that we have to die that makes us human

Even in those very difficult moments, I had enough freedom to choose who I wanted to be in the face of that circumstance. For all of us, the challenge is to rise above our experiences and make choices to choose light over darkness.

Former Colombian Presidential Candidate & Hostage Rescue Survivor

I truly believe humans have the capacity to change. That's the definition of freedom… our ability to choose who we want to be.

Former Colombian Presidential Candidate & Hostage Rescue Survivor