Wisdom in fragments

It's difficult to describe to people who aren't curious, just what curiosity is. Imagine explaining to a robot or a computer what curiosity is! For those of us who experience it however, it's almost a primal-pull.

Astrophysicist who discovered the accelerating expansion of the universe

Why should a creature that evolved out of slime, which has all the limitations which we do, be able to access this fundamental information about the universe which allows us, for example, to be able to predict the magnetic moment of the electron to a trillion decimal places on the basis of purely mathematical calculation. Why does that work? It is a miracle, it is magic, but it works- and that's the part of magic that's real.

Theoretical Physicist & Director of Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics

His physics was the part of his attempt to find magic which actually worked! I see science similarly to that. This is still a magical and mysterious thing that we are able to understand the world in very powerful and predictive ways- that is the foundation of all of our technologies today.

Theoretical Physicist & Director of Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics

I made a principled decision that none of my wealth will be passed on as inheritance, that my capital will work for philanthropic causes. In other words, philanthropy is the reason I make money.

Russian Oligarch & Owner of Norilsk Nickel Mining Company

there are no good musicians who do not have a good ear, no artists without a great imagination, no writers without an excellent command of the language. The same goes for our trade. It is not enough to know how to use a calculator or build sound financial models. You need to have vision. You should look at a business process as if it were a living thing; you need to sense its music. You know, a good chess player does not need to spend a great deal of time calculating – sometimes one look at the chessboard is enough to know if a combination is good or bad…

Russian Oligarch & Owner of Norilsk Nickel Mining Company

Winning is good, losing is bad! Do you want to be in the winner's locker room celebrating or in the losers with your head down and a towel around your neck? If you're winning, you can give back — to your family, institutions of your choice, and your local communities... If you're losing, your pockets are empty.

Former CEO of General Electric; Pioneered "Jack Welch Management" Techniques

Growth is like an elixir. It's exciting, it creates more and more growth, and it's a helluva lot of fun. Business is fun, it's a game. You're playing against others, and you want to win!

Former CEO of General Electric; Pioneered "Jack Welch Management" Techniques

You must surround yourself with great people, and as you grow, never forget the generosity gene. You must demonstrate that gene with encouragement, praise, recognition, and cash... Building a great team is what this business game is all about. The team with the best players working together wins.

Former CEO of General Electric; Pioneered "Jack Welch Management" Techniques

You have to get under the skin of every employee, becoming a chief meaning officer, giving your team purpose, getting everyone on the same page. You have to make sure your entire team knows where they're going, how they're going to get there, and what's in it for them.

Former CEO of General Electric; Pioneered "Jack Welch Management" Techniques

Establishing a culture of truth and trust is absolutely critical to being a great leader, and that takes effort and energy every day. You have to ceaselessly reach for truth and trust every day, and you have to be relentless in your pursuit of trust, and show your people that you have their back.

Former CEO of General Electric; Pioneered "Jack Welch Management" Techniques

Your corporate's social responsibility is to win. You cannot be generous from an empty wagon! This nonsense about giving when you're broke is ridiculous. Corporate responsibility, first and foremost, is to win. You can then take those resources from winning and allocate them as you see fit. That's not a popular statement, but it's the truth!

Former CEO of General Electric; Pioneered "Jack Welch Management" Techniques

If you go to any rave, or any football event, you will find people chanting in a rhythm- human beings do that. We have this sense to participate and organise- Music lets you rediscover your humanity, and your connection to humanity. When you listen to Mozart with other people, you feel that somehow- we're all in this together….

Acclaimed film composer known for scores like The Lion King and Inception

We write for the same reason that we walk, talk, climb mountains or swim the oceans- because we can… We have some impulse within us that makes us want to explain ourselves to other human beings… That's why we paint, that's why we dare to love someone- because we have the impulse to explain who we are.

Renowned poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist; author of "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.

Leader of Catholic Church for 27 years; advocated for human rights and peace

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

Physicist who developed the theory of relativity and E=mc².

The change I'm most passionate about – because of the impact it's had on my own life – is creating a healthy transition to sleep that begins before you even step into your bedroom. I treat my own transition to sleep as a sacrosanct ritual. First, I turn off all my electronic devices and gently escort them out of my bedroom.

Co-Founder of The Huffington Post & Wellness Advocate