The Latest Breaking News from the John Templeton Foundation

Attending multiple places of worship is the norm for many Americans

Most U.S. adults who attend religious services attend multiple congregations, at least occasionally, according to our new research.

The Conversation · Apr 21

Is being virtuous good for you – or just people around you? A study suggests traits like compassion may support your own well-being

Virtues such as compassion, patience and self-control may be beneficial not only for others but also for oneself, according to new research my team and I published in the Journal of Personality in December 2025.

The Conversation · Jan 23

Astrology’s appeal in uncertain times

Scroll through TikTok, browse dating profiles or sit at a cafe, and you’ll often hear people reference their astrological sign. Someone might proudly claim their Leo energy; others joke that they would never date a Scorpio.

The Conversation · Sep 5, 2025

Collaboratively imagining the future can bring people closer together in the present

Warm sun on your face, a gentle salty breeze, the sound of ocean waves. Your friend earnestly suggests surfing lessons, and you both laugh as you imagine the two of you gracelessly tumbling through the water.

The Conversation · Sep 19, 2024

How we reconstructed the ancestor of all life on Earth

Understanding how life began and evolved on Earth is a question that has fascinated humans for a long time, and modern scientists have made great advances when it comes to finding some answers. Now, our recent study hopes to offer new insights into the origin of life on Earth.

The Conversation · Aug 15, 2024

The curious joy of being wrong – intellectual humility means being open to new information and willing to change your mind

Mark Twain apocryphally said, “I’m in favor of progress; it’s change I don’t like.” This quote pithily underscores the human tendency to desire growth while also harboring strong resistance to the hard work that comes with it. I can certainly resonate with this sentiment.

The Conversation · Dec 26, 2023

Teens don't know everything − and those who acknowledge that fact are more eager to learn

If you, like me, grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, you may have come across the classic refrigerator magnet, “Teenagers, leave home now while you still know everything.”

The Conversation · Dec 11, 2023

Turning annual performance reviews into 'humble encounters' yields dividends for employees and managers

Every year, employees worldwide enter annual performance reviews with mixed feelings. Do employees enter these conversations with enthusiasm to learn new things? Rarely. Are managers eager to have these conversations and coach their employees on how they can improve in the coming year? No.

The Conversation · Dec 8, 2023

Religion shapes vaccine views – but how exactly? Our analysis looks at ideas about God and beliefs about the Bible

Many scientists and public health officials were surprised that large swaths of the public were hesitant or outright hostile toward COVID-19 vaccines. “I never saw that coming,” Francis Collins, a former director of the National Institutes of Health, commented in 2022. Even today, three years after the start of the…

The Conversation · Jul 17, 2023

English dialects make themselves heard in genes

If you need to hit a nail, what tool do you ask for? If you say “hammer,” do you pronounce the “r”? Do you drop the “h”?

The Conversation · Jun 28, 2023