Many of us probably nurse a dearly held grudge against someone—even though that grudge mostly just hurts us.

The food we produce today could adequately feed the world, yet we throw it away by the tons. Not only do millions go hungry as a result, but our wastefulness has a direct environmental impact.

How you read the title of this article may say something about your view of failure—and about the likelihood of your eventual success.

What’s the answer to the perennial problem of food shortages and famine?

Success is often viewed as the attainment of wealth, fame or power. By that measure, however, most of us will never succeed. What is success, and is there any way to guarantee it?

Happiness is often regarded as a basic human right these days, but does a person’s ability to be happy depend on circumstances, or can we achieve it despite living under trying conditions? Current research confirms ancient wisdom on finding real happiness. 

Today, as the world marks the 100-year anniversary of the conflict’s fateful beginning, World War I continues to be fertile ground for authors. Vision reviews three new books on the subject.

What does the word meditation mean to you? Sitting in the lotus position and chanting? Shutting out the world to seek enlightenment from within? Emptying the mind for a while to find peace? Here’s a completely different approach—one that can be of tremendous value to every one of us.

The proclamation of “peace on earth and goodwill to all” is popular at Christmas time. In a world torn by war, crime and greed, where is the peace and goodwill?

The migration of populations from rural to urban is taking place around the world. Why this unparalleled growth in city dwelling?

Conspicuous consumption is often used to describe spending on goods and services by individuals or households that wish to display their wealth or income.

How the universe came into existence continues to intrigue—and baffle—cosmologists. Can anyone ever know how it all really began?

What does it take to achieve a long and prosperous life? In The Blue Zones, National Geographic writer and explorer Dan Buettner relates his attempt to find out.

Why the long fascination with superheroes? Does it indicate a deep-seated hope people have that someone will save them from the current peril or crisis?

Before deciding how we give for humanitarian relief, and to whom we give, we need to be as sure as we can that we are giving wisely and effectively.

Even if one accepts the big-bang model on faith, obvious questions come to mind for most people: What came before the big bang?

In a 2007 poll, 58 percent of children said they would choose happiness over wealth. But what does it take to make people happy? 

Aging and death are part of life—or are they? Science is telling us that it may soon be possible to extend life indefinitely. But is that what we really want?