What is "think tank"

also think-tank, 1959 as "research institute" (first reference is to Center for Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto, Calif.); it had been colloquial for "the brain" since 1905. See think + tank (n.).

n. (context idiomatic English) A group of people who collectively perform research and develop reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporate, government, or SIG interests.

n. a company that does research for hire and issues reports on the implications [syn: think factory]

A think tank or policy institute, research institute, etc. is an organization that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most policy institutes are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax exempt status. Other think tanks are funded by governments, advocacy groups, or businesses, or derive revenue from consulting or research work related to their projects.

The following article lists global policy institutes according to continental categories, and then sub-categories by country within those areas. These listings are not comprehensive, given that more than 6,800 think tanks exist worldwide.

A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy.

Think Tank or Thinktank may also refer to:

Think Tank (1994-2010) — also known as Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg — was a discussion program that aired on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), hosted by Ben Wattenberg. Andrew Walworth was co-creator and executive producer. The program was a co-production of New River Media and BJW Inc.

In addition to its weekly half-hour broadcast, Think Tank produced a number of special editions, including The First Measured Century, a three-hour documentary series and Heaven On Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism (2005), a three-hour documentary series on the history of socialism, based on the book of the same title by Joshua Muravchik. The series aired from 1994 to 2010.

"Think Tank" is the 114th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, the 20th episode of the fifth season.

Think Tank is the seventh live spoken word album by Henry Rollins, released on September 22, 1998 on DreamWorks Records. It was reissued with new artwork on 2.13.61 Records in 2007. The first disc was recorded on Rollins' 37th birthday at the House of Blues in Chicago, IL. The second disc was recorded at a series of shows during his Australian tour in October 1997. His next spoken word album, Eric the Pilot, was recorded during this same tour.

Think Tank is a comedy feature film written and directed by the Brian Petersen, star of MTV's "Sportblender". The film was produced by Chris Wyatt and Sean Covel ( Napoleon Dynamite, Beneath). It was released theatrically by Conservative Films & Entertainment, on DVD by Monarch Home Video, broadcast on US cable by Starz, and available online through Netflix's "Watch Instantly" feature.

Think Tank is a BBC quiz show that has aired on BBC One since 21 March 2016 and is hosted by Bill Turnbull.

Think Tank is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Blur, released in May 2003. Jettisoning the Britpop sound of Blur's early career as well as the lo-fi indie rock of Blur (1997), Think Tank continued the jam-based studio constructions of the group's previous album, 13 (1999). The album expanded on the use of sampled rhythm loops and brooding, heavy electronic sounds. There are also heavy influences from dance music, hip hop, dub, jazz, and African music, an indication of lead singer-songwriter, Damon Albarn's expanding musical interests.

Recording sessions started in November 2001, taking place in London, Morocco and Devon, and finished a year later. The album's primary producer was Ben Hillier with additional production by Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), and William Orbit. At the start of the sessions, guitarist Graham Coxon had been in rehab for alcoholism. After he rejoined, relationships between him and the other members became strained. After initial recording sessions, Coxon left, leaving little of his presence on the finished album. Think Tank is a loose concept album, which Albarn has stated is about "love and politics". Albarn, a pacifist, had spoken out against the invasion of Afghanistan and, after Western nations threatened to invade Iraq, took part in the widespread protests against the war. Anti-war themes are recurrent in the album as well as in associated artwork and promotional videos.

After leaking onto the internet in March, Think Tank was released on 5 May 2003 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, making it Blur's fifth consecutive studio album to reach the topspot. The album was later certified Gold. Think Tank also reached the top 20 in many other countries, including Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and Japan. It was their highest charting album in the United States, reaching number 56 on the Billboard 200. The album produced three singles, which charted at number 5, number 18 and number 22 respectively on the UK Singles Chart. After the album was released, Blur announced a world tour with Simon Tong replacing Coxon as a guitarist.

Think Tank was well-received critically, with a score of 83 on Metacritic, which equates to a tag of "universal acclaim". Several critics saw the album as timely, in part due to its being recorded in the Arab world where US and UK policies were unpopular. The album was nominated for Best British Album at the 2004 Brit Awards, and won the Q Album of the Year award. Since its release, Think Tank received a number of accolades listing it as one of the greatest albums of 2003 as well as the decade as a whole. It is also the first Blur album not to open with a single.

Think Tank is a comic book limited series created by writer Matt Hawkins and artist Rahsan Ekedal. It was published by Top Cow through Image Comics in August 2012. In 2013, Top Cow head Marc Silvestri said work had begun to turn the comic into a feature film.

The story is about a super intelligent government worker who decides he doesn't agree with the American governments notion of killing people for the greater good, and himself having a part in it by creating their weapons of mass destruction. He tries his best to divide himself from the military's control, but finds they are not willing to grant such an essential technical asset freedom.