Decades ago, ecstasy — yes, MDMA — was used in marriage counseling

A revival is occurring, and we sure can use it.

  • For the first decade after it was synthesized, MDMA was used in individual and couples therapy.
  • Many therapists spoke against the criminalization of MDMA in 1985 due to the drug's therapeutic potential.
  • A revival has occurred in recent years, with the government allowing clinical trials to move forward.
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Why are people sexually attracted to cartoons? Evolution.

Nikolaas Tinbergen's concept of "supernormal stimulus" explains why humans are attracted to a heightened version of reality.

  • According to Pornhub's annual statistics, "hentai" and "cartoons" were among the most popular categories in 2018.
  • Such pornography is a supernormal stimulus, an artificial object that triggers an animal's instinctual response more intensely than natural analogs.
  • Supernormal stimuli not only explain our heightened response to pornography, but also art, junk food, and social media.
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Researchers find how to add more "love hormone" to your relationships

A study looks at the chemistry of couples engaged in different activities.

  • Leisure activities can help release more oxytocin, say researchers.
  • Oxytocin is a hormone linked to social and sexual interaction.
  • Couples who took art classes and played board games together released oxytocin.
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Weird love advice that works: Be a dog.

It feels crazy good when someone is excited to see you. Give that gift to your family every day – but especially on Valentine's day.

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Videos
  • The research is sad but true: People are often more considerate to friends and strangers than they are to their partners.
  • Gretchen Rubin's advice? When your partner walks in the door, show them as much affection as your dog does. Be excited to see them! Give a real hello and a real goodbye.
  • Appreciate your partner: It's the easiest thing to do, and the easiest thing to forget.
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Don’t get too comfortable: Marlon James on his “African 'Game of Thrones'”

Man-Booker prizewinning author Marlon James in a freewheeling game of verbal ping-pong on African mythology, '80's hip hop, heavy metal, tattoos, and billionaire philanthropy.

Think Again Podcasts
  • "Black Leopard, Red Wolf" has been compared to "Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones", but it's something entirely different.
  • Growing up gay in a deeply religious Jamaica and writing his way out of there.
  • Trickster narrators, truths you have to sort out for yourself.


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Smoking weed linked with higher sperm counts, says Harvard

The counterintuitive findings bode well for stoners, but more research is needed.

Photo by Dylan Fout on Unsplash
Sex & Relationships
  • Marijuana research in the past has found that using the drug is linked to lower testicular health.
  • New research from Harvard, however, suggests the opposite: Marijuana users have more and better quality sperm.
  • These unexpected findings highlight how poorly we understand marijuana's effect on the human body.
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