Surprising Science — February 18, 2011

The Biggest Misconception About Weight Loss

Marc Bessler

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Fat is not necessarily bad for dieters, says the obesity expert.

The most surprising and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every week, for free.

Mini Philosophy

How “Gibson’s law” makes it hard to trust experts

“For every PhD there is an equal and opposite PhD.”

Abstract image featuring a luminous, symmetrical pattern of blue and white swirling lines against a dark background, resembling a cosmic or nebula-like formation.

Neuropsych

The next era of psychedelics may be precision-designed states of consciousness

A look inside Mindstate Design Labs’ effort to design drugs that reliably produce specific states of mind.

Three circles formed by dots of varying density, from high on the left to low on the right, evoke a sense of balance in their abstract environment against a light background.

Mini Philosophy

“Cluster thinking” is damaging our politics. Here are 3 ways to beat it.

How much can you know about someone from a single belief?

Illustration of two connected neurons with green and orange bodies, featuring detailed blue nuclei, against a black grid background.

13.8

The case for expanding the definition of intelligence

A fresh view of intelligence — spanning living systems from bacteria to human civilization — challenges the idea that it’s merely problem-solving.

Starts With A Bang

Following the scientific consensus: How to be “the least wrong”

All scientific theories are limited in scope, power, and application, being mere approximations of reality. That’s why consensus is vital.

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