In this excerpt from "When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...," Steven Pinker examines how crying may have evolved as part of a suite of emotional expressions aimed at strengthening social bonds.

It's OK to hate a frigid pond.

New research is uncovering why we eat first with our expectations.

The biases that shape our understanding of the mind.

There’s little more infuriating in the world than being told to “calm down” when you’re in the midst of a simmering grump.

"I know what you're thinking" can sound kind or creepy — depending on who's saying it.

Admitting that we know little about our future selves can radically improve our decision-making.

Survey data suggests that our bodily perceptions of love extend far beyond the heart.

According to neuropsychologist Julia DiGangi, no one can live a life free of emotional pain. We can only choose how those emotions empower us.

A study shows that the brains of lonely individuals respond in odd ways to visual stimuli, while those of non-lonely people react similarly.

Awe-inspiring moments can be found in our daily lives, and they have surprising benefits for our health and sense of well-being.

It may be an advantage in some contexts.

Sniffing out a deal.

Eyes with lower pigment (blue or grey eyes) don’t need to absorb as much light as brown or dark eyes before this information reaches the retinal cells. This might provide light-eyed people with some resilience to SAD.

A technique called targeted memory reactivation could improve common treatments for nightmare disorder.

If you're trying to hide how you feel about something, be careful with your hands.

Plants are very sensitive to touch, with research showing that touching a plant can change its genome and launch a cascade of plant hormones.

Experiencing too much pleasure and not enough pain may yield counterintuitive consequences.

As the saying goes: “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional”.