cognitive science
The life-long psychological effects your first love has on you
If love is an addiction, your first love is the first dose.
Is reality real? These neuroscientists don’t think so.
Reality is more distorted than we think.
▸
with
How jumping spiders can distinguish the living from the non-living
Eight-eyed arachnids can tell when an object's movement is not quite right.
Stock market bubbles: Our evolutionary roots explain why investors follow the herd
The same parts of the brain that help us navigate complex social interactions can also drive us to make wildly bad investments.
Math explains polarization, and it’s not just about politics
People often divide the world into "us" and "them" then forget about everybody else.
Mindfulness may cause the human brain to transcend racial biases
The present-moment awareness that stems from mindfulness practices may be the cost-effective tool that our society needs.
Skepticism: Why critical thinking makes you smarter
Being skeptical isn't just about being contrarian. It's about asking the right questions of ourselves and others to gain understanding.
▸
15 min
—
with
Cephalopod aces ‘marshmallow test’ designed for eager children
The famous cognition test was reworked for cuttlefish. They did better than expected.
By the age of 3, children appreciate nature’s fractal patterns
Fractal patterns are noticed by people of all ages, even small children, and have significant calming effects.
Mind uploading: Can we become immortal?
Is the quest to upload human consciousness and ditch our meat puppets the future—or is it fool's gold?
▸
14 min
—
with
Zebrafish give new insight to sound sensitivity in autism
These tiny fish are helping scientists understand how the human brain processes sound.
Psilocybin rapidly promotes neuroplasticity in the brains of rats
The compound found in "magic mushrooms" has significant and fast-acting impact on the brains of rats.
Autistic people’s nerve cells differ before birth, new study finds
"Such studies will lead to a better understanding of brain development in both autistic and typical individuals."
Colors evoke similar emotions around the world, survey finds
Certain colors are globally linked to certain feelings, the study reveals.
New brain scan analysis tool can detect early signs of dementia
Researchers develop the first objective tool for assessing the onset of cognitive decline through the measurement of white spots in the brain.
How do lie detectors work?
Experts explain how lie detectors work, what happens in the brain when we tell lies and how accurate polygraph tests are.
How we make moral decisions
In some situations, asking "what if everyone did that?" is a common strategy for judging whether an action is right or wrong.
How does your brain make split second decisions?
Researchers explore the "complex web of connections" in your brain that allows you to make split second decisions.
Here’s why narcissists become leaders, according to two psychologists
Psychologists W. Keith Campbell, (Ph.D.) and Carolyn Crist explain why narcissists rise to power and how to make sure your support is going to someone making effective, positive change.
What is neurodiversity?
Creating a better understanding by clearing up common misconceptions about the neurodiversity movement.
Crows are self-aware just like us, says new study
Crows have their own version of the human cerebral cortex.
In 2020, more men and women are likely to consider sex with a robot
Would you ever have sex with a robot?
Can you manipulate your brain to stop your food cravings?
New research conducted on the brains of mice suggest it may be possible to "switch off" particular food cravings.
Scientists haven’t found any major differences between women’s and men’s brains
Are there innate differences between female and male brains?
Our ‘little brain’ turns out to be pretty big
The multifaceted cerebellum is large — it's just tightly folded.
Groundbreaking new research suggests removing drug-associated memories could prevent relapse
The 2020 study successfully removed memories associated with morphine from the brains of mice with very promising results.
COVID-19 brain study to explore long-term effects of the virus
A growing body of research suggests COVID-19 can cause serious neurological problems.
Creativity: The science behind the madness
Human brains evolved for creativity. We just have to learn how to access it.
▸
12 min
—
with
As belly size gets larger, the memory center in the brain gets smaller
Researchers at University College London link waist circumference with dementia.