How to develop confidence when you feel worthless, according to science

There are scientifically proven ways you can improve your self-esteem, right now.

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  • Low self-esteem can lead you to feel worthless, unlovable, and unwanted.
  • Feelings of low self-esteem have been directly linked to aggression, mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, eating disorders, and a general lower quality of life.
  • By changing some of the things you do every day (how you dress, your posture, how you think of yourself), you can develop more confidence and higher levels of self-worth.
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4 highlights from Stanford's Human Behavioral Biology course, available online for free

From understanding human aggression to epigenetics, Stanford University offers all 25 lessons of this fascinating course for free on YouTube.

Robert M. Sapolsky / BigThink
  • Stanford's Human Behavioral Biology course explores the interconnections between physiology and behavior.
  • Most of the course is taught by Robert M. Sapolsky, a professor of biology, neurology, and neurosciences at Stanford, and also an author and contributor to Big Think.
  • Check out some highlights from the course below.
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The precise meaning of emotion words is different around the world

Is the experience we call "love" felt the same in every language?

Johann Walter Bantz / Unsplash

When you can't quite put your finger on how you're feeling, don't worry — there may be a non-English word that can help you out.

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Why are pop songs getting sadder than they used to be?

The use of words related to negative emotions has increased by more than one third.

Ron Howard/Redferns

Are popular songs today happier or sadder than they were 50 years ago?

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First Mars samples are headed to Earth. What are the risks?

A Mars Space Flight team member warns that people need to be prepared for what's coming.

Image source: Marat Gilyadzinov/unsplash
  • A mission to and from Mars aims to bring back signs or examples of life.
  • Expect material direct from the Red Planet around 2031.
  • A special lab to quarantine the samples is being designed.
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