Neuroscience

Neuroscience

It is all too easy for humans to fall into the cognitive trap of thinking that an entity that can use language fluently is sentient or intelligent.
From ibuprofen to fentanyl, it’s about meeting the pain where it’s at.
mosquitoes
The good news is that it can be countered with acne medication.
cognitive decline
9mins
Only 2% of Alzheimer’s is 100% genetic. The rest is up to your daily habits.
There is no long-term beneficial effect of medication on standardized test scores.
Does memory start to work only at a certain age?
Illustration of a human brain with a metallic on/off switch embedded in its side, set against a solid dark purple background.
8mins
Having trouble learning? A PhD engineering professor gives you one key tip.
John Templeton Foundation
A hand holding a whip with multiple knotted tails against a solid orange background, subtly hinting at themes of discipline and exploring why suffering is good.
5mins
There are two kinds of suffering. One is pure pain. The other makes life worth living.
John Templeton Foundation
angry hamsters
For 40 years, scientists thought a specific gene was linked to aggression in hamsters. Removing it, however, had violent consequences.
google AI
The engineer working on Google's AI, called LaMDA, suffers from what we could call Michelangelo Syndrome. Scientists must beware hubris.
In the age of distraction, don't we all want to read faster and more efficiently?
“It’s a big resource in the way the human genome is a big resource, in that you can go in and do discovery-based research."
gabapentin
The common drug is called gabapentin, which is currently used to control seizures and manage nerve pain.
Science doesn't fit neatly into ideology.
John Templeton Foundation
brain scan politics
A deep learning AI running on a supercomputer was able to link patterns of brain connectivity to political ideology.
One theory for catatonia is that it is similar to an animal's “death feint.”
Until recently, video games were accused of killing brain cells. Now, researchers are trying to understand how they help players get smarter.
neuropathic pain
Scientists found a way to revert pain in mice using gene therapy. Perhaps the same technique could be applied to humans.
quantum biology
The spooky world of quantum mechanics might reach out and touch you — by mutating your DNA. Welcome to the weird world of quantum biology.
boost performance
6mins
You can learn things 250% faster by unlocking your ‘flow state.’
The plant-like sea creatures contain a molecule that improves memory, learning, and even hair quality, according to a new study in mice.
Are dreams, hallucinations, and near death experiences all connected?
Four sequential diagrams of a figure skater performing moves within oval tracks, each position numbered from 1 to 58 on a blue background—visually illustrating how to change habits through step-by-step progress.
Willpower alone likely isn't enough to replace a bad habit with a good one.
John Templeton Foundation
Two men in athletic clothing stand against a black background, with glowing light trails swirling around them—symbolizing the energy and persistence involved in forming habits through dedication and motion.
3mins
Practice doesn’t actually make perfect. Here’s the willpower equation necessary for elite athletes and musicians.
John Templeton Foundation
Screens were around in previous generations, but now they truly define childhood.
Line drawing of a person with one arm raised, swinging a tennis racket to hit an unseen ball—motion lines suggest the path of the racket and capture the power of habit in each practiced stroke.
There’s a psychological reason you haven’t created healthier habits in your life.
John Templeton Foundation
mental chatter
6mins
Half our day is spent not living in the moment. Here’s how to change that.
Two black-and-white illustrations blur reality: a woman sits on a chair, while another person’s head unexpectedly emerges through a hole in the floor beneath a nearby chair.
Signals from the environment, such as those detected by your sense organs, have no inherent psychological meaning. Your brain creates the meaning.
John Templeton Foundation