Neuroscience

Neuroscience

atoms
If atoms are mostly empty space, then why can't two objects made of atoms simply pass through each other? Quantum physics explains why.
Two young children with curly hair in striped sweaters enjoy lollipops, showcasing the whimsical nature of genes and behavior. The black-and-white photo gives a nostalgic feel.
When it comes to behavior, genetics may play a larger role than you think.
Close-up image of a human iris featuring vibrant blue and yellow hues with a dark pupil in the center.
10mins
"Is it possible that consciousness is a much more basic phenomenon in nature and is essentially pervading everything?"
A wasp illustration in blue on grid paper is overlaid on a close-up image of effervescent bubbles in a golden alcoholic liquid.
Could studying the Oriental hornet lead to a treatment for people with alcohol use disorder?
Two colorful cells with purple nuclei, green cell edges, and radiating filament structures against a black background.
The findings suggest that biochemical and physical effects of exercise could help heal nerves.
Colorful, blurry streaks of red, blue, and green converge towards the center on a black background, creating a dynamic and radiant starburst effect that illustrates how we see color in all its vibrant glory.
The color of the shirt you're wearing right now depends on many factors, from your eye shape to what language you speak.
A detailed, colorful brain visualization with intricate patterns of green, blue, and yellow on a dark background.
Scientists have created a magnificent portrait of every connection among neurons in a fruit fly’s brain.
A white lab mouse sits in a glass petri dish, cradled gently by hands clad in blue gloves. The captivating scene underscores the crucial role of lab mice in scientific research and discovery.
Can laboratories become more humane, or is it time to end animal research altogether?
A large group of people with red hair gather outdoors, many wearing white clothing.
Whether your hair is straight, wavy, curly, or kinky isn't just genetic in nature. It depends on the physics of your hair's very atoms.
Illustration of human evolution with silhouettes of ape to human walking against an abstract background with swirling red and white patterns.
The controversial theory about magic mushrooms and human evolution gets a much-needed update.
Person with long hair, wearing a brown blazer, surrounded by text bubbles labeled "Narrative," "Negativity Bias," and "Confirmation Bias." Arrows connect the bubbles.
6mins
We’re all assigned a label at some point in our lives. You might be the smart one, the creative one or the lazy one. But is that designation really an […]
Unlikely Collaborators
A glowing, abstract representation of a brain, with intricate patterns and lights reminiscent of the innovative spirit behind the Nobel Prize in Physics 2024, set against a dark backdrop.
Artificial intelligence is much more than image generation and smart-sounding chatbots; it's also a Nobel-worthy endeavor rooted in physics!
A wooden box filled with assorted old black-and-white photographs and postcards.
Changing the narrative on false memories might be surprisingly simple.
A book spread showing a painting of a person, eyes filled with curiosity, looking outside on the left and four brain scan images on the right, overlaid on an orange background.
Research suggests curiosity triggers parts of the brain associated with anticipation, making answers more rewarding once discovered.
A man rubs his eyes while holding his glasses in his left hand and wearing a white shirt, with a watch on his left wrist, perhaps tired from hours of Zoom science sessions.
Why “audio gaps" in video meetings wear us out — and why we need the meaningful relationships forged in communal workspaces.
A hooded crow, exemplifying the intelligence of smart crows, pecks at a nut it holds with its claws on a mossy stone ground.
New evidence suggests the corvid family has surprising mental abilities.
A diagram combines a 3D brain connectome with text and geometric shapes, with arrows pointing to areas labeled "The child bent down to smell the rose." A list and graph are shown on the left, illustrating how words in the brain are processed.
The findings show that even small areas in the brain may have the potential to represent complex meanings.
An illustration showing a side view of a human brain with colored dots representing neurons and text excerpts in three languages in circular insets.
In the brain's language-processing centers, some cells respond to one word, while others respond to strings of words together.
Open book showing two pages: the left page has a red-toned illustration of early humans, while the right page features a blue-toned photo of an ocean wave, capturing the hyperefficient balance between art and nature.
From hunter-gathers to desk jockeys, we work best when short, intense sessions are followed by lighter fare.
5mins
“If we didn't find helping other people pleasurable, we wouldn’t be altruistic.”
Illustration featuring an eye, an ear, and a hand, each encircled by overlapping multicolored circles.
7mins
Expanding your worldview starts with understanding your brain. Stanford neuroscientist David Eagleman explains.
Unlikely Collaborators
A storefront with signs for psychic telepathy readings and a phone number. Two white plastic chairs are placed in front. The storefront is pink with a black awning and a large hand sign advertising $10 readings.
Thinking of a number between one and ten? Here's how predictable human responses create the illusion of telepathy.
A collage featuring a detailed hand drawing, a scientific diagram of a circular interconnected pattern, and a black and white diagram resembling a microorganism on a blue background.
"What modern science has taught us is that life is not a property of matter."
A black-and-white photo of a seated person with their head in their hand, partially overlaid with an image of flames, evocatively captures the intense struggle to treat anxiety.
Manipulating a signaling pathway in mice reversed their anxiety — and offers hope for a new class of anti-anxiety medications for humans.
A geometric quilt with repeating concentric diamond and striped patterns in red, pink, orange, and blue tones on a dark background.
4mins
These 5 human development principles could completely change the way we think about learning and potential.
Two ancient statues, framed by red lines, appear to be conversing through modern emoji speech bubbles. One statue displays several emojis, while the other shows a typing indicator.
"I know what you're thinking" can sound kind or creepy — depending on who's saying it.
A person with white hair and a dark hat looks surprised, mouth open and eyes wide, holding up one hand with fingers spread.
3mins
“Say what you want to say, and not what you feel.” Harvard happiness professor explains ‘metacognition’ techniques so you can grow your emotional intelligence:
A woman performing a high-knee exercise is overlaid on an image of a brain scan, set against a green and black background, highlighting the importance of exercise in the fight against Alzheimer's.
Could exercise be more effective than recently approved drugs?
Digital rendering of multiple human brain models floating against a gray background, highlighting specific brain regions in red.
“The brain is never the same from one moment to the next throughout life. Never ever.”
A pencil fills in the first answer bubble on a multiple-choice test sheet, option "1" for question 90.
1mins
Testing is an attempt to measure intelligence. But is intelligence really what’s getting measured? A neuroscientist weighs in: