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Emotions

The 63 statues selected depict their subjects in eight different situations, including carrying a baby, playing music, preparing for combat and undergoing torture.

New Research

What Ancient Sculptures Reveal About Universal Facial Expressions

New research suggests displays of emotion may transcend time and culture

A graph generated by the "hedonometer," a tool that measures happiness on Twitter going back to 2008. After George Floyd's killing, researchers measured the most negativity on English-language Twitter ever—making it the "saddest day in the history of Twitter," they say.

New Research Suggests We’re Living in Historically Unhappy Times

A tool that analyzes tweets and a study from University of Chicago researchers show that Americans’ happiness has reached new lows in recent weeks

It's hard enough to talk about our feelings. Now, try doing it across languages.

The Meanings Behind Words for Emotions Aren’t Universal, Study Finds

Certain emotions may be universal. But the way humans describe their feelings, it seems, is not

55 percent of Americans reported feeling significant levels of stress in 2018

Americans Are Among the Most Stressed-Out People in the World, Reporting Negative Emotions at Highest Rates in a Decade

But the news isn’t all bad: Americans also reported generally more positive experiences than the rest of the world

Goats either prefer humans that sport a grin or make an effort to avoid those with a grimace, a new study shows.

Goats May Prefer Happy Human Faces

A new study found that goats gravitate towards images of smiling people, suggesting that they can distinguish between human expressions

A child tests the Superpower Glass.

“Superpower Glass” Helps Kids With Autism Understand Emotions

A new Stanford-designed technology pairs Google Glass with a face-identifying AI app that tells wearers what emotions they’re seeing

Would your pup come to your rescue?

Why the Most Helpful Dogs Keep Calm and Carry On

Dogs are willing to overcome obstacles to help people in distress—as long as they keep their cool

This striped dolphin, photographed in the Gulf of Corinth, may be grieving a relative. A new study examines the evidence.

New Research

Study Suggests Dolphins and Some Whales Grieve Their Dead

An analysis of 78 instances of cetaceans paying attention to their dead suggests grief may be part of being a highly social animal

Hangry like the wolf.

New Research

Being Hangry Is Real, But You Can Control It

Hunger elicits similar responses as emotions, but it only turns into “hanger” when people are already primed with negative feelings

New Research

Disgusting Things Fall Into Six Gross Categories

Open sores, body odors and other indicators of possible disease transmission top the list of things that gross us out

Tracey Crouch, who will oversee issues related to loneliness and isolation in the U.K.

Trending Today

The U.K. Now Has a “Minister for Loneliness.” Here’s Why It Matters

Tracey Crouch will oversee the government’s efforts to tackle “the sad reality of modern life”

Trending Today

First Center for Empathy and Art Launched in Minneapolis

The center will bring together researchers, artists, historians and philosophers to learn how art museums can promote empathy and understanding

Scary pumpkins are the least of what frightens us at Halloween, a day devoted to being frightened.

What Happens in the Brain When We Feel Fear

And why some of us just can’t get enough of it

New Research

Got Writer’s Block? Try Listening to Happy Music

A new study suggests that an upbeat tune can boost creativity

Cool Finds

World’s Oldest Smiley Face May Decorate a Hittite Jug

Researchers did not notice the cheery, 3,700-year-old expression until they restored the ceramic

:)

Researchers Discover a 17th-Century “Emoji”

The classic smiley face has been around for a long time

Feeling down? Many would reach for comfort food like pasta casserole—but you may as well go for a salad, research says.

Comfort Foods Aren’t Magic, But Memory Might Be

On National Comfort Food Day (yeah it’s a thing), dig into the powers of food and how it makes us feel

A tickled rat.

New Research

What Tickling Giggly Rats Can Tell Us About the Brain

Their laughter manifests in a surprising region of the cerebral cortex

Do Insects Have Consciousness?

A new theory has scientists buzzing

The Age Suit at the Liberty Science Center lets users feel what it's like to get older.

Trending Today

Could Virtual Reality Inspire Empathy for Others?

Virtual reality could allow users to step into someone else’s shoes, experiencing things like having migraines or swapping genders

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