In a World First, Researchers Mapped Part of a Mouse’s Brain in Incredible Detail. It’s a Leap Forward for Neuroscience
The 3D brain map includes more than 200,000 cells, 523 million synapses and over two miles of axons, representing the most detailed wiring diagram of a piece of mammal brain ever constructed
These Are the 20 Happiest Countries in the World
Finland took the top spot in this year’s World Happiness Report, while the United States dropped to its lowest ranking yet
Huh? Interjections Are Critically Important to Communication
Utterances like “um,” “wow” and “mm-hmm” aren’t garbage—they keep conversations flowing
Why Does Laughter Have Such a Strange Power Over Us?
An anthropologist explores why the phenomenon has the ability to delight, disturb and disrupt
How Can the Brain Overcome Fear? New Study of Mice Offers Clues to PTSD and Anxiety Treatment
Researchers identified two brain areas in mice that helped the animals learn to suppress their instinctive fears of predators
How Trailblazing Teacher Maria Montessori Transformed the Realm of Children’s Education
The Italian physician and educator opened her first school in Rome on this day in 1907
New Exhibition Unravels Sigmund Freud’s Complex Relationship With the Women in His Life and Work
“Women & Freud: Patients, Pioneers, Artists” spotlights the women who influenced the Austrian neurologist—and the field of psychoanalysis more broadly
Discover the Origins of a Psychedelic Drug Synthesized by a Swiss Chemist Who Claimed It ‘Found and Called Me’
Five years after he created LSD in a lab on this day in 1938, Albert Hofmann accidentally underwent the first acid trip in human history, experiencing a kaleidoscope of colors and images in a sleepy Swiss city
The Ouija Board Can’t Connect Us to Paranormal Forces—but It Can Tell Us a Lot About Psychology, Grief and Uncertainty
The game was born from Americans’ obsession with Spiritualism in the 19th century. Since then, it’s functioned as a reflection of their deep-seated beliefs and anxieties for more than a century
This 19th-Century ‘Toy Book’ Used Science to Prove That Ghosts Were Simply an Illusion
“Spectropia” demystified the techniques used by mediums who claimed they could speak to the dead, revealing the “absurd follies of Spiritualism”
Is Depression Contagious?
The science about whether mental health conditions can spread socially is uncertain, but exposure to an affected peer can drive awareness
What It’s Like to Experience Polar Night in the World’s Northernmost Town
Eight years into living in Longyearbyen, on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, I embrace the seasonal plunge into total darkness
What Are Wind Phones, and How Do They Help With Grief?
A clinical social worker explains the vital role of the old-fashioned rotary phone for those dealing with death and loss
MDMA Treatment for PTSD Fails to Secure Federal Approval
One day after the FDA declined to approve the psychedelic for medical use, a journal retracted three studies of MDMA-assisted therapy due to unethical conduct by researchers
This Old Experiment With Mice Led to Bleak Predictions for Humanity’s Future
From the 1950s to the 1970s, researcher John Calhoun gave rodents unlimited food and studied their behavior in overcrowded conditions
Can Virtual Coworking Platforms Make Us More Productive?
Membership services like Flow Club, Flown and Caveday offer online study halls complete with proctors and goal setting
Crows Can ‘Count’ Up to Four Like Human Toddlers, Study Suggests
Three carrion crows engaged in a simplified version of counting when prompted, and the birds showed signs of planning out their responses
Why Leopold and Loeb Committed Cold-Blooded Murder in the ‘Crime of the Century’
A century ago, two Chicago teenagers killed an acquaintance named Bobby Franks for the thrill of it. The case captivated the nation and continues to fascinate the public today
Why Do Humans Sing? Traditional Music in 55 Languages Reveals Patterns and Telling Similarities
In a global study, scientists recorded themselves singing and playing music from their own cultures to examine the evolution of song
How Do Elephants Say Hello? Reunions Lead to Ear Flapping, Rumbling and Trunk Swinging in Greeting
New research explores how African savannah elephants use vocalizations, gestures and secretions when they meet up with companions
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