Reflection of a group of people on water surface under blue sky photo distorted by ripples.

Why our flawed, flexible memories come with social benefits

Though relationships are grounded in shared memories, some gaps and inaccuracies can help us live well in a social world

by Gillian Murphy & Ciara Greene

A person sitting in sunlight on grass by a building, wearing a yellow top and jeans, with soft lens flare.

How do transgender people remember their earlier selves?

Research with transgender people sheds light on the memory processes that allow any of us to navigate periods of change

by Caleb Schlaupitz

Animated character in green robes stands in a lush landscape with mountains and traditional buildings in the background.

When memories from fiction become part of who you are

Scenes from books, movies and games sometimes carry as much weight as events from people’s own lives. We’re finding out why

by Osman Görkem Çetin

There are three lenses through which to weigh any decision

by Clara Pretus & Jay Van Bavel

Portrait painting of a man with a moustache wearing a dark outfit with a white collar next to a red drapery background.

These lessons in scepticism could make the world a better place

by Massimo Pigliucci

Guides

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Blurry monochrome photograph of two intertwined nude bodies in an ethereal style.

How to handle a mismatch in sexual desire

A difference in sexual appetite is a common source of tension for couples. Don’t ignore it – turn toward it with curiosity

by Ann O’Brien

A person in a blue jacket standing thoughtfully on a train platform next to the tracks.

How to respond to offensive comments in a thoughtful way

When someone insults you or people you care about, this advice can help you figure out whether to speak up and what to say

by Alicia del Prado

Life stories

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Illustration of a woman standing in a giant conch shell, nestled among giant books, a large beaded necklace and various other objects, holding a small mirror, wearing a red top on a beige background.
MEMOIR

Love, shame and 325 bags of trash

In my mother’s hoarding house, I found something I wanted to keep

by Deborah Derrickson Kossmann

Editor’s picks

A group of people in white attire and backpacks walk along a wooden path through green fields under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

More radical and practical than Stoicism – discover Shugendō

As they train for their own deaths, Japan’s mountain priests develop a form of acceptance that goes beyond the Stoics

by Tim Bunting

Aerial photo of a vast, misty mountain range with soft lighting and shadowed valleys in the distance.

The Quechua idea ‘pacha’ urges us beyond narrow self-concern

The Quechua term ‘pacha’ embodies an Andean worldview that sees everything as related, transcending narrow self-interest

by Jorge Sanchez Perez

Latest videos

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Scene from a film showing a man standing indoors near a staircase bathed in green light.

Perhaps the weirdest experience you’ll have sober, what exactly is déjà vu?

A video by BBC Ideas

An Aboriginal painter depicts scenes from her youth in this beautiful short

A man lying with a serene expression surrounded by white lilies against a dark background.
AGEING

At 84, Jun lives to shock. His next act? A living funeral no one asked for

Illustration of a room with a person lounging on a bed, a pink dresser, a table with cups and a plant.
AUTISM

A mysterious black orb trails Mo, growing ever harder to ignore

Photo of a man holding a microphone and equipment standing on a walkway with blurred people passing by in the foreground.

Lonely in London, a filmmaker sets out to make a new friend

Notes to self

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Popular reads

Photo of a woman in a colourful striped dress smiling as photographers take pictures at a crowded event.

Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?

Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it

by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King

A person in a blue jacket standing thoughtfully on a train platform next to the tracks.

How to respond to offensive comments in a thoughtful way

When someone insults you or people you care about, this advice can help you figure out whether to speak up and what to say

by Alicia del Prado

A cityscape at night with two silhouetted figures in the foreground and a full moon above a mountain in the background.

We can live well, even though we don’t have a higher purpose

The novelist and poet Ursula K Le Guin shows we can reject nihilism and naive optimism by practising our collective freedom

by Alexis Shotwell

Animated character in green robes stands in a lush landscape with mountains and traditional buildings in the background.

When memories from fiction become part of who you are

Scenes from books, movies and games sometimes carry as much weight as events from people’s own lives. We’re finding out why

by Osman Görkem Çetin

Photo of a person meditating in sunlight on the floor of a room beside a bed.

I was sceptical about breathwork so I did my own research

Breathwork changed my life, but I heard the sceptics. Several studies later, I’m more convinced than ever of its benefits

by Guy W Fincham

A rural road intersection with a stop sign, traffic light and highway signs under a blue sky with clouds.

To resist dogma and accept uncertainty, think like a pragmatist

Founded in 19th-century America, the philosophy of pragmatism promises imaginative ways of coping with our circumstances

by Michael Bacon

Blurry monochrome photograph of two intertwined nude bodies in an ethereal style.

How to handle a mismatch in sexual desire

A difference in sexual appetite is a common source of tension for couples. Don’t ignore it – turn toward it with curiosity

by Ann O’Brien

Portrait painting of a man with a moustache wearing a dark outfit with a white collar next to a red drapery background.

These lessons in scepticism could make the world a better place

In our age of certainty and dogma, we would all do well to learn from the philosophy of the ancient Greco-Roman sceptics

by Massimo Pigliucci

Explore: Mind-body interactions

A black-and-white photo of a dancer in a flowing, long-sleeved outfit, posed with eyes closed and hands extended.
DANCE

Lockdown dancing is both a solo conversation and a mass grieving

by Dana Naomy Mills

Photo of a crowd at night, a woman in the front smiles with her hand on her chest, others hold lights in the background.

A stable sense of self is rooted in the lungs, heart and gut

by Alessandro Monti

Colourful mural with a baby floating on water, a woman, a tree, and birds’ eggs. Abstract shapes fill the background.

I saw my baby as a river flowing through me, and gave birth

by Anna Hennessey

Various ancient Greek and Roman statue fragments, including busts and limbs, playfully arranged in a circular pattern against a light background.

Self-honesty is crucial, life is weird – a tale of wisdom gained via panic attacks

Directed by Samira Mian