Exposure
Wracked with unknown fear, I’d never been able to sleep through the night. Then I went scuba diving
by Lindsay Lee Wallace
Is being single a happier experience for women or men?
More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it
by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald
African proverbs provide the blueprint for a meaningful life
Incorporating ancient African wisdom into wellbeing interventions could push positive psychology beyond its Western roots
by Richard Appiah
Ideas
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Guides
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How to take control of your tics – or eliminate them altogether
Whether or not you have a diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome, a powerful self-help approach can make a difference within a week
by Paul DePompo
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
Life stories
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Editor’s picks
The fungal mind: on the evidence for mushroom intelligence
The evidence for fungal intelligence is in: they can operate as individuals, make decisions, learn, and have short-term memory
by Nicholas P Money
A basic sense of numbers is shared by countless creatures
Birds, bees, cats and other animals have an ability to use numbers. How can this help us understand people with dyscalculia?
by Brian Butterworth
Latest videos
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Reignite your creative fire with blackout poetry – the art of framing what’s already there
Directed by Andrew Lavers
Mindie is a talented singer. She also doesn’t have legs. As a teen, it got complicated
Perhaps the weirdest experience you’ll have sober, what exactly is déjà vu?
An Aboriginal painter depicts scenes from her youth in this beautiful short
Small talk is an art, not a triviality. Here’s how you can master it
This sculptor finds deep weirdness – not divinity – in the human form
At 84, Jun lives to shock. His next act? A living funeral no one asked for
Notes to self
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Popular reads
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
Is being single a happier experience for women or men?
More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it
by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald
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
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
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
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
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
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: Transcendent experience
A street dance born amid poverty and violence offers a radical form of self-care
Directed by Maceo Frost
With quiet words and devotional music, Alice Coltrane sought transcendence
Directed by St Clair Bourne
Psychedelics show religion isn’t the only route to spirituality
by Chris Letheby
Why awesome natural beauty drops the jaw and lifts the spirit
by T Ryan Byerly