Alone with a she-wolf
Time slowed and adrenaline kicked in. The creature studied me, just another element in nature
by Melanie McGrath
We’re learning just how early in life empathy starts to move us
What contagious crying, comforting hugs and other cute behaviour in infants tells us about the roots of emotional connection
by Zanna Clay & Carlo Vreden
A detour home, through Portuguese
Losing my mother tongue was painful and humiliating. Could learning a new language help me heal?
by Frances Nguyen
Ideas
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Guides
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How to anticipate and cope with mania
If you have bipolar disorder, you can learn to play an active role in managing your symptoms and live a fulfilling life
by Kim Pape & Sheri Johnson
What to do when someone goes on the defensive
Our natural impulses often make matters worse. Here’s an approach that works, grounded in conflict resolution and psychology
by Adar Cohen & Nick Wignall
Life stories
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Editor’s picks
How to engage with life when you feel down
Withdrawing from activities you enjoy is both a product and cause of low mood. Break the cycle with behavioural activation
by Lucy Foulkes
Sprinkle a little ancient philosophy into your daily routines
Long before the psychology research was in, ancient philosophers knew the importance of spiritual exercise for wellbeing
by Joel Owen
Latest videos
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High in the Alps, Kathleen takes extraordinary steps to keep a pet safe through the winter
Frøydis faces an impossible problem – how to grieve a father she hated and loved
The (surprisingly new) science of aphantasia – the inability to ‘see’ mental imagery
A former office worker charts his own path, herding sheep high into the Pyrenees
To become more attuned to the world around you, try sketching outdoors
A dancing NBA superfan on the joy of spaces that let us go wild and get weird
Notes to self
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Popular
What to do when someone goes on the defensive
Our natural impulses often make matters worse. Here’s an approach that works, grounded in conflict resolution and psychology
by Adar Cohen & Nick Wignall
How the nature of friendship has changed through the centuries
The metamorphosis of this special bond from feudal to modern times reveals much about the aspirations of different societies
by Bénedicte Sère
Plato warned that some pleasures separate us from reality
The contemporary obsession with feeling good might mean we’re losing sight of what makes life genuinely meaningful
by Derek van Zoonen
Why we choose to avoid information that’s right in front of us
Knowing the reasons people opt not to know – and the consequences of that choice – could help us see when it’s problematic
by Jeremy L Foust
A sister who wasn’t ours
We were her foster family for two and a half years. We had no claim to her, but she became part of us
by Kelsey Day
Find meditation really boring? You’re not the only one
Other practices like sermons, yoga and retreats can also trigger ‘spiritual boredom’. Here’s why it’s normal and even useful
by Thomas Goetz
A little Japanese trick for saying ‘no’
If an outright refusal feels rude but you don’t want to have to explain, here’s how to say ‘no’ the Japanese way
by Richard Fisher
What if animals find beauty in the world, just like we do?
Chimpanzees favour the colour red. Junglefowl prefer symmetry. Our shared capacity for aesthetic pleasure is cause for wonder
by Brandon Keim
