Why we should treat caffeine like the brain-altering drug it is
Like billions of people, I use caffeine. But there is a glaring double standard in the drugs we stigmatise or celebrate
by Jonathan Simone
Whispers in the wind
How I learned to hear the voice of my ancestors and speak Lenape, a language silenced for generations
Krista Nelson, as told to Dawn Fallik
Is it wrong to be good friends with a bad person?
Many think the answer is obvious: we ought to cut immoral people out of our lives. But that isn’t necessarily the best option
by Yiran Hua
Ideas
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How to resist everyday temptations
Acting on impulse often feels good at first, but brings trouble later. Understanding these urges can help you control them
by Peggilee Wupperman
How to thrive as a highly sensitive person
In this noisy world, being highly sensitive is a challenge. But learn to manage overwhelm and you can reap the upsides too
by Jadzia Jagiellowicz
Life stories
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Editor’s picks
How to be angry
Anger is a fuel that’s dangerous when out of control. But managed well, it can energise you to identify and confront problems
by Ryan Martin
Many people not only survive mental illness – they thrive
For people with depression, anxiety and other conditions, reaching high wellbeing – not just recovery – is a real possibility
by Jonathan Rottenberg & Andrew Devendorf
Latest videos
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Embrace conflict, reject authority – William Blake’s radical vision of a meaningful life
Video by Great Books Explained
Two lives drift apart and come together in a love story told one brush stroke at a time
Our world’s complex issues can’t be solved by lone heroes. Our stories should reflect that
Steven has a rare insight into faces – because he cannot recognise them
Cults needn’t fit stereotypes to be dangerous. Here’s how to identify a controlling social group
Why the mental health awareness movement needs more precision and fewer vibes
In an elegy for his childhood home, a filmmaker constructs a lyrical collage of memory
Notes to self
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Popular
How to thrive as a highly sensitive person
In this noisy world, being highly sensitive is a challenge. But learn to manage overwhelm and you can reap the upsides too
by Jadzia Jagiellowicz
How to resist everyday temptations
Acting on impulse often feels good at first, but brings trouble later. Understanding these urges can help you control them
by Peggilee Wupperman
Is it wrong to be good friends with a bad person?
Many think the answer is obvious: we ought to cut immoral people out of our lives. But that isn’t necessarily the best option
by Yiran Hua
You don’t need perfect features to be physically beautiful
New research reveals that physical attractiveness is more about personal compatibility than meeting universal standards
by Annett Schirmer
Asteroid economics: why we’re shopping our way through Armageddon
We must escape the psychological trap where grave warnings about existential threats trigger ever more destructive behaviour
by M I Krueger
Why do we hesitate to talk about our own good deeds?
Disclosing acts of kindness could encourage even more altruism – if we can find a way around the awkwardness
by Jerry Richardson
Sleep is important, but not that important
It’s good that we’re taking sleep more seriously than we used to, but the messaging about its importance has gone too far
by Alice Gregory
Dance showed me the untapped power of our attention muscle
Through tango, I sharpened attentional skills that make any moment richer. But these can be honed on or off the dancefloor
by Sara Melzer
Explore: Rituals and celebrations
Every culture dances. So why did humans evolve to get down?
Directed by Rosanna Wan and Andrew Khosravani
They keep the Hindu funeral pyres burning, but at what cost?
by Radhika Iyengar
Come on this painterly journey to Madagascar’s ‘turning of the dead’
Directed by Bastien Dubois
An ancient ritual is a window to Mayan culture’s deep past and vibrant present
Directed by Ricky Lopez Bruni
Mamuka and his tuneful panduri light up this Georgian village feast
Directed by Bálint Bíró, Diego Quindere de Carvalho and Salome Razikashvili