Creativity and the arts
Stories and literature
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What is it about film and TV antiheroes that’s so captivating?
They’re entertaining, of course – but research highlights a deeper psychological reason viewers are drawn to the bad guys
by Ana Gantman & Jordan Wylie
Poetry
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Why spoken word poetry is so much more than a poetry reading
As poetry returns to its roots as a performance art, it’s providing many with a powerful source of healing and community
by Erica Fletcher
Beauty and aesthetics
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Why art seems more beautiful when you can see yourself in it
Research suggests that people find artworks more aesthetically pleasing when they’re personally relevant to them in some way
by Matt Huston
Neurodiversity
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Psychedelics could give a mind’s eye to those who’ve never had one
Case reports suggest psychedelics might reverse aphantasia (a lack of mental imagery), but is that necessarily a good thing?
by Shayla Love
Mind and brain
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This is how your brain distinguishes reality from imagination
In terms of brain activity, imagining something is very similar to seeing it, so why don’t you confuse the two more often?
by Shayla Love
Food and drink
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If you don’t fancy mindfulness, then try cooking instead
When overwhelmed I schedule in a cooking day: playful, daring and full of memories. Beats any other stress-reliever for me
by Chloe Faure
Communication and language
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What is the secret to an evocative smell description?
Many languages have very few odour-related words, so conveying what a scent is like requires knowing your audience
by Giulia Martina
Psychotherapy
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Sand-tray therapy can reach feelings at the ‘edge of awareness’
Originally developed for use in child therapy, sand trays are now helping adults with their difficult thoughts and emotions
by Doreen Fleet
Play
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All you need to know to start skipping stones like a pro
With the right attitude, stone skipping is a rebellious act that will leave you feeling like you have glitter in your veins
by Julie Benda
Consciousness
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The myth of machine consciousness makes Narcissus of us all
The idea that AI can be conscious is a mistake. It’s just a very shiny mirror of humanity, reflecting what we want to see
by David Bentley Hart
Philosophy of art
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To master the art of close looking, learn to hold time still
Visual literacy is a skillset that’s rarely taught, but it begins with learning how to look – and how to hold time still
by Grace Linden
Music
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What is it about musical hooks that makes them so catchy?
From hummable riffs to striking lyrics, the catchiest hooks tell us something about the limits of human attention and memory
by Tim Byron & Jadey O’Regan