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Relationships, work and leisure

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People dining at long tables adorned with blue tablecloths in a narrow, lantern-lit street lined with old buildings and blue-and-white flags.

Community

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Take a seat: the long table is an antidote to loneliness

While some consider the long, shared dining table outdated or inconvenient, it is actually a powerful social tool

by Antone Martinho-Truswell

Two people sit on a wooden park bench, one with an arm around the other, with fallen leaves scattered on the ground in front of them.

Communication and language

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Why that hard conversation will probably go better than you think

If you’ve delayed raising a touchy issue, fearing it will backfire, new research could give you the confidence you need

by Matt Huston

People at a rally holding flags and banners with various languages, advocating for voting rights and unity, standing behind a barrier on a city street.

Community

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Does embracing local customs help immigrants feel at home?

Moving from Belgrade to Toronto, learning the social ‘rules’ fostered my sense of belonging. But there’s an important caveat

by Ljiljana Radenović

A person cooks mushrooms in a pan on a stove with pasta in a colander and various ingredients spread on the kitchen counter.

Eating disorders

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Learning to cook taught me that self-care isn’t selfish

In healing my relationship with food and cooking, I saw how caring for myself was the first step toward caring for others

by Céline Leboeuf

A painting of an older man with a beard smiling at a young woman with braided hair in a red dress, their heads close together.

Money and economics

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How your attitudes to money could be affecting your relationship

Do you see money as a way to gain freedom or status? If your partner takes a different view, there could be consequences

by Johanna Peetz

Two people sit at a table with coffee cups, near a window overlooking a rainy scene with parked cars and trees in the background.

Worry and rumination

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Rehashing your problems with friends can turn into a bad habit

Although ‘co-rumination’ bolsters relationships in some ways, it also distracts from other, better coping methods

by Shayla Love

A double exposure image of a person using a smartphone overlaid with a bustling city street scene with cars and tall buildings.

Technology and media

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What I learned from sharing my private self with an AI journal

‘Quantified self’ apps analyse our physical and behavioural data. Now, AI journals want to access our emotional lives too

by Angela Chen

Two people look at a scientifically based recreation of a Neanderthal man’s head, adorned with feathers and fur, enclosed in a glass case at a museum. The setting is under strong indoor lighting with a blue wall background.

Communication and language

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This is what a Neanderthal conversation would have sounded like

Neanderthals had language, but it differed from ours in an important way that could help explain our superior art and tech

by Steven Mithen

A young child passenger sits on the front of a motor scooter, with an older male rider partly visible behind. The rider has tattooed arms and a sign on the scooter reads ‘Thailand’

Personality

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How babies’ and children’s temperament varies around the world

International research reveals intriguing regional differences in temperament – the infant precursor to adult personality

by Matt Huston

A woman jogging along a paved riverside path with modern buildings and a cloudy sky in the background. She is wearing a grey hoodie, black leggings, and trainers while listening to music on earphones.

Goals and motivation

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So-called ‘SMART goals’ are a case of style over substance

From fitness to finance, the SMART goal-setting method is ubiquitous, but often detrimental. There are better approaches

by Christian Swann

A black-and-white photo of a man in a suit and tie smiling while a woman in a glittery dress and gloves laughs beside him. They are at a social gathering.

Sex and sexuality

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Everything I know about flirting, I learned from the Cold War

The rewards of flirtation go beyond sex or romance. But, as in other exchanges, you have to know where the red line is

by Youngbin Yoon

A child is offering a plate of homemade cookies

The body and physical health

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What I wish more people knew about deadly allergic reactions

Living with a deadly food allergy, I’ve discovered staying safe involves navigating other people’s doubts and expectations

by Hannah Waldfogel