Notes to self

Recommendations and insights based on research, books, films and more
Woman in historical dress washing her hands with water poured by a child from a jug, with onlookers in an ornate interior setting.
OCD

Forever compelled

by Matt Huston

A couple sitting in a beach chair on a sandy shore during a cloudy evening surrounded by empty striped chairs.
LOVE

It’s a gift to share reality with someone

by Hannah Seo

Unfinished painting of a man with white hair in a dark coat against a brown background on a textured canvas.
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

A painting that captures perfectionism

When you need to complete a complex task, imagine daubing paint on a canvas rather than perfecting intricate brushwork

by Richard Fisher

A bearded person gently cradling a newborn wrapped in a patterned blanket by a window in soft light.
EMOTIONS

Why kama muta is an emotion worth seeking

by Hannah Seo

A dimly lit street with parked cars at night. A building has a large, vertical “HOTEL” sign illuminated.
DECISION-MAKING

For maximisers, bad choices really sting

by Richard Fisher

A microphone in focus with a blurred background of people seated at tables in a dimly lit room.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

A memory hack to help you face your fears

There’s a way to recall past encounters with your fears that could help you feel more confident facing them in future

by Christian Jarrett

A curious brown chicken looking at the camera with several other chickens blurred in the background.
FOOD AND DRINK

The dissonance of meeting what you eat

by Matt Huston

Popular

A couple sitting in a beach chair on a sandy shore during a cloudy evening surrounded by empty striped chairs.
LOVE

It’s a gift to share reality with someone

My partner and I often seem to respond to the world in similar ways. Research suggests this may have benefits for us both

by Hannah Seo

Painting of a crucifixion scene with a large crowd, a detailed medieval cityscape with mountains and a lake in the background.
ARTISTS AND ART HISTORY

A lesson from the Son of Man’s manhood

Renaissance artists paid uncommon attention to Jesus’ nether regions. What does this breach in modesty reveal about art?

by Sam Dresser

Photo of people around a fire holding drinks, with a warm glow lighting the scene at night.
PERSONALITY

Try everything twice

Deciding to give more experiences a second chance changed my personality for the better and made me a happier person

by Hannah Seo

Photo of red and grey trainers levitating, showcasing textured soles with orange accents on a light background.
MIND-BODY INTERACTIONS

So what if Nike’s neuro shoes are a placebo?

Nike has released a range of ‘mind-altering’ shoes engineered by neuroscientists. They’re probably an elaborate placebo

by Christian Jarrett

A dimly lit street with parked cars at night. A building has a large, vertical “HOTEL” sign illuminated.
DECISION-MAKING

For maximisers, bad choices really sting

We all make wrong decisions, but if you’re a ‘maximiser’ rather than a ‘satisficer’, the regret hurts all the more

by Richard Fisher

A child in a white dress clinging to a woman’s hand, hiding her face in the woman’s pink shawl, outdoors.
ATTACHMENT AND PARENTING

Who’s responsible for your attachment style?

Do attachment styles come from how our parents treated us? New research on attachment suggests there’s more to the story

by Matt Huston

Woman in historical dress washing her hands with water poured by a child from a jug, with onlookers in an ornate interior setting.
OCD

Forever compelled

In an investigation of compulsions, a book connects our modern understanding of OCD to accounts from previous eras

by Matt Huston

A bearded person gently cradling a newborn wrapped in a patterned blanket by a window in soft light.
EMOTIONS

Why kama muta is an emotion worth seeking

I wasn’t quite sure what this moving, warm-and-fuzzy feeling was, until research put a name to it: ‘kama muta’

by Hannah Seo

Popular

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A couple sitting in a beach chair on a sandy shore during a cloudy evening surrounded by empty striped chairs.
LOVE

It’s a gift to share reality with someone

My partner and I often seem to respond to the world in similar ways. Research suggests this may have benefits for us both

by Hannah Seo

Painting of a crucifixion scene with a large crowd, a detailed medieval cityscape with mountains and a lake in the background.
ARTISTS AND ART HISTORY

A lesson from the Son of Man’s manhood

Renaissance artists paid uncommon attention to Jesus’ nether regions. What does this breach in modesty reveal about art?

by Sam Dresser

Photo of people around a fire holding drinks, with a warm glow lighting the scene at night.
PERSONALITY

Try everything twice

Deciding to give more experiences a second chance changed my personality for the better and made me a happier person

by Hannah Seo

Aerial photo of Würzburg, a European cityscape with historic buildings, church spires and a clock tower under a partly cloudy sky.
TRAVEL

Why ‘false authenticity’ is so unsettling

by Sam Dresser

An elderly man seated on a city street as skateboarders perform tricks around him.
HAPPINESS

Where are you on the ‘happiness curve’?

by Richard Fisher

A person lying in bed under a duvet, arms covering face; bedside table with books, a lamp, a mug and reading glasses.
SLEEP PROBLEMS

Sleep is important, but not that important

by Alice Gregory

A group of office workers turned to face a colleague, clapping and smiling, in a modern meeting room setting.
WORK AND VOCATION

Are you saying ‘thank you’ too effusively?

by Christian Jarrett