Why are we curious about some things and indifferent to others?
Many of us crave trivial details while ignoring much of the world around us. Research helps explain this selective curiosity
by Tommy Blanchard
Understand
The inner workings of the mind: emotions, memory, decision-making and more
Why some healthy habits still take so much effort
Contrary to classic habit science, certain behaviours never become easy. Recognising this can help you stick with them
by Blair Saunders & Kimberly R More
The art of hiking
The desert acted as a mirror that seemed to say: you are like me – harsh, inventive, and full of life
by Skye Anicca
The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun
In the therapy room, I’ve seen how rethinking what we are – and what it means to ‘be dead’ – can lighten our fears
by Eric Jannazzo
How to be the archivist of your own family
By curating your family’s stories, rituals and relics, you’ll feel anchored – and create a bridge between the generations
by Samantha Ellis
Guides
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How to use AI chatbots to make you smarter, not dumber
Use AI thoughtlessly and it dulls your mind. But with a strategic approach and the right prompts, it can be a powerful tool
by Nick Kabrel
How to tolerate annoying things
Hassles are part of life, but the way we react often makes them worse. ACT skills can help you handle them with greater ease
by Patricia E Zurita Ona
Popular
How to tolerate annoying things
Hassles are part of life, but the way we react often makes them worse. ACT skills can help you handle them with greater ease
by Patricia E Zurita Ona
How to build a memory palace
Upgrade your ability to recall dates, names or other details with an ancient trick of the memory trade: the ‘method of loci’
by Lynne Kelly
Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation
Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about
by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans
How to check if an argument is valid
In logic, validity is prime. If you want to make valid arguments, or sniff out invalid ones, here’s what you need to do
by Robert Trueman
The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun
In the therapy room, I’ve seen how rethinking what we are – and what it means to ‘be dead’ – can lighten our fears
by Eric Jannazzo
The trait that makes some people so frustrating – and alluring
Conscientiousness is constantly touted as a virtue, so what’s life like for people with the opposite trait – disinhibition?
by Janan Mostajabi
Is narcissism really on the rise among younger generations?
A fresh investigation of vast numbers of young people from around the world has thrown up some surprising results
by Jakob Pietschnig & Sandra Oberleiter
How to use AI chatbots to make you smarter, not dumber
Use AI thoughtlessly and it dulls your mind. But with a strategic approach and the right prompts, it can be a powerful tool
by Nick Kabrel
Popular
View allHow to tolerate annoying things
Hassles are part of life, but the way we react often makes them worse. ACT skills can help you handle them with greater ease
by Patricia E Zurita Ona
How to build a memory palace
Upgrade your ability to recall dates, names or other details with an ancient trick of the memory trade: the ‘method of loci’
by Lynne Kelly
Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation
Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about
by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans
How to check if an argument is valid
In logic, validity is prime. If you want to make valid arguments, or sniff out invalid ones, here’s what you need to do
by Robert Trueman
Notes to self
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Videos
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From sports to business, mental imagery can boost outcomes
Video by BBC Ideas
The joyful groove never stops at a legendary Chicago roller rink
Can an entire society be mentally ill? A perspective from 1960
The interplay between breath and emotion – and how to access it
When dreams touch reality – the liminal world of sleep paralysis
Hand-drawn animation brings a meeting of ‘voice-hearers’ to life
Every choice has an energy cost. Learn to manage your budget
A psalm for lost spaces
You have to sit down somewhere, unhurried and unbothered, to really hear yourself. But where?
by Atar Hadari
The Ozempic era should change how we think about self-control
Struggling to manage weight can seem like a failure of raw willpower. GLP-1 drugs highlight how misguided that view is
by Matthew C Haug
Stronger
When grief and distraction spun my mind out of control, only the strain of my muscles could keep it intact
by Nancy Uddin
Do you weave historical events into your own life story?
Some people watch history pass by. Others high in ‘historical consciousness’ truly live it – and seem to benefit as a result
by Şebnem Ture
Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation
Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about
by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans
How to build a memory palace
Upgrade your ability to recall dates, names or other details with an ancient trick of the memory trade: the ‘method of loci’
by Lynne Kelly
Is narcissism really on the rise among younger generations?
A fresh investigation of vast numbers of young people from around the world has thrown up some surprising results
by Jakob Pietschnig & Sandra Oberleiter
‘Invisible diseases’ burden both body and mind. Can therapy help?
Hard-to-diagnose illnesses aren’t ‘all in the mind’. But recognising their links to mental health can help reduce the pain
by Karina Waluk
An activist weaves motherhood into her world in this gentle short
Directed by Flavien Kressmann and Sarah Des Rosiers
The trait that makes some people so frustrating – and alluring
Conscientiousness is constantly touted as a virtue, so what’s life like for people with the opposite trait – disinhibition?
by Janan Mostajabi
James Earl Jones reads Kurt Vonnegut on why art is central to a meaningful life
Video by Letters Live
Bad art, good laughs – a street portraitist’s lacklustre work animates a city
Directed by Rosie Baldwin
Emma navigates the vast Atlantic and her own mind in this captivating travelogue
Directed by Mattias Olsson
How to check if an argument is valid
In logic, validity is prime. If you want to make valid arguments, or sniff out invalid ones, here’s what you need to do
by Robert Trueman
We’re naturally bad at predicting what will make us happy. Here’s how to adjust
Video by The Well
Why ‘false authenticity’ is so unsettling
The Old Town of Würzburg seemed to offer a real connection to the past. But none of it was authentic
by Sam Dresser