Why we choose to avoid information that’s right in front of us
Knowing the reasons people opt not to know – and the consequences of that choice – could help us see when it’s problematic
by Jeremy L Foust
Understand
The inner workings of the mind: emotions, memory, decision-making and more
Plato warned that some pleasures separate us from reality
The contemporary obsession with feeling good might mean we’re losing sight of what makes life genuinely meaningful
by Derek van Zoonen
The hidden calculations that determine whether you will cry
We think of tears as an overflow of emotion, but an evolutionary lens shows they’re a rational form of social signalling
by Daniel Sznycer & Debra Lieberman
How much you ‘body-wander’ could affect your mental health
Some people tune into bodily sensations while daydreaming, others don’t – with implications for anxiety, depression and ADHD
by Leah Banellis
Plato’s challenge to the meaning of manliness still resonates
Even in ancient Greece, Plato questioned whether gender norms around masculinity were good for men’s individual freedom
by Yancy Hughes Dominick
Guides
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To resist dogma and accept uncertainty, think like a pragmatist
Founded in 19th-century America, the philosophy of pragmatism promises imaginative ways of coping with our circumstances
by Michael Bacon
How to find inner peace like Saint Teresa of Ávila
The 16th-century ‘spiritual rock-star’ shows how seeing your soul as a castle can be a source of strength and consolation
by Skye C Cleary
Popular
Is being single a happier experience for women or men?
More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it
by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald
Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?
Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it
by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King
‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84
Video by Face to Face
When memories from fiction become part of who you are
Scenes from books, movies and games sometimes carry as much weight as events from people’s own lives. We’re finding out why
by Osman Görkem Çetin
Uncertainty is stressful, but here’s why we need to feel it
As much as people struggle with not knowing, we live in an uncertain world – and there are advantages to embracing that
by Jessica Alquist
I was sceptical about breathwork so I did my own research
Breathwork changed my life, but I heard the sceptics. Several studies later, I’m more convinced than ever of its benefits
by Guy W Fincham
The hidden calculations that determine whether you will cry
We think of tears as an overflow of emotion, but an evolutionary lens shows they’re a rational form of social signalling
by Daniel Sznycer & Debra Lieberman
Plato warned that some pleasures separate us from reality
The contemporary obsession with feeling good might mean we’re losing sight of what makes life genuinely meaningful
by Derek van Zoonen
Popular
View allIs being single a happier experience for women or men?
More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it
by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald
Why do beautiful people also seem smart and likeable?
Psychologists have known about the ‘halo effect’ for ages. New research suggests the power of language can help explain it
by Chris F Westbury & Daniel King
‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84
Video by Face to Face
When memories from fiction become part of who you are
Scenes from books, movies and games sometimes carry as much weight as events from people’s own lives. We’re finding out why
by Osman Görkem Çetin
Notes to self
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Videos
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The (surprisingly new) science of aphantasia – the inability to ‘see’ mental imagery
Video by Quanta Magazine
A former office worker charts his own path, herding sheep high into the Pyrenees
Humans are uniquely reliant on caregivers. This isn’t a weakness, but a wondrous gift
How increasing short-term pleasure can help you achieve your long-term goals
‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84
Growing pains, bras, size, sex – a group of women get candid about all things boobs
After four decades in prison, Big D contemplates the brave new world that awaits him
Through Zuri’s eyes
She was a young gorilla, sitting alone in the Calgary Zoo. Once our eyes locked, I was in for a life-long connection
by Keriann McGoogan
Uncertainty is stressful, but here’s why we need to feel it
As much as people struggle with not knowing, we live in an uncertain world – and there are advantages to embracing that
by Jessica Alquist
Is being single a happier experience for women or men?
More people than ever are going solo. We identified a gender difference that hints at the ingredients needed to enjoy it
by Elaine Hoan & Geoff MacDonald
Mindie is a talented singer. She also doesn’t have legs. As a teen, it got complicated
A film by Megan Griffiths and Mindie Lind
Perhaps the weirdest experience you’ll have sober, what exactly is déjà vu?
Video by BBC Ideas
Love, shame and 325 bags of trash
In my mother’s hoarding house, I found something I wanted to keep
by Deborah Derrickson Kossmann
Why our flawed, flexible memories come with social benefits
Though relationships are grounded in shared memories, some gaps and inaccuracies can help us live well in a social world
by Gillian Murphy & Ciara Greene
How do transgender people remember their earlier selves?
Research with transgender people sheds light on the memory processes that allow any of us to navigate periods of change
by Caleb Schlaupitz
When memories from fiction become part of who you are
Scenes from books, movies and games sometimes carry as much weight as events from people’s own lives. We’re finding out why
by Osman Görkem Çetin
I was sceptical about breathwork so I did my own research
Breathwork changed my life, but I heard the sceptics. Several studies later, I’m more convinced than ever of its benefits
by Guy W Fincham
Don’t fall victim to the Peter Principle
You mustn’t assume that the skills that served you well in the past will be enough for any new challenges that lie ahead
by Christian Jarrett
What runners call the ‘pain cave’
Widely discussed in running circles, there’s a place you go when your body gives up and there’s only mental strength left
by Richard Fisher
There are three lenses through which to weigh any decision
Whether an act seems ‘good’ depends on how you look at it. Brain research reveals what happens when the lens changes
by Clara Pretus & Jay Van Bavel
Forgetting in ancient Greece and China
Forgetting can be frustrating, even scary. The ancient Greeks certainly thought so. But Daoism offers a more hopeful view
by Sam Dresser
At 84, Jun lives to shock. His next act? A living funeral no one asked for
A film by Mari Young and Anika Kan Grevstad