A subway sign with red neon text and large images of eyes on illuminated red panels above.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

How to overcome a fear of fear

When you become afraid of your own reaction to perceived threats, it creates a vicious cycle. Here’s how to break free

by Nick Wignall

Watercolour painting of a person in red near a foggy lake with a tree and red leaves in the foreground.
VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION

Brother love

After my brother Chris died by suicide, my other brother Dave tried to kill me. Here’s how I survived

by Anita Lambert

Ideas

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A closed lift with stainless steel doors and a blue panel display showing floor -1 above the button against a white wall.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

The neural reward that makes avoiding your fears feel so good

by Muhammad Badarnee & Mohammed R Milad

A person pushing a bike through a muddy landfill with debris under an overcast sky, distant hills and houses.
DIFFICULT EMOTIONS

Despair can help us mourn lost futures and chart new paths

by Juliette Vazard

Photo of a group of young people taking a selfie with a smartphone outdoors in a busy urban setting.
PERSONALITY

Is narcissism really on the rise among younger generations?

by Jakob Pietschnig & Sandra Oberleiter

A drone flying above a whale’s surfaced back in the ocean with water droplets in the air.
ANIMALS

Even if we could speak to animals, should we?

by Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert & Leonie Bossert

Guides

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MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

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

A person wearing sunglasses looking at their reflection in a window with a blurry outdoor scene visible.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS

How to start recovering from BPD

Borderline personality disorder is often misunderstood. Here’s what you should know about it and how to get real support

by Sara Rose Masland & Thea McAfee

Life stories

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A person handling several 1000 Kenyan shilling banknotes at a desk, with motion blur on one note being moved.
MONEY AND ECONOMICS

Accidental millionaire

When a big deposit appeared from nowhere in my account, it changed my life – but not how you’d think

by Kelvin Njeri

Editor’s picks

A man sitting on a chair in a lush garden with blooming flowers, a cobbled path, and a red garden shed in the background.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

A club for ‘dull men’ may just inspire you to see the unremarkable anew

Directed by Andy Oxley

Black and white photo of a man walking towards a lighthouse by the sea with his hands behind his back.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

How to wander

Whether in a city or the wilderness, near or far, there’s joy to be had in a journey where the destination doesn’t matter

by Jordan Fisher Smith

Latest videos

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Ethereal photo of a person lying down under a blue haze with ghostly hands reaching towards them.
SLEEP AND DREAMS

When dreams touch reality – the liminal world of sleep paralysis

Directed by Carla MacKinnon

Drawing of six people in a living room having tea and cake around a table, with a window and plant in the background.
NEURODIVERSITY

Hand-drawn animation brings a meeting of ‘voice-hearers’ to life

Illustration of a masked healthcare worker in multiple colours against a pixelated background.
DECISION-MAKING

Every choice has an energy cost. Learn to manage your budget

Two women sitting on a log outdoors, each holding a child, with greenery in the background.
LIFE STAGES

An activist weaves motherhood into her world in this gentle short

A person standing on a freight train car during sunset with a dog sitting nearby and graffiti on the train.
HOME

Freedom, joy and struggle – stories of Los Angeles street life

Illustration of a person with eyes closed, surrounded by colourful waves and geometric shapes on an orange background.
ANXIETY

Stressed about a date or an interview? Video games may offer a surprising salve

Notes to self

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FOOD AND DRINK

The dissonance of meeting what you eat

by Matt Huston

Popular

A home entrance with a black front door, mirrored wall, umbrella stand and carpeted stairs.
MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

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

A smiling woman with tattoos at an outdoor festival, surrounded by blurred people and trees in the background.
PERSONALITY

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

Photo of a group of young people taking a selfie with a smartphone outdoors in a busy urban setting.
PERSONALITY

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

A person crossing a busy city street holding a Louis Vuitton bag with other pedestrians in the background.
MONEY AND ECONOMICS

How luxury brands engineer desire with behavioural economics

From scarcity to market architecture, luxury fashion is manipulating our tastes. But a vintage countermovement has begun

by Charlotte Wren

A young person lying on a bed in a cluttered room with a suitcase, laundry basket, chest of drawers and desk, illuminated by window.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA

For young people, AI is now a second brain – should we worry?

As a resident tutor, I’ve seen how students are using AI as more than a tool. It’s a psychological shift we’ll soon all make

by Rhea Tibrewala

Photo of a man holding laundry in a dimly lit room with shelves, a microwave and a curtain on the left.
MENTAL HEALTH ACROSS CULTURES

What do Japan’s hikikomori reveal about our lonely world?

Unemployed and isolated, the residents of a hikikomori rehab centre hold up a mirror to a society that’s failing them

by Alain Julian

Photo of a boxing match with a standing boxer in the ring and an opponent kneeling behind, lit by overhead lights.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

Motivation is good, but discipline is better

The Ukrainian boxing champion Usyk’s recent claim that ‘discipline is better than motivation’ was psychologically astute

by Christian Jarrett

A person wearing sunglasses looking at their reflection in a window with a blurry outdoor scene visible.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS

How to start recovering from BPD

Borderline personality disorder is often misunderstood. Here’s what you should know about it and how to get real support

by Sara Rose Masland & Thea McAfee

Explore: Play

Photo of a person practising golf swings in a cobbled alley with bikes, yellow balls, and a basket in view.
PLAY

The achievement society is burning us out, we need more play

by Alec Stubbs

A person in a yellow jacket skipping stones at the beach during sunset, with calm water and rock formations in the distance.
PLAY

All you need to know to start skipping stones like a pro

by Julie Benda

A film still of a man in a black suit airborne above a white staircase under bright stage lights against a dark background.
DANCE

How the acrobat and choreographer Yoann Bourgeois plays with gravity and time

Directed by Raphael Wertheimer

Black and white photo of a man in a top hat with a watering can seated, woman standing in period attire, vintage interior.
PLAY

What TikTok videos have in common with Victorian parlour games

by Kim Beil & Ryan Tacata

A child in a yellow shirt and red shorts pushing a tire uphill on a steep, gravelly incline against a clear sky backdrop.
PLAY

A cobalt mine becomes an unlikely playground for children in Congo

A film by Francis Alÿs

Photo of people using virtual reality headsets and controllers at a gaming event with a vibrant yellow background.
PLAY

A game is not a game without a special kind of conflict

by Eric Zimmerman

Abstract watercolour painting of figures walking in different directions on a white background.
PLAY

An Oscar-nominated animation that celebrates walking with humans

Directed by Ryan Larkin