Psychology
Study finds exactly how long people want to live: it isn’t forever
Most people prefer a shorter life if they have dementia, chronic pain, or are a burden to their families.
ChatGPT forces us to ask: how much of “being human” belongs to us?
Large language models have been trained on massive amounts of “natural” human language — just like us. Does this make the robots part human?
Molecule reduces inflammation in Alzheimer’s models
A potential new Alzheimer’s drug represses the harmful inflammatory response of the brain’s immune cells, improving cognition in tests.
An enormous study links intelligence and personality in surprising ways
A database containing over 1,300 studies from across the world establishes reliable relationships between personality traits and cognitive abilities.
A magnetic therapy for depression gains precision
Approved over a decade ago, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) could be effective if the treatment was tailored to individual brains.
20% of Americans have anxiety. NYU expert’s “consciousness theory” explains why.
Sensations of anxiety evolved to protect us. This system goes awry when you perceive immediate danger that isn’t really there.
An ancient technique can improve your attention span
According to neuroscientist Amishi Jha, 12 minutes of mindfulness training a day strengthens your attentional systems.
“5 stages of grief” is a myth — and knowing that helps us better cope with loss
The “monomyth” model of grieving offers closure and recovery, but in most traditional cultures the dead never leave the living.
“I’ve been here before”: DMT study explores a strange memory phenomenon
DMT can induce a sense of profound familiarity, making users feel as if they have entered an alternate reality they have visited before.
What lies beneath our irrational decisions
In new book, an MIT scholar examines how game-theory logic underpins many of our seemingly odd and irrational decisions.