Neuroscience
Insights into the biological foundations of consciousness and the human experience.
Level 1
Virtual avatars rewire body perception and ease trauma through brain plasticity
When people use virtual reality (VR) to embody avatars, such as taller, younger, or more muscular versions of themselves, their…
We create a false self in early life to meet external expectations and cope with childhood experiences – James Hollis
James Hollis explores the psychological and spiritual upheaval of midlife as a necessary and meaningful rite of passage. Drawing from…
Learning a second language early strengthens brain connections and efficiency
Learning a second language is linked to a more efficient brain network. A research team reports that people who speak…
Learning multiple new skills can produce test scores comparable to adults 30 years younger
Older adults who learn multiple new skills simultaneously can achieve cognitive performance similar to adults 30 years younger. A UC Riverside study found that 3 months of intensive learning improved memory, attention, and cognitive control, with gains maintained up to one year later.
Level 2
Introspection provides our most direct contact with physical reality
Some authors argue introspection is our least sensory-mediated access to experience. But introspective reports are not direct neural measurement, and they can be unreliable.
Musical training is linked to better body orientation without vision
In a small lab study, musicians showed less disorientation on a blindfolded stepping task compared to non-musicians.
Flow state explains how deep focus boosts happiness and performance
Flow state is a deep immersion that boosts performance and mood. Learn how to achieve flow state using psychology and neuroscience to get in the zone.
videoHigh brain activity and micro-awakenings explain why some people remember dreams better
High brain activity in the temporo-parietal junction causes micro-awakenings that let some people remember dreams, while deep sleepers forget them.
videoListening to theta binaural beats may help calm and sleep
Binaural beats are a sound effect made by playing two slightly different tones, one in each ear. The brain perceives…
Taking strategic breaks every 90 minutes keeps the brain sharp
An anonymous Redditor claiming to be a cognitive scientist posted the following message in r/Biohackers: As a cognitive scientist, I’ve…
Level 3
AI enables first recorded 20-minute interactive exchange between humans and a humpback whale
An AI-driven study enabled a 20-minute conversation with a humpback whale named Twain. Scientists used call playback to test interspecies communication.
Match your hardest work to your body clock to think better
Most people have a clear internal daily rhythm, called a circadian rhythm, that sets natural peaks and dips in alertness.…
Genes may explain why some people go vegetarian
A large genome-wide association study suggests that the choice to follow a strictly vegetarian diet is influenced not only by…
Japanese teams show MRI can decode simple dream content
For years, headlines said that Japanese scientists built an MRI dream machine. The research is real, but the claim is…
Your brain automatically sorts people into “us” and “them”, but deliberate contact can override it
Our brains come with an ancient, automatic setting that divides the world into insiders and outsiders. Within milliseconds of seeing…
Scientists slow aging in mice by restoring a brain protein called “menin” that declines with age
Scientists have pinpointed a single protein in the ventromedial hypothalamus, menin, that appears to act as a brake on the…