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…
Psychological abuse leaves real trauma effects
Psychological abuse and coercive control are linked to PTSD, depression, and measurable trauma-related brain changes. The evidence is strong, but it does not show identical or permanent damage in every survivor.
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
Five simple brain habits can help leaders unlearn bias and lower conflict
Leaders often carry unconscious bias, meaning fast, automatic judgments about people that operate outside awareness. The Inc. piece distills five…
Pausing five seconds before reacting can prevent most relationship fights
Recent psychological research demonstrates that taking just a five-second pause during tense moments in a relationship can significantly reduce aggression…
Our sense of now is a best guess the brain builds from the recent past
Our experience of the present is not a direct readout of the world. Signals from the eyes and other senses…
Bilingual brains show structural changes, and multilingual teams may innovate more
Research in brain imaging links bilingual experience to changes in brain structure. Studies using MRI report denser grey matter in…
Chronic stress alters the brain, but recovery is possible
Chronic stress can alter memory, fear, mood, and sleep circuits in the brain. That matters because these changes can raise anxiety and cognitive strain, but the evidence does not show permanent damage in everyone.
AI unveils how the brain predicts thoughts and processes information
Researchers at FAU have used AI to analyze brain activity, uncovering that spontaneous brain signals (local field potentials) help predict…
Level 3
Memory rejuvenation restored recall in mice
An EPFL Neuron study found that brief OSK gene activation in memory-trace neurons improved recall in aged and Alzheimer's-model mice. The result suggests some memory decline may reflect aging neurons rather than erased memories, but it does not show human memory restoration.
A fully synthetic scaffold grows brain-like tissue without animal coatings
UC Riverside researchers report a fully synthetic scaffold that grows functional brain-like tissue without animal-derived materials or added biological coatings.
Long COVID brain fog linked to a change in brain cell receptors
Long COVID brain fog linked to higher AMPA receptors on PET scans; new study points to a biological marker and possible AMPAR-targeted treatments.
Spinal cord ejaculation study reshapes sex research
A 2025 mouse study found that spinal cord neurons help shape sexual arousal, pacing, and ejaculation. It does not show that the spinal cord replaces the brain or that the same mechanism is proven in humans.
Scientists study near death events, but proof of life after death is still missing
Near death reports now meet modern tools in hospitals. We see short windows of organized brain activity while the heart is stopped, and we see rare moments of mental clarity before death. These observations keep the debate open, but they do not prove life after death.
AI enables first recorded 20-minute interactive exchange between humans and a humpback whale
An artificial intelligence system has enabled humans to engage in a 20-minute interactive exchange with a humpback whale, marking a…