Thanks to modern neuroscience, we can understand the brain processes that take place we encounter some visual illusions. Explore this collection of popular illusions and find out how they work.
Tag Archives: Health & Medicine
Ukraine war refugees: Swansea Covid field hospital beds donated
Former field hospital beds are being repurposed for Ukrainian refugees in Wales, an effort that allows more families to stay together. Read about the impact this immigration has had on the Welsh population and child bed poverty.
As climate worsens, environmentalists also grapple with the mental toll of activism
Environmental activism is hugely important, but so is mental health. Learn how a courageous new wave of activists reconcile the two.
What it’s really like to have autism
Listen to Ethan Lisi discuss autistic behaviors and debunk stereotypes.
City Unveils Campaign to Improve Girls’ Self-Esteem
An innovative New York City program seeks to protect girls from developing a negative body image.
The Power of Introverts
Nobel-Prize winner Albert Einstein was one. Susan Cain presents her ideas about the value of introverts. She argues that though many people today prize being social and outgoing, being contemplative and quiet should also be encouraged and celebrated. Listen to her TED talk or read the transcript.
Macbeth’s curse: study identifies link between sleeplessness and paranoia
Shakespeare’s line, “Macbeth doth murder sleep”—and his guilt-ridden, sleepwalking Lady Macbeth—made a link between psychological distress and troubled sleep. Recent research shows that the Bard was onto something.
The Pandemic Has Shaken Students’ Sense of Themselves
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected young people and their sense of how they fit into society?
How to Stop Discarded Face Masks from Polluting the Planet
Combatting the coronavirus has increased production of surgical masks, creating a potential environmental hazard. Read about the risks and ways to protect the planet.
Is Hypnosis Real?
In this short column, a doctor dispels myths about hypnosis to finally answer that age old question: Is hypnosis real?
UN endorses world’s 1st malaria vaccine as ‘historic moment’
Learn about why this vaccine is so important for children in Africa.
More ‘disease’ than ‘Dracula’—how the vampire myth was born
Historians still aren’t quite certain of vampires’ origins, but they have theories. Read more to find out what they are.
The Silent “Sixth” Sense
Proprioception is the way the human body remains aware of itself, even in darkness. Learn more about this mysterious and fascinating function of the brain in this article.
5 Real-Life Examples of Fairy Tales Coming True
Turns out some of the afflictions in well-known fairy tales can be scientifically explained.
What the ‘Lyme wars’ can teach us about COVID-19 and how to find common ground in the school reopening debate
Lyme disease, which people get from tick bites, is a subject of controversy in the medical field. What can we learn from this controversy that might help people deal with disagreements about COVID-19 and reopening schools?
Holocaust survivor denounces French protesters who compared COVID-19 vaccines to Nazi horrors
Survivors and loved ones of victims of the Holocaust recently pushed back against protesters who trivialized it.
COVID-19 Has Resurrected Single-Use Plastics—Are They Back to Stay?
Measures to safeguard public health during the coronavirus pandemic might jeopardize hard-won environmental protections against waste from single-use plastics. Read this article to find out more.
Olympic Organizers Say They’re Ready for COVID-19 Risks, but Japan’s Doctors Are Wary
The 2020 Olympic Games were postponed for a year to limit COVID-19 transmission. Should they be postponed again? What are the risks and rewards?
Searching the Brain for the Roots of Fear
Do you know the difference between fearing something and worrying about it? How do things that probably won’t do us any harm come to symbolize threats? This commentary from Joseph LeDoux, the director of the Emotional Brain Institute and a professor of neural science, describes the problems that arise when fear turns to anxiety.
How Culture Shapes Emotions
Our emotions, such as shame, are largely determined by the environment and people in which we are surrounded.