The Human Brain

A new study shows that IQ levels have been falling since 1975, reversing a 20th-century trend.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Researchers at the University of California finally have a scientific answer to this ages-old battle.

By Cherise Threewitt

Could manipulating the human brain's desire for sweet foods lead to new weight control methods and better treatments for eating disorders?

By John Perritano

Some kids have a lot of talent in music, art or math. Then there are those who are gifted beyond belief.

By Dave Roos

A woman who gave birth posthumously also had a hole in her skull from a procedure to treat a pregnancy-related complication.

By Jesslyn Shields

And that might make it kind of tricky to pretend you're paying attention.

By Amanda Onion

Why do some people become more aggressive, even violent, after they've had a few drinks?

By Jesslyn Shields

In the absence of sound waves in the air, your brain will try to fill in the silence.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Stuff To Blow Your Mind's Joe McCormick joins Stuff They Don't Want You To Know to talk the controversial theory of the bicameral mind.

By Diana Brown

Our instincts may tell us to do certain things — and to avoid others — but we often don't listen. Is this wise? How do we know when to obey our instincts?

By Alia Hoyt

A new study shows that belief in perceiving patterns correlated strongly with belief in conspiracy theories and the supernatural.

By Alia Hoyt

Rabid fans may seem crazy, but there can be good reasons why they go all out for their favorite celebrity, sport or TV show.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

We often think that if a drug has been studied by scientists and given a favorable outcome, then it must be safe and proven. But many kinds of biases can creep into a study, rendering it less than effective.

By Patrick J. Kiger

A series of studies showed that including the word 'sorry' in a rejection actually made the rejected person feel worse.

By Alia Hoyt

Although left-handed people were thought to be "sinister" or "unnatural" in previous eras, we now know that left-handedness is natural for 10 percent of the population. And it can have some advantages over right-handedness too.

By Alia Hoyt

An extensive study looks at personal space in 42 countries, and how weather affects preferences.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Do we have a tendency to walk clockwise around the block? Why do sports favor counterclockwise rotation? Does it have anything to do with handedness or driving habits?

By Laurie L. Dove

Forgetfulness may seem like an undesirable trait, but new research shows that memory loss is an essential brain function that can make us smarter.

By Shelley Danzy

A new study reveals that anything more than a moderate amount of charisma in a leader actually may interfere with his or her effectiveness.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Researchers have shown that THC in marijuana alters the structure of the brains in older mice to be more like brains of younger mice. Could the same be true for humans?

By John Perritano

Humans do a lot of guessing to make sense of the world, even though we now have books and the internet to help us. So how do we get better at guessing?

By Alia Hoyt

People on both left and right in the U.S. were unwilling to learn about the others' views, even for pay, according to a new study.

By Alia Hoyt

It's hard to be a night owl in an early bird world, especially when your genes are working against you.

By John Donovan

Israeli researchers have managed to erase fear-inducing memories in mice by weakening the connection between the brain's amygdala and cortex.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Research suggests the human brain is wired to distinguish the rhyme and rhythm of verse from ordinary prose, and to react to literary contemplation.

By Patrick J. Kiger