The Human Brain

What are dreams really made of? Are humans the smartest animal? What causes schizophrenia? Travel inside the mind and find out how the human brain works.

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People who hallucinate typically see, hear, feel, smell or otherwise experience things that simply aren't real. Often, these sensory fake-outs indicate a serious medical condition.

By Alia Hoyt

Many of Sigmund Freud's well-known theories have been discredited by modern psychiatry. Does that include the Oedipus complex?

By John Donovan

A new year is always a good time to set new goals. We've come up with five healthy changes that have been scientifically shown to improve your well-being.

By Dave Roos

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ASMR has become a pop phenomenon and scientists are trying to figure out why some people love those tingling-inducing videos and others can't stand them.

By Nathan Chandler

Researchers from Penn State University College of Medicine suggest that a shared circuit in the brain could be one reason why heavy drinking and high-fat 'junk food' cravings go hand in hand.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Despite our best intentions, sometimes we just make bad choices. Is it possible to fight your own worst instincts? Only if you can spot these flaws in your decision making process.

By Tom Scheve

Actually it doesn't. You may think you're skilled at "multitasking" but chances are you aren't working on two things at exactly the same time. What's really going on and why is multitasking not a good idea?

By Alia Hoyt

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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

You could call dopamine the most misunderstood neurochemical in the brain. It's allegedly the cause of people getting addicted to drugs, chocolate or video games. But what does really dopamine do?

By Patrick J. Kiger

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

By Dave Roos

Is your first memory of lying in a crib? You may want to revisit that. A new large study found that nearly 40 percent of participants had a first memory that was improbably early.

By Alia Hoyt

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Roller coaster junkies rejoice: Riding these coasters could be a safe way to deal with your addiction to endorphins.

By Alia Hoyt

The noises that others make - be it walking, chewing or breathing heavily - are very noticeable to us. Yet we seldom hear it in ourselves. Why is that?

By Alia Hoyt

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

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Ever walked from your kitchen to the living room to find your phone and then forgotten what you were looking for once you got there? Researchers think your brain is hard-wired to undergo precisely that process of forgetting.

By Nathan Chandler

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It happens to politicians, beauty queens and regular folks. Brain farts, that is. But, why?

By John Donovan

There are a lot of ways mental real estate can be allocated. Neanderthals evolved their big brains in a different way than we did - and you see where that got them.

By Jesslyn Shields

Depends on whether it needs to be quick or good.

By Michelle Adelman

Yuo cna raed thsi rgiht? Probably, but that doesn't mean a popular internet meme on the topic is totally accurate.

By Laurie L. Dove

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While 90 percent of murderers are men, female murderers differ from men in motive, method, circumstance and victim, according to a new Swedish study.

By Jesslyn Shields

Folklore says heavy or spicy food before bedtime can cause nightmares. Surprisingly, there's been no real study of this - until now.

By Alia Hoyt

Politicians and celebrities often lie or exaggerate claims that can be easily verified, but why?

By Alia Hoyt

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You've been looking forward to your European vacation for months. But the first few days of your trip, you're grouchy, exhausted and brain dead. Is there some way to prevent or cure jet lag?

By Patrick J. Kiger

People often make vision boards at the start of the year. Some swear by vision boards for making their dreams come true. But is there any science to back that up?

By Alia Hoyt