Inside the Mind

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

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

If you're watching someone embarrass themselves on TV, it might make you squirm or even change the channel. But hey, at least you're empathetic.

By Julia Layton

Need a neural workout? Satnav devices may be convenient, but they could diminish our abilities for spatial reasoning.

By Jesslyn Shields

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

By John Donovan

Poetry can actually help you heal from traumatic situations. A poetry therapist explains how.

By Kathryn Whitbourne

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

Robert Lamb explores the mental healing power of ambient music and provides you with ambient music recommendations to help you through this, or any, troubled time.

By Robert Lamb

Imagine getting knocked in the head, but the CT scan and screenings turn up nothing, and the doc sends you home still hurting. A blood test could change that scenario.

By John Donovan

Depends on whether it needs to be quick or good.

By Michelle Adelman

Time with animals can improve our mental and physical health, but a study find that even simply looking at pictures of cute animals can help you concentrate.

By Christopher Hassiotis

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

So at least they have that.

By Laurie L. Dove

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

But lots of people think it will. Where did our beliefs about amnesia come from?

By Kathryn Whitbourne

Is handwriting analysis bogus hocus-pocus or a peek into people’s personalities? A new study sheds some light on the practice.

By Karen Kirkpatrick

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

By Alia Hoyt

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

A number of theories explain the phenomenon known as infantile amnesia. But there's more to it than that...

By Laurie L. Dove

Why does everyone remember Monday and Friday but not the days in between?

By Dave Roos

Maybe. A study that wasn't even about kissing turned out to (sort of) give the answer.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Dark, cloudy skies and the drumbeat of raindrops on our windows tend to make people feel sad and forlorn, or at least that's what we have come to assume.

By Patrick J. Kiger

The Scandinavian countries tend to come out on top in the World Happiness Report. But the report doesn't actually ask participants if they're happy. When that question is included, the country rankings are quite different.

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