Inside the Mind

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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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

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

By Kathryn Whitbourne

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

By Laurie L. Dove

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

By Kathryn Whitbourne

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

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

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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

Your brain is more than a recorder of memories. It's also an editor of them — cutting out some bad parts, expanding some good ones, maybe even changing the story line over time. In what ways does your memory betray you?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

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

By Alia Hoyt

Ever tried to get your child, spouse or friend to do something by telling them to do the opposite? That's reverse psychology. But how often does it work?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

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

By Dave Roos

The nausea and dizziness that result from a concussion are bad enough. On top of those symptoms, do you have to worry about dying if you fall asleep?

By Laurie L. Dove

Pain is subjective — what is excruciating to you might be tolerable to me. Which is why it's so difficult to measure and control.

By Jennifer Sellers

What does it feel like to get a concussion? What are the mental and physical effects of this injury? And how can we best diagnose and treat them in the future?

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The human brain might just be Pandora's box. Will we like what we find when we really take a look? It might just depend on how you interpret the data.

By Kate Kershner

You've probably experienced that moment where you're driving, get lost, turn down the radio, and then think, "Why did I just do that?"

By Maria Trimarchi

Nostalgia, contrary to centuries of common knowledge, appears to be a good thing. A really good thing.

By Julia Layton

Christian Sager interviews Dr. Jennifer Watson on how parts of the brain affect why we are the way we are. Learn more about your physiological personality in this interview from HowStuffWorks. Music: Land on the Golden Gate - by: Chris Zabriskie

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Why does the experience of sleep paralysis often summon explanations of demonic visitations? Visit the place where dreams and reality overlap, and where science and myth attempt to interpret our hallucinations.

By Robert Lamb

Have you ever met someone with a unique first name, and then all of a sudden you hear the name everywhere you turn? That's the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon at work. How did it get that handle?

By Kate Kershner

Are you someone who likes to be social, but also values a little alone time? Are you sometimes critical of yourself? You are? Amazing! So how did we guess without actually knowing you? Welcome, friends, to the Forer effect.

By Kate Kershner

Does your brain experience the kind of back-ups you see during your commute? Or are your neurons prone to road rage?

By Bambi Turner

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Intelligence tests are not often accurate measures of intelligence. Learn more about intelligence tests and some of the more inaccurate ones in this video from HowStuffWorks.

The same characteristics that help turn songs into earworms also help our brains store important bits of information. Why does the human brain love mad rhymes?

By Laurie L. Dove