Inside the Mind

While most psychologists believe that brainwashing is possible under the right conditions, some see it as improbable or at least as a less severe form of influence than the media portrays it to be. So how does someone get brainwashed?

By Julia Layton & Alia Hoyt

Stress is just around every corner for most of us these days. Reducing it requires you to learn the various types of stress, their different causes and how to deal with them.

By Betty Burrows

To achieve stability despite quick eye movements, the eyes take before and after shots of an image and compare them. Now, scientists may have finally discovered how.

By Julia Layton

Learn the physiological processes that trigger a coma, how an actual coma differs from television depictions and how often people awaken after months or even years of being in a coma.

By Stephanie Watson

People with face blindness" can see facial features just fine; if they were looking at a face they could describe to you what it looks like. But they cannot retain a memory of it. In severe cases people don't even recognize their own face when they look in the mirror. Learn what face blindness is all about.

By Julia Layton

Medical examiners are attributing an increasing number of deaths while in police custody to a syndrome called excited delirium. The problem is, there's no proof this syndrome exists.

By Julia Layton

Human beings have always found ways to ward off the effects of sleep deprivation. The newest wake-up pill has all of the benefits of caffeine and amphetamines with none of the down sides.

By Julia Layton

The trials of being a lefty are numerous. You jostle for elbow room at the table, use scissors that feel funny in the hand and are teased for writing oddly. But do beleaguered lefties get the last laugh in sports?

By Robert Lamb

It's commonly believed that that grandpa has more knowledge than his young whippersnapper of a grandkid. But do wrinkles on the face really relate to wrinkles on the brain?

By Molly Edmonds

Think about how you would describe yourself to a stranger. Would you emphasize your keen sense of humor or physical features you're fond of? Or would you spend more time on supposed "trouble spots"? Your answer largely depends on your mental picture.

By Cristen Conger

So you're at a family dinner, and your uncle stands up and dramatically announces that he has a brain tumor. How does he know? Because he researched his frequent headaches on the Internet.

By Emilie Sennebogen

It doesn't exactly seem like something the human body would do, let a large portion of itself go to complete waste. Is it true that most of your brain is on permanent hiatus?

By Patrick J. Kiger & Austin Henderson

Three weeks of hard work. Is that all it takes to kick your smoking habit, taste for junk food or serial inability to stop hitting the snooze button? Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it?

By Julia Layton

Your little brother might think it's funny to put a rubber snake in your pocket or jump out from a closet in a dark hallway, but your heart rate might disagree. Is it possible to be scared out of both your wits and your life?

By Molly Edmonds

Happiness is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, it can also be elusive due to stress or depression. However, strategies abound that you can use to trick yourself into being happy. Ready for 10 of them?

By Josh Clark & Jessika Toothman

We need food for sustenance and nutrition, but we also eat for pleasure. We like the way some things taste, and enjoy the experience of eating, but can food actually make us happy?

By Josh Clark

Clowns might seem to have more foes than friends, but these entertainers are a key part of laughter therapy in hospitals. There is increasing evidence that a few hearty chuckles can help you along the road to recovery.

By Molly Edmonds

Traditional psychology has proven effective in studying and treating mental illness. However, some in the field want to study what makes patients happy instead of what makes them miserable.

By Josh Clark

Exercise, hot peppers, sex: All of these things are said to give you an endorphin rush. What's the science behind this chemical high -- and how do you keep it going?

By Tom Scheve

We've all heard of a "sixth sense" and extra-sensory perception. So how many ways can we actually sense the world around us?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Every animal sleeps -- some more than others -- but why they do it is a mystery to scientists. Is sleep more than just beauty rest? Could skimping on it kill you? And how much do you really need?

By Marshall Brain

The term IQ typically refers to a score on a test that measures someone's cognitive ability. What does this test constitute exactly? And does it accurately measure intelligence?

By Alia Hoyt

Kanye West says he says sees music in color. Other people can hear words that make them taste a particular flavor, or they actually feel another person's pain. Welcome to the world of the synesthete. It's a stimulating one.

By Kate Kershner

A man in Cornwall, England, went 11 consecutive days without a wink of sleep. Find out how he did it, why he did it and why you shouldn't give it a try.

By Jacob Silverman

Addictions to substances such as drugs and alcohol have ruined the lives of people all over the world. Read about current views and ideas on addiction.

By Josh Clark & Sascha Bos