The Mind

The Mind

Conceptual illustration of a woman looking at her reflection.

The Mind

Brain, think on thyself

What the science of self-awareness can tell us about confident decision-making

By Tim Vernimmen

Illustration of a guide pulling back a veil of trees, showing the path ahead, as another person walks through a forest.

The Mind

Looking for an ADHD coach? Choose carefully

As diagnoses surge, so does an unregulated coaching industry

Two yellow-colored bodies on the side of an image send out branches that join in the middle.

Living World

Tales of a very clever slime mold

In its quest to feed, avoid nasty substances and just generally live its life, the brainless, one-celled Physarum polycephalum performs some impressive tricks of learning and memory

Society

Recreating the smells of history

Using chemistry, archival records and AI, scientists are reviving the aromas of old libraries, mummies and battlefields

Photo, with shading, of a young woman holding an infant in her arms. She is leaning against the wall with a despairing look in her eyes.

The Mind

Postpartum depression: Better remedies, and now a predictive blood test

Scientists are learning more about this leading complication of childbirth. Treatments are improving and doctors can test for biological markers that flag heightened risk.

Conceptual collage shows a bar chart, police line tape, dollar signs and the shape of a human target.

Society

Property crime and violent crime have different solutions — here’s why

Addressing poverty helps to curb thefts and burglaries, but offenses like assaults and shootings need more innovative approaches

Illustration shows a handshake with money changing hands, and watching eyes.

Society

Corruption: When norms upstage the law

People with good motives may engage in bribery and worse depending on what society expects of them. A political scientist explains.

Illustration of men sitting in a room in a circle.

The Mind

Can a shift in strategy reduce intimate partner violence?

New research, innovative programs and emboldened advocates are challenging decades-old conventions about how to respond to domestic abuse

Conceptual illustration in dark blue tones shows a woman on her knees next to a smashed window; a chair is lying on its side behind her.

Health & Disease

Unsafe at home: The misery of intimate partner violence

Public health researchers explain the levers that can reduce — or worsen — this global blight. A bright spot: There are more data than ever on strategies that can help.

A collage including children tattling, an old-fashioned telephone, an advertisement for a tip line, a pointing finger, police with a detainee, a mugshot and a woman blowing a whistle.

Society

See something, say something? The science of speaking out

From tattling to whistleblowing, a sociologist explores what drives people to tell on one another

An illustration shows a silhouette of a man’s head with the brain highlighted, with viruses and DNA strands around the figure.

Health & Disease

How rogue jumping genes can spur Alzheimer’s, ALS

Our genomes are peppered with DNA segments called retrotransposons that can move from place to place. When unleashed, some can kill nerves and promote inflammation — a discovery that may inspire treatments for neurodegeneration.

Health & Disease

How stress shapes cancer’s course

Studies show psychological strain can accelerate tumors — could beta blockers slow them down?

Collage featuring a brain, hippocampus, rabbit and neuronal activity.

The Mind

It began with a rabbit: Unraveling the mystery of memory

Half a century after the discovery of long-term potentiation, we’re still learning how the brain remembers

Two people conversing. Their speech bubbles contain short interjections.

The Mind

Huh? The valuable role of interjections

Utterances like um, wow and mm-hmm aren’t garbage — they keep conversations flowing

The Mind

Speech interjections aren’t throwaway lines

PODCAST: Turns out, the best listener isn't quiet, as our host learns in a chat with two linguists. All those ums, ohs and mm-hmms have unexpected value.

Photo of a white-faced capuchin raising its arm and sticking out its tongue.

Living World

Meet the capuchin monkey: Curious, creative and vengeful

UCLA’s Susan Perry has devoted decades to studying the fast-motion life of these New World primates and learning how the young acquire the skills they need to thrive

Photograph of a couple sitting on a couch. They are reading quietly.

The Mind

Quiet couples: Alone time together

The right kind of silence can be golden, revitalizing and strengthening a relationship

Nine human silhouettes are depicted as tiled mosaics with patches of darker and lighter colors.

Health & Disease

We are all genetic mosaics

Picture your body: It’s a collection of cells carrying thousands of DNA errors accrued over a lifetime — many harmless, some bad, and at least a few that may be good for you.