On supporting science journalism
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Whether we want to or not, we all age. So it is no surprise that a vast consumer industry exists for all things antiaging— creams, diets, mantras, contraptions, pills, surgeries and legitimate prescription drugs. To be sure, a robust area of scientific research is devoted to the topic. One of the most interesting findings to emerge is that longevity is closely correlated with intelligence. This may be discouraging for those who never graduated from Oxford, considering raw intelligence is a relatively stable psychological trait and not easily amplified by any intervention. But as David Z. Hambrick writes in this issue, your attitude in life may count more than your smarts. A so-called openness to experience brings with it positive behaviors that improve your health and could extend your life (see “In Search of a (Subjective) Fountain of Youth”).
Elsewhere in this issue, Simon Makin explores the ways that ketamine acts in the brain—first by changing brain circuit function and later by triggering the regrowth of brain synapses (see “Behind the Buzz: How Ketamine Changes the Depressed Patient’s Brain”). And Jonathan Pevsner reflects on the genius—and limitations—of Leonardo da Vinci and wonders whether the Renaissance man would thrive in today’s society (see “The Mind of Leonardo da Vinci”). As always, enjoy!