Neuroscience
U.S. Kids Are Falling behind Global Competition, but Brain Science Shows How to Catch Up
Paid parental leave and high-quality child care improve children’s brain development and prospects for a better future
Stories by Lydia Denworth
Public Health
People in Republican Counties Have Higher Death Rates Than Those in Democratic Counties
A growing mortality gap between Republican and Democratic areas may largely stem from policy choices
Mental Health
A Single, Quick ‘Mindset’ Exercise Protects against Adolescent Stress
Reframing erroneous beliefs alleviates the emotional upheavals that beset young people on the cusp of adulthood
Medicine
How To Treat COVID at Home
Some over-the-counter medications can help symptoms, and there are ways to ease isolation
Psychology
Can’t Buy Me Luck: The Role of Serendipity in the Beatles’ Success
The right combination of variables is needed to achieve a blazing success—one explanation for why there was never a “Kinksmania”
Neurology
Epstein-Barr Virus Found to Trigger Multiple Sclerosis
The research could mark a turning point in the fight against MS
Behavior
How Pandemic Life Mimicked Pioneer Times
Sourdough, seeds, shovels and other basic survival needs made a comeback
Psychology
Making Eye Contact Signals a New Turn in a Conversation
Neuroscientists have uncovered an intriguing subtlety in how we communicate—that is, when we’re not on Zoom
Neurology
Stuttering Stems from Problems in Brain Wiring, Not Personalities
Poor neural connections among areas that control movement and speech may be responsible and could be driven by genes
Behavior
Adolescent Brains Are Wired to Want Status and Respect: That’s an Opportunity for Teachers and Parents
Advances in neuroscience and psychology could lead to real-world benefits in education and mental health
Biology
What Monkeys Can Teach Humans about Resilience after Disaster
Following Hurricane Maria, a Puerto Rican colony of rhesus macaques broadened their social networks. Could humans do the same post-COVID?
Behavior
Conservative and Liberal Brains Might Have Some Real Differences
Scanners try to watch the red-blue divide play out underneath the skull
Behavior
Overcoming Psychological Biases Is the Best Treatment against COVID-19 Yet
In responding to the pandemic, society may be hampered by cognitive and political beliefs that distort judgments and lead to irrational decisions
Behavior
The Biggest Psychological Experiment in History Is Running Now
What can the pandemic teach us about how people respond to adversity?
Policy
A Civil Rights Expert Explains the Social Science of Police Racism
Columbia University attorney Alexis J. Hoag discusses the history of how we got to this point and the ways that researchers can help reduce bias against black Americans throughout the legal system...
Public Health
Masks Reveal New Social Norms: What a Difference a Plague Makes
A 120-nanometer virus makes face coverings de rigueur in places where they were once shunned or against the law
Neurology
How People with Autism Forge Friendships
Most autistic individuals want to and can make friends, though their relationships often have a distinctive quality
Behavior
The Loneliness of the “Social Distancer” Triggers Brain Cravings Akin to Hunger
A study on isolation’s neural underpinnings implies many may feel literally “starved” for contact amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Medicine
A Breakthrough in Genetic Medicine for Rare Diseases
A long-disdained therapy that targets RNA is suddenly achieving spectacular success
Policy
The Significant Problem of P Values
Standard scientific methods are under fire. Will anything change?
