Sound Science: Where Did That Noise Come From?
An audible activity from Scientific American
Cognition3088 articles archived since 1845
How Knowing a Foreign Language Can Improve Your Decisions
Thinking in another language changes how people weigh their options
Do We Care About Future Generations?
New research finds that we tend to care more about the success of future generations when we are faced with our own mortality. Christie Nicholson reports
Birth of Flight
The Early Years of the Airplane
What the Supercool Arctic Ground Squirrel Teaches Us about the Brain's Resilience
During hibernation, the ground squirrel's brain loses many vital neural connections, but it has evolved a way to recuperate. Understanding that process might help scientists treat Alzheimer's
How the Brain Views Race
Research on the link between implicit race preference and brain activity could be used to prevent unintended consequences of race bias
Panamath
Test your inborn ability to intuitively size up the number of objects in your everyday environment
How You Feel What Another Body Feels
Empathy's surprising roots in the sense of touch
Some Skill Sleep Learning May Work
Hearing material while sleeping that you've already learned may improve sensorimotor skills related to the execution of the material. Christopher Intagliata reports
Confusion Helps Us Learn
It may be a good thing to be confused during the learning process. Christie Nicholson reports
Rats Laugh, but Not Like Humans
Do animals other than humans have a sense of humor? Maybe so
Toothy Expressions Grab Attention
People looking at a crowd more readily spot those faces that show teeth, whether smiling or snarling. Sophie Bushwick reports
Did You Ever Wonder Whether Rats Laugh?
A neuroscientist explains how he discovered serendipitously the guffaw of a rodent
When Men Are Less Moral Than Women
If males feel their masculinity may be at stake, they are more likely to cut ethical corners
America Needs to Study Fractions
Recent research finds that a solid grade school knowledge of fractions and long-form division accurately predicts later success in high school math. Christie Nicholson reports
Do Brain Scans of Comatose Patients Reveal a Conscious State?
Scans allow a researcher to communicate with people previously written off as unreachable and offer hope in identifying those who might respond to rehabilitation
Of 2 Minds: How Fast and Slow Thinking Shape Perception and Choice [Excerpt]
In psychologist Daniel Kahneman's recent book, he reveals the dual systems of your brain, their pitfalls and their power
Quiz: How Nice Are You?
Answer these 10 simple questions to find out if you benefit from being highly agreeable
How to Age Well
The importance of letting regrets go
Another Perspective on Massive Brain Simulations
This excerpt from a leading neuroscientist's book on the brain's intricate connections levels a critique at the prospects for the Human Brain Project, profiled in the June issue