Mind & Brain

When life feels difficult, humor can be a coping mechanism that relieves stress and offers the breathing room to keep going, scientists say

Researchers directed electric current to activate targeted facial muscles and then asked study participants how they felt

Understanding curiosity can help people—and robots—learn faster

Expertise bulks up the brain’s ability to think deeply, a skill that may generalize across tasks

A mysterious electromagnetic mechanism may be more important than the firing of neurons in our brain to explain our awareness

Is your kid in trouble? Blaming their friends is ill advised

Understanding the psychology of ambiguous loss can help people struggling with grief and depression in the wake of the 2024 election results

A heart attack unleashes immune cells that stimulate neurons in the brain, leading to restorative slumber

Scientific American staff and sleep experts share advice on how to get better sleep in the stressful days leading up to the U.S. presidential election—and those that come after

Host Rachel Feltman and behavioral scientist Coltan Scrivner explore our fascination with fear and what drives our obsession with all things spooky.

To heal political division, start with common moral ground, a study suggests

These therapies dampen fears absent direct exposure—no need to be in the room with a live tarantula