Surprising Science

Introduction to the Optimized Brain, with Steven Kotler Flow is technically defined as an optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and we perform our best. Steven Kotler […]

A groundbreaking study suggests you probably could.

Dr. Travis Bradberry argues why your day at the office would do better without that cup of joe — it’s killing your performance.

An Italian doctor is blazing a trail toward the first human head transplant, capitalizing on new medical techniques that can keep a patient alive during the operation.

Leigh Buchanan takes readers into a deep-dive on the psychology behind productivity and why it matters to be mindful of your future self.

Swedish researchers have established a link between excessive drinking and scoring poorly on intelligence exams.

When vaccine skeptics are presented with statements about the benign nature of vaccines, they double down on their skepticism rather than softening their bias.

We unconsciously mimic those we are trying to impress. Most of the time this copycatting works to our advantage (e.g., in job interviews). But what happens when that person comes off as cold?

How does one test how the human mind will react to the isolation of space travel? Send them to Antarctica.

Variations in Asian climates may have pushed the carriers of the Black Death into Europe, according to new research.

An in-depth look at the fine line between bad writing and “bullshitting” in psychology.

Good news for coffee drinkers across America: a U.S. government-appointed panel of scientists has found three to five cups a day doesn’t pose any long-term health risks.

A set of 48 galaxies observed by astronomers in New Mexico appears to be uber-saturated with dark matter. This means they could be what are called “failed galaxies.”

Our personalities tend to shift in the face of adversity, particularly during periods of unemployment.

Rather than focus on not doing something you shouldn’t do, create a new habit to override the old, bad one.

New research indicates babies born of teen dads have an increased risk of birth defects.

Nature’s games aren’t all “red in tooth and claw” competitions. Evolution also contains cooperation. And Game Theory provides the tools (“behavioral telescopes”) to show how cooperation can improve evolutionary fitness. 

Grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park are rising almost a month ahead of schedule, though it’s uncertain if this case should be listed as an effect of climate change or an anomaly.

You may not know it, but your subconscious can do arithmetic, according to a recent study — a find that contradicts the popular view among psychologists.

Researchers have found concerning evidence that shows how midnight snacking could contribute to a decline in memory and learning.

There may be some connection between excessive shopping and hunger, and some researchers think it can extend beyond grocery stores to non-food items.

Paris-based startup NewWind R&D has built a prototype of a wind turbine that emulates a tree. The design allows for even the lightest wind to be utilized.  

For older adults, music or background noise may hinder their efforts to focus on putting names with faces, according to a recent study.

The list of 200,000 Mars One hopefuls has been whittled down to 660 lucky people. So, what kind of people would make the final roster? Crazy-intelligent risk takers.

The design of a product — how easy it is to pick up and hold — may influence our choices in the grocery store more than we think.

The results of a new study estimate that 5 to 13 million tons of plastic trash end up in the ocean each year. The empirical evidence has experts wondering where most of it has ended up.

Reading about otherworldly events tickles our brains in a way researchers couldn’t imagine — namely in the part of our brains where we process emotion.

The US Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine, and National Research moved to abandon aggressive geoengineering techniques in a new report.

Medical professionals say low self-esteem and not feeling “man enough” are driving men’s dogged attempts to achieve a lean and muscular body.

Researchers were interested to know whether grassy areas, playgrounds or asphalt lots influenced children’s activity levels.