You wake up in the middle of the night, needing to use the bathroom, but avoid turning on the light to prevent being blinded. Even in an unfamiliar setting like a hotel room, you can find your way through the darkness. But how does the brain manage this? Over the years, researchers have been shedding light on the mechanisms supporting our brain’s ability to remember spatial information.
Aging and aging related disorders like Alzheimer’s are often associated with cognitive decline. But we can all help our brain to prepare for later years by building up our mental reserves across our lifetime.
Research into the therapeutic use of psychedelics is getting more and more attention. The first substances have already been approved for American and European markets. But what’s the current situation? Can we already ask the general practitioner for shrooms on prescription?
What are the promises and risks of digitalization for our brains? To answer this question, The Future of the Mind symposium at the Donders Institute explored the intersection of behavioral and neuroscience, artificial intelligence, ethics, economy, philosophy, and law.
“The secret of happiness is: Find something more important than you are and dedicate your life to it.” This was said by Daniel Dennett, a world-renowned American Philosopher who sadly passed away on 19 April. He certainly followed his own word and left a legacy of his work on consciousness, free will, ethics and artificial intelligence. Let’s explore some of his ideas!
Have you ever wondered about the mysterious workings of the human brain? Scientists have long
The book Surrounded by Idiots tries to explain human behavior by dividing people into four color-coded categories, but completely lacks validity. You are not surrounded by idiots, and let’s now also make sure you are not being the idiot yourself.
What makes a joke funny? What goes on in our brains when we produce or conceive a joke?
The pleasure from reading among youth is declining, and that’s a problem. Promoting reading pleasure early in childhood seems important. But is it really? And how do you promote the reading pleasure of children?
As I was walking through the streets of Manhattan, I experienced what I call the “Times Square effect”: too many things to sense at once. It put me in this contemplation state where I am both fascinated and overwhelmed by my surroundings.
Did I really see that? 
More than sensitive: the brain of highly sensitive people is tuned differently 
Collective and diverse intelligence: something beyond cognitive science 
