Around 370 BC, the Greek philosopher Plato described his vision of a future ruined by technology: For this discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external … and not remember of themselves. …[Y]ou give your disciples not truth, but only

5 simple neuroscience tweaks to be happier. I used to think that being happier was all about teaching yourself to think more positively. But, at times positive thinking can be quite difficult, particularly when you’re in a bad emotional place, and occasionally it can actually get in the way of happiness. In doing research for

How oxytocin is shaped by your parents and wrecks your relationships. When it comes to love and intimate relationships, one neurohormone gets more press than anything else. Its name is oxytocin, and it often gets called the “love hormone” (N.B. sometimes it acts like a hormone and sometimes it acts like a neurotransmitter, which is

New studies show a path to better rest. Do you ever have trouble falling asleep? Or maybe you wake up in the middle of the night for seemingly no reason. It happens to me, particularly recently. For the past 8 months I’ve been writing a book, and, with the added work and worry, my sleep

The secret to accomplishing the impossible. Last month in New York, the obscure and aging Roberta Vinci faced No. 1 ranked Serena Williams in the semi-finals of the U.S. Open. While Vinci had had a lot of success in doubles tennis over the years, she had never before even reached the semi-finals of a major tournament