Brain co-opts the body to promote moral behavior, study finds

The human brain may simulate physical sensations to prompt introspection, capitalizing on moments of high emotion to promote moral behavior, according to a researcher.

Does quantum theory explains consciousness?

Just because consciousness is a mystery and quantum theory is mysterious, it doesn't mean they're connected.

'Time' not necessarily deeply rooted in our brains. In the Amazonian rainforest a small tribe have successfully managed to ignore the pressures of time so successfully that they don’t even have a word for it

(Medical Xpress) -- Hidden away in the Amazonian rainforest a small tribe have successfully managed what so many dream of being able to do – to ignore the pressures of time so successfully that they don’t even have a word for it.

Music changes perception, research shows

Music is not only able to affect your mood -- listening to particularly happy or sad music can even change the way we perceive the world, according to new research.

Functional MRI shows how mindfulness meditation changes decision-making process

Neuroimaging research shows that Buddhist meditators use different areas of the brain than other people when confronted with unfair choices, enabling them to make decisions rationally rather than emotionally.

Research shows adult brains capable of rapid new growth

(PhysOrg.com) -- In a paper published in Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, Veronica Kwok, Li-Hai Tan, and their colleagues at the University of Hong Kong, conclude that the adult human brain is capable of new rapid growth when exposed to stimuli similar to what babies experience as they are learning from their environment.

Mothers' hard work pays off with big brains for their babies

Brain growth in babies is linked to the amount of time and energy mothers "invest," according to new research. The study of 128 mammal species, including humans, shows that brain growth in babies is determined by the duration of pregnancy and how long they suckle. The research concludes that the longer the pregnancy and breastfeeding period in mammals, the bigger the baby

Does belief in free will lead to action?

Free will may be an illusion. Yet we persist in believing we are the masters of our fates—and that belief affects how we act. Think you determine the course of your life and you're likely to work harder toward your goals and feel better about yourself too. Think you don't, and you're likelier to behave in ways that fulfill that prophesy.

Keys to long life: longevity study unearths surprising answers

One of the findings that really astounds is that the Longevity Project participants who were the most cheerful and had the best sense of humor as kids lived shorter lives, on average, than those who were less cheerful and joking. It was the most prudent and persistent individuals who stayed healthiest and lived the longest.

We must learn to love uncertainty and failure, say leading thinkers

The planet's biggest brains respond to this year's Edge question: 'What scientific concept would improve everybody's cognitive toolkit?'