Why it’s good to be a geek
Consuming traditionally “geeky” media has never been more popular. Cinemas worldwide treat us to: Annual Star Wars releases New spin-offs of Harry Potter Marvel and DC hero team-ups Blockbusters based…
What makes our music preferences so personal and revealing?
Have you ever found a song you really loved and excitedly played it to one of your friends, only to get a shrug and an “I don’t see what the…
How roller coasters hack your brain
“Clunk-clunk-clunk… clunk… clunk.” The chain rattles as you make your way up the steel track. Slowly, you pull to a stop 456 feet (139 meters) in the air. The only…
Should you take photos of your vacation?
You’re on a whale-watching boat, and have been for hours. You’ve seen a few puffs of air—or at least you think you have—but not a single whale has breached, and…
How mental training helps athletes get in the zone
What does it take to be an exceptional athlete? What qualities does a person need to excel at a sport, particularly competitive sports? “Strength,” “speed,” “agility,” “stamina,” and other descriptions…
What makes a good prank
A college economics professor[1] has a longstanding policy in his classroom: If your phone rings during class, you have to answer it on speakerphone. The obvious intent of this rule…
Does true altruism exist?
How far would you go to help another person? It’s easy enough to help other people when it costs you nothing, but where things get interesting is when there’s a…
Why what you love reveals who you are
On the most fundamental level, the reason we consume books, movies, and music is to fulfill basic emotional needs. Because our emotional needs are driven by our personalities, people with…