As high school students, we often believe that our intelligence and education will protect us from making errors. However, research shows that this is not always the case. In fact, greater intelligence and expertise can sometimes amplify our mistakes. This phenomenon is known as cognitive miserliness, where we rely too much on our gut feelings and are swayed by irrelevant information and our own emotions. This can lead to poor financial decisions, falling for fake news, and even polarized political views. However, there are techniques we can use to avoid these thinking traps, such as arguing against ourselves, self-distancing, mental time travel, and fine-tuning our emotional awareness. By learning about these concepts and implementing them in our lives, we can become more effective critical thinkers and decision-makers, both in our personal and academic lives.

Do you see social connections where others don't? A Dartmouth study shows our brains respond more strongly to information interpreted as social versus random. Previous studies relied on labels assigned by researchers, but this study uses a subjective approach based on participants' own perceptions. The results demonstrate a bias towards perceiving information as social, with participants more likely to declare random animations as social than vice versa. The findings could help us better understand autism spectrum disorder and gain a more nuanced understanding of social perception.

IQ tests have been used for decades to measure a person's intelligence, but is it really an accurate measure of intelligence? IQ tests measure abstract logic, which can be influenced by early childhood experiences, education, and nutrition. It's important to note that IQ is not the same thing as intelligence. Emotional intelligence, practical intelligence, long term memory, and wisdom are all forms of intelligence that IQ tests do not measure. While IQ tests can be useful in measuring abilities in math, science, and computer science, it's important not to rely solely on IQ as a measure of intelligence. The good news is that IQ can change with practice, education, and environmental conditions. So, don't let a low IQ score discourage you. Keep learning and growing, and remember that there is more to intelligence than what is measured on an IQ test.

Unlock Your Brain's Potential: Boost Your Learning Speed by Matching Brainwave Rhythms! Cambridge researchers have discovered that entrainment, a simple technique that matches the brain's natural rhythm, can enhance cognitive skills and support lifelong learning. By syncing with our brain's alpha waves, this technique can triple the learning rate and increase our capacity to absorb new information. The possibilities of brainwave entrainment are endless, from enhancing virtual reality training for pilots and surgeons, to helping children with attentional deficits in the classroom.

As we go through life, time seems to speed up, and we wonder where the time has gone. But did you know that our perception of time is a psychological construct? Our brain edits the signals it receives from our senses before serving up a final story to our conscious perception. This means that we're all living a little bit in the past, and what we think is happening right now has already transpired some time ago, probably in the ballpark of about half a second ago. Seeking novelty is the key to slowing down time, and it can be as simple as putting your wristwatch on your other hand. By engaging your brain in new ways, you have more footage to draw upon, and it feels like your life is lasting longer. Learning more about how our brain perceives time can help us appreciate the present moment and make the most of our time.

Flow is a state of highly focused mental and physical control where nothing else seems to matter. It occurs when your perceived skill level and the challenge at hand are equal, and you are fully in control of your mind and body. Being in a state of flow is usually associated with high-level athletes, but it's something anyone can achieve. From playing an instrument to carrying out a complex operation, flow is a state that can be achieved through setting mastery-oriented goals, immediate feedback, and challenging yourself. When you achieve these goals, set yourself more challenging targets to remain in flow. Being in a state of flow will make you feel confident in everything you do, and there will be no negative thoughts coming in, allowing you to perform to your best each time. Achieving flow will help you focus on the present, be an active learner, and aid the development of future goals and targets necessary to achieve your desired outcome.

Want to know how our brain distinguishes "right" and "wrong" sounds? A team of neuroscientists at NYU have uncovered the mystery behind our ability to learn complex audio-motor tasks like speaking or playing music by studying the brain activity of mice.

Music is the universal language of mankind, and Harvard scientists have just published the most comprehensive scientific study to date on music as a cultural product, which examines what features of song tend to be shared across societies. Over a five-year period, the team hunted down hundreds of recordings in libraries and private collections of scientists half a world away, and their database, The Natural History of Song, contains nearly 5,000 descriptions of songs from 60 human societies. The team's most ambitious study yet about music was published in Science this week, representing a major international collaboration with musicians, data scientists, psychologists, linguists, and political scientists.

How did Richard Feynman, a young boy with an unremarkable academic record, become a Nobel Prize-winning physicist? Can modern psychology help us understand the makings of genius? Explore the origins of brilliance and the best means of cultivating it through the Genetic Studies of Genius led by Lewis Terman. Discover the lucky combination of fortunate circumstances, grit and determination, and limitless curiosity that can pave the way for exceptional achievement.

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to effortlessly come up with creative ideas while others struggle to think outside the box? It turns out that there is a scientific explanation behind this phenomenon. The field of neuroscience has been studying the brain's creative processes, and the findings are fascinating. First, let's define creativity. It's not just about making art or music. Creativity is the ability to generate original and useful ideas. It involves thinking divergently, which means thinking beyond what is obvious and exploring many possible solutions to a problem. So, how does the brain generate creative ideas? One theory is that the brain has a default mode network, which is a set of brain regions that become active when the mind is at rest. This network allows the brain to make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas, leading to creative insights. Another theory is that creative thinking is linked to the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive functions such as planning and decision-making. Studies have found that the prefrontal cortex is more active when people are engaged in creative thinking. In addition, research has shown that certain chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, play a role in creativity. These chemicals are released when the brain is in a state of arousal, such as during a challenging task or a new experience. Leading academics in the field of neuroscience of creativity include Dr. Rex Jung, who studies the brain basis of creativity and Dr. Mark Beeman, who focuses on insight and creative problem-solving. Innovations in the field include fMRI scans and EEGs, which allow researchers to see the brain in action during creative tasks. In conclusion, the science of creativity is an exciting and rapidly evolving field. By exploring this topic, you can not only improve your own creative abilities but also gain a deeper understanding of the human brain and what makes us unique as a species. So go ahead, unleash your creative brain!

Did you know that we may have around 20 or more senses, not just the traditional five? Our brain is constantly engaged in the act of perception, analyzing, synthesizing and interpreting all the data generated by our senses. Perception can use bottom-up processing, where the brain relies on analyzing sensory data, or top-down processing, where past experiences are used to make a best guess about what might be there. However, this type of processing can result in mistakes. Our ability to navigate the world is entirely dependent on the complex mechanisms which interpret all the noise our senses make and give it meaning. Learning about perception and the different ways our brains process information can help us understand how we experience the world around us. It can also help us appreciate the complexity of the human brain and how it shapes our perceptions.

Are you curious about how the rhythm of language impacts our daily lives? A recent article in BBC explores the power of rhythm in everything from our daily routines to our interactions with others. Discover how rhythm connects us to the world around us and how it can be used to soothe, communicate, and even tie societal members together. Whether you're a lover of music, language, or just interested in exploring new ideas, this article is a must-read!

Lovecraftian horror is a unique type of terror that responds to the rapid scientific progress of our era, using scientific elements to lend eerie plausibility. Rather than recognizable monsters or graphic violence, the terror in Lovecraft's fiction lies in what's not directly portrayed, but left instead to the dark depths of our imagination. Lovecraft's protagonists often stumble onto hints of the existence of the Great Old Ones, beings that exist beyond our conceptions of reality, whose true forms are as inscrutable as their motives. Even indirect glimpses of them are enough to drive them insane. The Cthulhu Mythos, named after Lovecraft's infamous blend of dragon and octopus, is a shared universe adopted by a wide variety of authors, often reimagining them from diverse perspectives that transcend the author's prejudices. Learning about Lovecraftian horror will inspire you to independently explore academic topics through reading, reflection, writing, and self-directed projects.

Can robots that respond to disasters and dangerous situations prompt us to be more prosocial? Research from Stanford Graduate School of Business and the University of Macau reveals that helpful robots don't inspire people and can even demotivate them to help others. Find out why and how this can impact the future of human-robot interaction.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a perfect memory? In the short story "Funes, the Memorious," Jorge Luis Borges explores just that. His character, Ireneo Funes, remembers everything he has ever seen in perfect detail, rendering him unable to think beyond the overwhelming details. Borges was a master of exploring infinity, and his literary style of "lo real maravilloso," known in English as Magical Realism, is evident in his body of essays, poems, and stories. He was an avid reader, and his image of paradise was an infinite library, an idea he brought to life in "The Library of Babel." Borges' work also explores the idea of condensing all of time into a single moment, as seen in "The God's Script." Reading Borges can give you a glimpse of infinity and inspire you to explore the depths of your own imagination.

As high school students, have you ever wondered if what you see is really what is out there or if your brain constructs its own version of reality? The Ames Illusion, devised by American ophthalmologist Aderlbert Ames Jr. in 1934, demonstrates how our assumptions about the world can lead us to perceive things inaccurately. By assuming that the room is box-shaped and that the back wall is perpendicular to the line of sight, we are fooled into thinking that objects are the same size when they are not. Learning about perception and illusions like the Ames Illusion can help you develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of how the brain processes information. These skills can be applied to many fields, from science to art, and will help you navigate the world with a more discerning eye.

Exercise can improve cognitive and mental health, but specific intensities over a long period affect different aspects of memory and mental health. Moderate exercise improves episodic memory, while high-intensity exercise improves spatial memory. Sedentary individuals perform worse on spatial memory tasks. Mental health also affects memory performance, with anxiety and depression linked to better spatial and associative memory. The study provides insight into designing exercise regimens to improve cognitive performance and mental health.

How babies learn language within hours of birth? A recent study published in Nature Human Behaviour has found that newborns can start differentiating between natural and slightly unnatural speech sounds in just a few hours after birth. The study, which involved measuring changes in oxygen levels in the babies' brains while exposing them to different vowel sounds, sheds new light on the rapid learning process of the infant brain. This study highlights the importance of sensory experiences in infancy and the potential for nurturing creative abilities from an early age.

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a genius? How do they come up with their brilliant ideas? How do they solve complex problems? If you find these questions intriguing, then a career in Cognitive Sciences might be the perfect fit for you! Cognitive Sciences is the study of the mind and its processes, including perception, attention, memory, language, and decision-making. It is an interdisciplinary field that draws on psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy, and computer science to understand how the brain works. As a Cognitive Scientist, you will have the opportunity to explore the fascinating world of the human mind and its relation to behavior. You will conduct research, analyze data, and develop theories to explain how the brain processes information and how this relates to behavior. One of the most exciting aspects of this field is the potential to make a real impact on people's lives. For example, Cognitive Scientists have developed therapies to help people with mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. They have also created tools to improve memory and cognitive function in aging populations. Typical duties of a Cognitive Scientist include conducting experiments, analyzing data, presenting findings, and collaborating with other researchers. There are many areas of specialization within Cognitive Sciences, including cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, computational linguistics, and artificial intelligence. To become a Cognitive Scientist, you will typically need a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Neuroscience, Linguistics, or Computer Science. Many universities offer undergraduate programs specifically in Cognitive Sciences, which provide a broad foundation in the field. Helpful personal attributes for a career in Cognitive Sciences include a strong analytical mind, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to work well in a team. You should also have a passion for understanding the human mind and a desire to make a positive impact on society. Job prospects in Cognitive Sciences are excellent, with many opportunities available in academia, government, and the private sector. Notable employers include universities, research institutes, pharmaceutical companies, and tech firms such as Google and Microsoft. In conclusion, a career in Cognitive Sciences is a fascinating and rewarding path for those with a passion for understanding the human mind. With excellent job prospects and the potential to make a real impact on people's lives, it is an exciting field to explore. So, if you're curious about the mysteries of the mind, then Cognitive Sciences might just be the perfect career for you!

Have you ever wondered why music has such a powerful effect on our emotions? This Is Your Brain on Music explores the fascinating relationship between music and the human brain, revealing the secrets behind everything from our musical preferences to the way we experience pleasure. Using cutting-edge research in neuroscience and evolutionary psychology, this book offers a unique perspective on the role of music in our lives. Discover the science behind our love of music and the ways in which it shapes our understanding of human nature. Recommended for music lovers, psychology enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the intersection of science and culture. This Is Your Brain on Music offers a fascinating look at the ways in which our brains respond to music, exploring everything from the origins of our musical preferences to the neurological basis of musical pleasure. With insights from neuroscience, psychology, and anthropology, this book is relevant to a wide range of fields and interests. Whether you're a musician, a music lover, or simply curious about the human mind, This Is Your Brain on Music is a must-read.