Mind & Behavior

Mind & Behavior

Study the science of how we think, feel, and act, with insights that help you better understand yourself and others.

There's some, but not overwhelming, evidence that dark energy is evolving. What would it take for a "Big Crunch" to be our cosmic fate?
A color-coded map of Asia shows four migration phases from China, with arrows pointing toward Papua New Guinea and the Andaman Islands, both circled in yellow.
The plan — conquer China and push west to attack the Ottomans — was peak imperial hubris, as the Spanish themselves eventually realized.
An older man sits on a chair gesturing with his hands in front of a blue background featuring a black sinusoidal waveform and an arrow.
Why the most enduring organizations stop chasing trends and start designing systems that prioritize people over processes.
An illustration of an eye outline formed by two black arrows, with a blue Earth at the center where the iris would be, on a textured beige and peach background.
An ode to the data visualization tools that help us see what is too vast, complex, or interconnected for the naked eye — from planetary systems to pandemic trends.
A stylized orange and white face-like shape composed of wavy lines and interconnected geometric patterns on a grid background.
A look at how criminals are using unrestricted chatbots and how cyber defenders are fighting back.
A pencil sketch of a clown with raised arms, wearing a pointed hat and a polka-dot costume, on a blue and off-white background.
It's no wonder great writers swear by messy first drafts.
A collage featuring server racks, a robotic hand reaching for a human hand, and network diagrams, with the text “The Night Crawler” at the top—an homage to Eliezer Yudkowsky’s explorations of AI and human connection.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
The image features the phrase "an excerpt from" on a red background next to the book cover of "Playful" by Cas Holman with Lydia Denworth, highlighting insights from play research.
In this excerpt from "Playful," Cas Holman surveys the research that brought the neuroscience of play into the mainstream.
A close-up of a spotted nudibranch with translucent, pointed cerata on a brown underwater branch against a black background, inviting reflection on the intricate nature of consciousness in marine life.
In this excerpt from "One Hand Clapping," Nikolay Kukushkin makes the case that neurons reveal how memory, meaning, and even consciousness emerge from the same biological roots in humans, sea slugs, and beyond.
A man in a dark coat holds up a signed document in front of a crowd; the document is circled in red.
From Hitler to Hamas, Western powers have repeatedly dismissed open threats as bluffs — with catastrophic results.
A silhouette of a person walks among three large abstract sculptures—one orange, one green, one blue—on a textured gray and white ground, creating a scene of art immersion.
Marine Tanguy — author and founder/CEO of MTArt Agency — argues that viewing and creating art has profound benefits.
Two figures in military gear salute, rendered in white and red with visible brain scans over their heads, set against a black background—a striking nod to the neuroscience of war.
In “Warhead,” neuroscientist and national security adviser Nicholas Wright explains how the brain navigates warfare and why it is our ultimate weapon (and instrument for peace).
Aerial view of two groups of people waiting in line and walking on a paved surface, casting long shadows in the sunlight.
In this excerpt from "Lucky By Design," Judd Kessler explains how opportunity costs shape our choices and why time is the real price we pay.
A book cover titled "All That We See or Seem" by Ken Liu rests on a light background, beside text reading "an excerpt from" on a vibrant purple background.
A preview of the latest novel by the Hugo- and Nebula-winning author.
A yellow bird silhouette reveals a woman sitting on steps using her laptop, symbolizing the watchful presence of AI canaries, set against a dark, patterned background.
Early warning signs show AI is eating into the entry-level job market — a potential harbinger of things to come.
A book cover of "The Art of Spending Money" by Morgan Housel, with the text "an excerpt from" on a blue background to the left—exploring how to be miserable spending money.
In this excerpt from "The Art of Spending Money," Morgan Housel lays out the spending and financial habits guaranteed to end in regret.
Collage with hands shaping dough, overlapping U.S. flags, circular architectural elements, and "THE NIGHTCRAWLER" at the top—reflecting on the AI divide woven into the fabric of American life.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
A man in a dark polo shirt sits and smiles in front of a background with graph lines and stock charts, evoking the analytical style of Buffett and Munger.
A conversation with investor and author Alex Morris on what Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger can teach us about focus, discipline, and building a life that lasts.