“Our conscious awareness is everything. And the fact that it's still so mysterious to scientists and to all of humanity, the fact that it's still one of the great unsolved mysteries makes it something that everyone can be excited about and that inspires awe in everyone.”

Having explored the Mariana Trench, the summit of Everest, and the edge of space, Victor Vescovo knows what awe feels like in its most dramatic forms. What surprised him most was how often that same feeling appears in everyday life.

From neuroscience to philosophy, experts reveal why compassion may be the most important human skill we have.

“The idea is that we move from a place of wanting the world to conform to what we like [towards] not needing other people to be different from who they are.”

Philosophy asks if free will is real. Neuroscience reveals why the answer is more complicated than we expected.

How can the brain — a piece of matter — love? Physics and chemistry explain the material world, but they can’t explain why it feels like something to be alive. This is the mystery of consciousness, according to these experts.

Everything you experience is filtered through your brain, and everyone’s brain is different. Neuroscientist Christof Koch explains how understanding this can deepen your connection to the world around you.

“You can be aware of sadness from a point of view that is not merely sad, and you can be aware of fear from a point of view that's not merely afraid.”

What happens when the boundaries of “you” disappear? James Fadiman, PhD, Jamie Wheal, and Matthew Johnson, PhD explore how supported experiences with psychoactive drugs can dissolve identity and reveal a deeper reality.

“We can make ourselves more likely to be happy by building a life that includes the conditions that make for happiness.”

"The sense that we are a solid entity, an unchanging entity that exists someplace in our body and takes ownership of our body, and even ownership of our brain rather than being identical to our brain, that is where the illusion lies."

"You can't possibly exaggerate how much better it is to live in a peaceful, orderly society, and to be wealthy, and healthy, and surrounded by people who you love."

“We know that as little as 10 minutes of walking can improve your mood, getting that bubble bath with the dopamine, serotonin, endorphins going. Anybody can do that.”

"We're awash in lies and misinformation to a degree that was not possible before we got the internet and in particular before we got social media."

“Many people get stuck in feeling responsible for their psychological state, and there's a way in which simply being with whatever uncomfortable emotions rather than believing that you are controlling them can be extremely beneficial for psychological wellbeing.”

Challenging the loneliness stigma can change your life. Here’s how to start.

Psychologist Daniel Goleman on how to train your brain with just ten minutes a day.

Pathologically busy people clamoring for happiness. Founder of HATCH Monica Parker explains how we can do so much better than that.

Enlightenment: After the ecstasy, the laundry. Why enlightenment is never an end in itself.

Eastern religion meets Western psychology: meet the Harvard professor who’s also a Zen priest as he explains how to relieve suffering using both faith and neuroscience.

The best orgasms come when you learn how to unlock a sexual “flow state.” Emily Nagoski, a sex educator, shares a meditation to help you get started.

Scientists can't define spirituality. But we can study its healing effects, says this Columbia psychologist.

Spirituality declines, depression rises. Is there a link?

“What you pay attention to, is your life.” Where do you place precious brain resources?

Stress shrinks your brain. Neuroscientist Lisa Genova explains how to strengthen it.

Psychologist Daniel Goleman shares what he learned by studying the brain waves of Olympic-level meditators, and his findings are unprecedented.