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Your Wise Brain

Practical insights into happiness, love, and wisdom from psychology, neuroscience, and Buddhism.
by Rick Hanson, Ph.D.
Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, author, and teacher with a great interest in the intersection of psychology, neurology, and Buddhism. See full bio

Your Wise Brain

February 6, 2010

Taking In The Good

Scientists believe that your brain has a built-in "negativity bias." In other words, as we evolved over millions of years, dodging sticks and chasing carrots, it was a lot more important to notice, react to, and remember sticks than it was for carrots. Read More

September 30, 2009

5000 Synapses in the Width of a Hair

How much change in the brain makes a difference in the mind?

That's the issue raised by a very interesting comment regarding my previous blog, "The Brain in a Bucket." Read More

September 29, 2009

The Brain in a Bucket

Have you ever seen a real brain?

I remember the first time I saw one, in a neuropsych class: the instructor put on rubber gloves to protect against the formaldehyde preservative, popped the lid off of a lab bucket, and then pulled out a brain. Read More

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Books by Rick Hanson, Ph.D.

Image of Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
Image of Mother Nurture
Mother Nurture

Neuroscience Basics

The human brain has been called the most complex object in the known universe, and in many ways it's the final frontier of science. A hundred billion neurons, close to a quadrillion connections between them, and we don't even fully understand a single cell.

Go to the Neuroscience Basics page for more on Neuroscience including:
  • How We're Wired
  • Brain Boosts
  • Brain Drains
Go to Neuroscience Basics

Current Issue

Heartbreak and Home Runs: The Power of First Experiences

How early life experiences shape our character.