Your Internet Brain

Pregnancy

How the Brain Changes During Pregnancy

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on March 31, 2025

Examination of the subject's anatomical brain structure showed dramatic loss of gray matter volume over the course of pregnancy, while white matter tracts showed increases.

Examination of the subject's anatomical brain structure showed dramatic loss of gray matter volume over the course of pregnancy, while white matter tracts showed increases.

Cognition

Do Emojis Bring Writing Back to Its Roots?

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on March 30, 2025

Instead of referring to sounds in an essentially arbitrary way, pictures refer to the world. As such, they require no learning and no translation—making emojis akin to the earlist forms of writing.

Instead of referring to sounds in an essentially arbitrary way, pictures refer to the world. As such, they require no learning and no translation—making emojis akin to the earlist forms of writing.

Artificial Intelligence

AI Embodies Our Education Standards, For Better or Worse

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on February 12, 2025

Educators are the ones who get to decide what will be acceptable for AI. This will be determined via millions of small decisions we make every day about what is acceptable work.

Educators are the ones who get to decide what will be acceptable for AI. This will be determined via millions of small decisions we make every day about what is acceptable work.

Artificial Intelligence

AI Comes Full Circle on the Chessboard

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on December 31, 2024

The history of modern AI is closely associated with chess. But the ancient game has so far been a stumbling block for the most advanced of models of today.

The history of modern AI is closely associated with chess. But the ancient game has so far been a stumbling block for the most advanced of models of today.

Animal Behavior

An Elephant Takes a Shower

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on December 27, 2024

A new study by researchers in Berlin shows that elephants use their trunks in highly dexterous and creative ways to control and play with the flow of water from hoses.

A new study by researchers in Berlin shows that elephants use their trunks in highly dexterous and creative ways to control and play with the flow of water from hoses.

Memory

We Still Don't Know What Memories Are Made Of

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on December 3, 2024

If you are ever able to upload your memory to the cloud, there will have to be proven science that defines the physical basis of memory. Otherwise, why drill holes in your head?

If you are ever able to upload your memory to the cloud, there will have to be proven science that defines the physical basis of memory. Otherwise, why drill holes in your head?

Denial

The Danger of Denying Reality

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on September 29, 2024

When people don't accept simple facts, are they finding a clever way of expressing their beliefs?

When people don't accept simple facts, are they finding a clever way of expressing their beliefs?

Artificial Intelligence

Is AI Really a Threat to Higher Education?

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on September 17, 2024

When handheld calculators were invented, schools around the world didn't stop teaching basic math. The same is likely to be true for whatever AI ends up being good for.

When handheld calculators were invented, schools around the world didn't stop teaching basic math. The same is likely to be true for whatever AI ends up being good for.

Grit

Is Failure Really Good for Us?

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on September 14, 2024

We won't necessarily "fail better."

We won't necessarily "fail better."

Environment

The Fraught Relationship Between Fertility and Agriculture

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on September 22, 2023

The adoption of agriculture led to large increases in fertility in ancient Mesopotamia. Today, the reverse could be happening due to pesticides.

The adoption of agriculture led to large increases in fertility in ancient Mesopotamia. Today, the reverse could be happening due to pesticides.

Race and Ethnicity

Do We Really Perceive Other-Race Faces Differently?

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on September 20, 2023

Being among people of different ethnicity, you might feel you can't tell individuals apart. But this is because they are unfamiliar, not because they are a different ethnicity.

Being among people of different ethnicity, you might feel you can't tell individuals apart. But this is because they are unfamiliar, not because they are a different ethnicity.

Neuroscience

Decoding Pink Floyd in Your Brain

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on September 18, 2023

It is old news that scientists can read out aspects of your internal conscious experience by recording neural signals. But one new study is still a remarkable achievement.

It is old news that scientists can read out aspects of your internal conscious experience by recording neural signals. But one new study is still a remarkable achievement.

Neuroscience

How Sunglasses Protect and Affect Your Eyes

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on June 28, 2023

For a thousand years, and probably much longer, humans have made contraptions to shade their eyes from bright light.

For a thousand years, and probably much longer, humans have made contraptions to shade their eyes from bright light.

Animal Behavior

Why Sharks Will Sometimes Attack People

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on June 12, 2023

In the rare cases where sharks attack humans without provocation, what goes wrong? To answer this question, we need to examine the shark's sensory world, especially its vision.

In the rare cases where sharks attack humans without provocation, what goes wrong? To answer this question, we need to examine the shark's sensory world, especially its vision.

Artificial Intelligence

Could ChatGPT Be a Cognitive Prosthesis?

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on June 7, 2023

Chatbot artificial intelligence may never be reliable enough to help people of typical or high intelligence. But could it still help the least cognitively able?

Chatbot artificial intelligence may never be reliable enough to help people of typical or high intelligence. But could it still help the least cognitively able?

Artificial Intelligence

Think ChatGPT Is Smart? Ask It to Do Arithmetic

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on March 14, 2023

Chatbot AI has advanced, but it won't be reliable soon—or perhaps ever.

Chatbot AI has advanced, but it won't be reliable soon—or perhaps ever.

Stress

The Psychological Risks of Cancer Screening

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on February 6, 2023

Cancer is a major killer, despite much progress in treatment. Just receiving a diagnosis can cause depression and stress, which may lead to death before the cancer itself can kill.

Cancer is a major killer, despite much progress in treatment. Just receiving a diagnosis can cause depression and stress, which may lead to death before the cancer itself can kill.

Attention

If You Need a Break, Just Blink

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on January 9, 2023

The neuronal changes triggered by blinking might just be a way to escape the pressures of the world, however briefly.

The neuronal changes triggered by blinking might just be a way to escape the pressures of the world, however briefly.

Artificial Intelligence

What Psychology Means for the Future of Self-Driving Cars

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on December 14, 2022

Even if technical challenges can be overcome, the feeling of autonomy granted by driving may prove to be something we don’t want to give up.

Even if technical challenges can be overcome, the feeling of autonomy granted by driving may prove to be something we don’t want to give up.

Teamwork

Why Do Humans Make War?

Daniel Graham, Ph.D. on December 6, 2022

No other species wages large-scale war the way we do. Why do we kill our kind so frequently, and how does our species yet survive?

No other species wages large-scale war the way we do. Why do we kill our kind so frequently, and how does our species yet survive?