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Aalto University

·May 14, 2025·4 min read

Does AI Have Free Will? New Study Says We’re Getting Close

A new study argues that some generative AI agents meet all three philosophical criteria for free will: agency, choice, and control. Drawing from theories by Dennett and List, researchers examined AI agents like Minecraft’s Voyager and fictional autonomous drones, concluding that they exhibit functional free will.

This shows people using AI to design a robot.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 9, 2025·7 min read

Seeing Is Believing: How We Judge AI as Creative or Not

New research shows that people perceive AI systems as more creative when they observe not just the final product, but also the creative process and the robot in action. In a set of controlled experiments using identical drawings, participants consistently rated creativity higher the more they saw of the act itself.

This shows a child in a VR headset and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 25, 2025·6 min read

Virtual Reality Reveals Hidden Brain Patterns in Kids With ADHD

Researchers used a virtual reality game and functional MRI to uncover how children's brains with ADHD respond differently during active tasks. Unlike traditional brain scans taken during rest, this immersive approach revealed distinct patterns of neural communication in ADHD, especially in deeper brain structures.

This shows the change in the anger body map.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 4, 2024·5 min read

Angry Feet: How the Emotional Body Map Changed Over Time

Researchers analyzing 1 million Akkadian words from ancient Mesopotamian texts revealed unique insights into how emotions were experienced in the body. While many emotions align with modern perceptions, the ancients notably linked happiness to the liver and anger to the feet, contrasting with modern experiences in the chest and hands.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 8, 2024·5 min read

Tracking Daily Habits’ Lasting Effects on the Brain

A unique study tracked one person’s brain activity and behavior over five months, revealing how daily habits like sleep, exercise, and mood can impact the brain for days. Researchers found that brain connectivity adjusts over time, influenced by heart rate, respiration, and physical activity, with even minor mood shifts leaving lasting effects. For instance, heart rate variability during rest strongly correlated with brain connectivity, highlighting how stress management and relaxation impact brain wiring.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 26, 2024·4 min read

How Different Types of Love Activate the Brain

A new study explores how the brain responds to various forms of love, from parental to romantic, using advanced imaging techniques. Researchers found that love for one’s children generates the most intense brain activity, especially in the reward system.

This shows a woman in a VR headset dancing.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 29, 2024·4 min read

New VR Technique Enhances Dance Learning

Researchers developed a groundbreaking virtual reality technique called WAVE to enhance the learning of dance choreography. The technique uses a wave-like visualization of model dancers, enabling learners to anticipate and execute dance moves without prior rehearsal.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 30, 2023·3 min read

Virtual Meeting Fatigue Driven by Boredom and Mental Underload

New findings challenge the notion that fatigue from virtual meetings stems from mental overload. Instead, the research indicates that sleepiness during such meetings is linked to mental underload and boredom, especially among those less engaged in their work.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 19, 2023·5 min read

Mapping Love: Study Charts How Love Feels in Our Bodies

Researchers unveiled a groundbreaking "map" of how different types of love are physically and mentally experienced throughout the body. Through a survey involving 27 distinct love forms, results showed a continuum from weaker to stronger love sensations.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Visual Neuroscience

·May 23, 2022·5 min read

Retinal OFF Ganglion Cells Allow Detection of Quantal Shadows at Starlight

A small group of retinal cells, known as OFF ganglion cells, can detect small dips in light levels and appear to be responsible for shadow detection.

This drawing shows a brain on a computer monitor

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·April 19, 2022·9 min read

Artificial Intelligence to Assess Dementia Risk and Enhance the Effectiveness of Depression Treatments

Using MEG data, a new AI algorithm called AI-MIND is able to assess dementia risk and the potential effectiveness of treatments for depression, researchers say.