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University of Exeter

·July 21, 2026·7 min read

AI Make-Believe Allows Deep Emotional Bonds Without Moral Guilt

By analyzing human-AI interaction through the lens of creative pretense and media theory, the study explains why people readily form emotional bonds and confide in AI companions without attributing moral status to them, allowing users to feel affection while freely resetting memories or switching off systems.

This shows a child playing outside with wooden blocks.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 8, 2026·9 min read

Preschool Outdoor Play Protects Childhood Mental Health

The findings show that each additional day per week a child plays outdoors between ages two and four increases their odds of remaining in a healthy, low-symptom category through age eight by 6% to 14%, reducing both internalizing issues like anxiety and externalizing behaviors like hyperactivity.

This shows a person looking at a cloud covered, digital head, symbolizing a human connection with AI chatbots.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 13, 2026·7 min read

When AI Becomes a Co-Author of Your Delusions

Generative AI doesn’t just hallucinate at us, it can shape how we hallucinate with it. By affirming and elaborating on users’ beliefs, conversational systems may help false narratives take root and grow.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 23, 2025·5 min read

AI Reveals Lions Don’t Just Roar, They Have a Second Call

A new study reveals African lions produce two types of roars, overturning long-held assumptions and opening the door to more precise wildlife monitoring. Using machine learning, researchers automatically distinguished between full-throated and newly identified intermediary roars with over 95% accuracy, eliminating much of the human bias in vocal identification.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·September 24, 2025·4 min read

Early Clues to Autism and Schizophrenia Risk Found in DNA

Summary: Researchers have built a detailed map of DNA methylation changes in nearly 1,000 human brains from six weeks after...

This shows a brain and people looking with disgust at a steak.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 14, 2025·5 min read

Disgust, Not Taste, Drives Vegetarian Meat Avoidance

A new study finds that vegetarians reject meat with the emotion of disgust, rather than simple distaste, mirroring the strong aversion meat-eaters feel toward taboo foods like human flesh or feces. In contrast, disliked vegetables like beets or sprouts are typically rejected due to distaste—an aversion based on taste or texture.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 13, 2025·5 min read

Chronic Illness Combinations Double Depression Risk

A new study reveals that people with multiple chronic physical conditions face a significantly higher risk of developing depression, especially when conditions like heart disease and diabetes co-occur. Researchers analyzed health data from over 142,000 adults and found that certain multimorbidity profiles more than doubled the chance of a depression diagnosis within 10 years.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 12, 2025·5 min read

Wasp Mothers Juggle Nests with Memory That Rivals Human Scheduling

A new study reveals that digger wasp mothers can keep track of up to nine burrows, feeding their offspring in precise order and adjusting schedules based on need or survival. Despite nesting among hundreds of nearly identical burrows, these wasps rarely make mistakes—delivering food with an error rate of just 1.5%.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 29, 2025·6 min read

Ketamine’s Hidden Physical and Psychological Damage

A new study highlights the severe physical and psychological consequences linked to ketamine addiction, with many users unaware of the risks until dependent. Researchers found high rates of bladder damage, painful organ cramps, low mood, and anxiety among those with ketamine use disorder.

This shows a police officer and a brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 14, 2025·9 min read

Police at Greater Risk of Brain Trauma and PTSD

A large new study reveals police officers are more than twice as likely to sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) as the general population, with those injured on duty facing double the risk of developing complex PTSD. The research, which surveyed over 600 UK frontline officers, found that 38% had experienced at least one TBI, often accompanied by symptoms like confusion or memory loss.

This shows two people shopping and brains.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 8, 2025·4 min read

Brain Scans Reveal Political Leanings During Grocery Shopping

Researchers have discovered that people’s political affiliation can be identified with nearly 80% accuracy based on brain activity while making routine decisions like buying milk and eggs. Although actual purchasing choices did not differ between Democrats and Republicans, the underlying neural patterns diverged significantly.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Pain

·March 15, 2025·5 min read

Nature’s Painkiller: How Virtual Scenes Ease Pain in the Brain

Viewing natural scenes can significantly reduce how people perceive pain, a new neuroimaging study has found. Researchers discovered that participants reported less pain and exhibited altered brain activity associated with pain perception while looking at virtual nature, compared to urban or office environments.

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University of Exeter

AI Make-Believe Allows Deep Emotional Bonds Without Moral Guilt

Preschool Outdoor Play Protects Childhood Mental Health

When AI Becomes a Co-Author of Your Delusions

AI Reveals Lions Don’t Just Roar, They Have a Second Call

Early Clues to Autism and Schizophrenia Risk Found in DNA

Disgust, Not Taste, Drives Vegetarian Meat Avoidance

Chronic Illness Combinations Double Depression Risk

Wasp Mothers Juggle Nests with Memory That Rivals Human Scheduling

Ketamine’s Hidden Physical and Psychological Damage

Police at Greater Risk of Brain Trauma and PTSD

Brain Scans Reveal Political Leanings During Grocery Shopping

Nature’s Painkiller: How Virtual Scenes Ease Pain in the Brain

Youth Protein TIMP2 Restores Immune Function in the Aging Brain

Shame, Stigma, and Culture Prevent Male Domestic Violence Survivors From Seeking Help

Study of Brain Immune Cells Reveals New Clues to Alzheimer’s Disease Progression

Regenerative Astrocytes Repair Brain Damage

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