While creating an empathetic robot is a long-held dream, understanding whether humans genuinely empathise with robots should—in theory—be easier. Now, a team of scientists have analyzed fMRI brain scans to reveal that humans have similar brain function when shown affection and violence being inflicted on both humans and robots. Read More >>

One late evening in the early summer of 1981, lying sleepless in my student bedsit at the top of a house in Manchester, I became aware of a pattern of bright flashing lights on the wall. All I could see through the curtainless window on the opposite side of the room was a strip of rather cloudy night sky. The vivid flashing was coming from within, or perhaps behind, a bank of cloud. As I continued to watch, an object materialised from within the cloud, advancing until it stood in plain view in the night sky. Read More >>

You've almost certainly seen the dancing gorilla video which demonstrates the theory of change blindness — a phenomenon which means we don't see changes we're not expecting. Now, an updated experiment shows that the same may be true of radiologists analysing CT images. Read More >>

Technology pervades our lives. But while many writers argue that such a phenomenon should see us rebel and take time away from our gadgets to experience some national "real life", Nathan Jurgenson has other ideas. Instead, as he sees it, there is no offline any more. Read More >>

The internet is different things to different people: a social hub, gigantic reference library or, for some, a place to seek solace. In fact, research shows that the way depressed individuals use the internet is dramatically different to the norm—and the findings could help diagnose depression earlier. Read More >>

Running, swimming, cycling: ugh, they're all so much effort. Wouldn't it be just great if you could magically boost your motivation to exercise? Well, soon you might be able to, because scientists have discovered a compound that could do just that. Read More >>

Facebook, with its 900 million users, is a social scientist's wet dream: a huge number of participants, all offering up rich streams of personal information. Obviously that hasn't escaped Facebook's attention, which is why it has its own team of social scientists analysing all of our data — and, on occasion, experimenting with us too. Read More >>

The human brain is a weird old thing. When confronted with a new, uncertain situation, it virtually always abandons careful analysis, and instead resorts to a host of mental shortcuts—that almost always lead to the wrong answer. Turns out, the smarter you are, the more likely you are to make such mistakes. Read More >>

"Awesome" is a word which is thrown around liberally these days. But a new study suggests that things that inspire awe—that is, a feeling of respect mixed with fear or wonder—actually help make you a better person. Read More >>

For many people, a decision to lose weight isn't just made because of the obvious health advantages, but to change the way people think about them. So it's a shame that new research suggest that, in the minds of friends and family, a fat person is always fat, regardless of how much weight they lose. Read More >>

Looks can be deceptive. If you want some proof, consider a new study which analyses the actions of aggressive-looking males. Turns out, men with angry, violent faces are actually far more likely to makes sacrifices for their close friends. Read More >>

Many of us like to think that we're honest, upstanding individuals and that it's a minority of society that actually lowers itself to lying and cheating. But researchers are finding that, actually, we're not as virtuous as we think — and we all lie a little to make things swing in our favour. Read More >>

Men, it seems, are sadly predictable creatures. A new study suggests that males are physically attracted to women who are psychologically vulnerable — that is to say, immature, depressed, or unintelligent — though that doesn't necessarily convert into a desire for a long-term relationship with them. Read More >>

If you've ever felt uneasy about making a financial transaction that seemed somehow unfair, you'll know that it's not just your brain telling you something's bad. Instead, if you have a shred of compassion, you'll have a racing heart, queasy stomach and sweating palms. Turns out, though, those factors can override rational thought in the decision making process. Read More >>

It often seems like a lot of people sure love talking about themselves. But now scientists are working out why we love to brag, and it turns out it's not really our fault: talking about yourself provides the exact same sensation as great food, money and sex. Read More >>