![An example of the neon color spreading illusion. Here, four black circles are besides each other in a square shape. Each circle contains a series of progressively smaller circles within it. In the center there appears to be a patch of green in the shape of a circle. The background of the whole image is white.](png/livescience_opticalillusion_graphic_leadimagec72e.png)
Studying Mouse Reactions to an Optical Illusion Can Teach Us about Consciousness
A study of mice starts to unravel how the brain gets tricked by a particular optical illusion
Studying Mouse Reactions to an Optical Illusion Can Teach Us about Consciousness
A study of mice starts to unravel how the brain gets tricked by a particular optical illusion
Do Insects Have an Inner Life? Animal Consciousness Needs a Rethink
A declaration signed by dozens of scientists says there is “a realistic possibility” for elements of consciousness in reptiles, insects and mollusks
An Epitaph for Daniel Dennett, Philosopher of Consciousness
Is consciousness nothing more than an illusion? That idea defined the work of Daniel Dennett (1942–2024)
What Philosopher Ibn Sina Can Teach Us about AI
A philosopher who lived centuries before artificial intelligence might be able to help us understand the field's personhood questions
How Do Babies Realize They Can Influence the World?
An infant’s aha! moment may hold secrets to the origins of agency
Consciousness Is a Continuum, and Scientists Are Starting to Measure It
A new technique helps anesthesiologists track changes in states of consciousness
The Strange and Beautiful Science of Our Lives
Nell Greenfieldboyce discusses her new book Transient and Strange, the intimacy of the essays and the science that inspired them.
Understanding Consciousness Goes Beyond Exploring Brain Chemistry
We can account for the evolution of consciousness only if we crack the philosophy, as well as the physics, of the brain
Is Consciousness Part of the Fabric of the Universe?
A theory called panpsychism proposes that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of reality
Prominent Consciousness Theory Is Slammed as Bogus Science
Researchers publicly call out theory that they say is not well supported by science, but that gets undue attention
Some Patients Who ‘Died’ but Survived Report Lucid ‘Near-Death Experiences,’ a New Study Shows
In some cardiac arrest patients, a flurry of brain activity during life-saving CPR may be a sign of a “near-death experience”
What Does It ‘Feel’ Like to Be a Chatbot?
Generative AI has made giant strides toward machine intelligence. Can machine consciousness be far behind?