Isn't storytelling a bit magical? It can take us to worlds we’ve never seen, make us feel emotions we never thought we’d feel, and imagine things that go beyond the scope of this universe! A good story can completely absorb you, transporting you to another life entirely. Whether it's a captivating novel, an inspiring TED talk, a moving film, or even a bedtime story, storytelling has the powerful ability to capture our attention and touch our emotions.    Today we’ll focus on

In 1943, two psychologists, Clark Hull and Kenneth Spence, proposed a drive theory to explain all types of human behaviour. According to their theory, a drive is an instinctual need that has the power to motivate an individual's behaviour. [1] Although it's an old concept, today we’ll be talking about it from a new perspective, that is, our need to engage in physical activity. Imagine you are relaxing on the couch after a long day, and suddenly, you feel the urge to go for a

Love is more complex than just feeling butterflies in our stomachs or googly eyes across the dinner table (though those are a part of the package). Although poets seemed to have figured it out ages ago (or so they lead us to believe), love is a multi-dimensional phenomenon which is only now beginning to be understood by scientists and researchers.     If you’re reading this blog on the day it is published, it is most likely the 14th of February 2024 for you, also known as Val

Have you ever found yourself lost in the strokes of a painting, tapping your foot to the rhythm of a catchy tune, or feeling a surge of emotions while watching a powerful dance performance? It turns out that art can do wonders for your mental health! Engaging with art through painting, music, dance, or storytelling provides a unique outlet for self-expression and emotional release. The best part is that art is accessible to everyone!     Research has shown that the prevalence

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has ventured into the realm of creativity, giving rise to a fascinating intersection between neuroscience and art. As AI algorithms generate intricate and captivating pieces, a profound question arises: How do people perceive art created by machines, and what insights can neuroscience and traditional art perspectives provide?     The Neural Alchemy of AI Art     Artificial intelligence, particularly in

At the end of every 24-hour cycle - it’s the beginning of a new day, after every 30 days or so - a new month, and after every 365 days - a new year. Humanity has broken down time into endings and beginnings ever since we have existed. One such ending/beginning just passed by as we welcomed the year 2024! Without getting into the semantics of what qualifies as ‘a new year,’ I want to pull focus towards a much more daunting question- did time really go by? And is your brain awa

What do you think of when you hear the word Christmas? Joy? Santa? Presents? Mariah Carey’s song - All I Want for Christmas Is You? Over the last few decades, Christmas has transcended its origins as a Christian holiday and has become a global phenomenon celebrated by people of various religions and nationalities. Christmas is no longer a single day marked on the calendar, rather, it has metamorphized into a celebratory spirit.     What if I told you that in 2015, neuroscient

What if I told you that the changing seasons affect your mood? As autumn, the season which has long been associated with love, romance, and joy, is replaced by the coldness of winter, our mood too changes, and not necessarily for the better. The first time I heard that winter could push people into depression, I didn't believe it. After all, the seasons are consistently shifting, and they do it every year. How could this affect someone so strongly? It isn’t as if winter is go

Music is an art form we are all bound to discover, it is all around us. It can be a blessing in disguise – an auditory experience, fulfilling our pursuit for peace in an arrhythmic journey of life. From the sound waves that are perceived by our eardrums, to these waves being converted into an auditory stimulus, to the complex network of neurons that get activated by them, the entire process of listening to music has been studied to understand its effects on our brains.    Lis

Art, from a neuroaesthetics perspective, induces a complex interplay of cognitive, emotional, and sensory processes in our brains. It is not merely the manifestation of creativity but a portal into the intricate workings of the human mind. It is challenging, if not impossible, to define art in specific terms because everything can be art from a certain perspective. Before we ponder the nature of art, let’s try to understand something that we can perhaps attempt to define - ae

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you decided to put headphones on and drown out the world with music, or felt like writing a poem was the only way you could process your feelings, or gone back to watch a comfort show or film when life is stressing you out? I think it’s safe to say that we have all used art to cope with or process what life throws at us at some point in our lives. Indulging in art in those moments isn’t pointless, and actual research backs up the fact th

As the instrument that allows us to perceive our fragile human existence, it’s no wonder that the human brain is an incredibly complex black box that we might never understand. It is the seat of our thoughts, emotions, and memories - a complex network of neurons firing in exquisite harmony (more or less!). Yet, at the same time it is also extremely delicate and vulnerable to innumerable neurological diseases and disorders that can rewire who we fundamentally are.      In our

Neuroscience is a subject that has always fascinated me, but I never imagined that I would actively get involved with it. It always seemed too intimidating and intense, and honestly, it wasn’t my first choice. While I loved every aspect of science a lot, for as long as I can remember, I had my heart set on becoming an astrophysicist and following in Carl Sagan’s footsteps. I was well on my way to doing so too, by studying astrophysics at Boston University, but a host of extra