Psychedelic Patents are Broken Because the Patent System Is Broken
Pharmaceutical patents are used to extend monopolies, leading to high drug prices, and reduced access. Will the psychedelic industry follow suit?
How Pupil Size Can Reveal What Is—Or Isn’t—Happening in Your Mind
A new study looked to the eyes for a potential test for aphantasia, or the inability to conjure up imagery in the mind.
Can the Clever Use of Old Legal Strategies Thwart Psychedelic Monopolies?
Corporations are going to use IP law to profit from psychedelics. But creative strategies from other industries could help people push back against exclusionary ownership and keep drugs accessible.
People Can Tell How Fast Your Heart Is Beating Just by Looking at You
Participants in a new study could correctly match a person to their heartbeat just by watching a video of their face, raising questions about how we sense what others are feeling.
What Does It Mean to Have a ‘Weird’ Brain in the Age of Neurodiversity?
The words “neurodiversity” and “neurodivergent” are being used widely, from workplace initiatives to social media. But what do they really signify?
Why We Use “lol” So Much
The word rarely means “laugh out loud” anymore, but you probably knew that lol.
The Search for Meaning in a Mysterious Brain Signal at Death
Research on a surge of gamma wave activity at death has been cited as proof your life flashes before your eyes before you die; in truth, no one knows exactly what it means.
It’s Time to Start Studying the Downside of Psychedelics
Before psychedelic therapy and services becomes widely available, there needs to be a better understanding of all the ways these experiences can go wrong.
In Oregon, Psychedelics Regulators Confront Conflicts of Interest
The need for financial—and personal—disclosures is another growing pain for the nascent psychedelics industry.
The Insights Psychedelics Give You Aren’t Always True
The study of false—sober—insights teaches us to be wary of accepting every realization from psychedelic trips without critical thinking.
Why Are Letters Shaped the Way They Are?
Linguistic games and research are revealing a hidden connection between what words look and sound like, and what they mean.
Do Animals Understand What It Means to Die?
Primates carry their dead infants; elephants return to where relatives lay dead. To explain these behaviors, scientists have to answer questions that have vexed philosophers for millennia.