Neuroscience has long worshiped the neocortex—the brain’s hub for sophisticated thought. But consciousness may originate ...

In this blog series, we’ve been discussing consciousness and how it relates to various cognitive functions, such as attention, emotions, and self-regulation. While “consciousness” can be defined in ...

As AI and brain technologies develop at a breathtaking speed, scientists are warning that one of the oldest and most ...

Ever since we published our very first issue 123 years ago—yes, we’re old—Popular Mechanics has endeavored to help you understand all kinds of technological marvels, from the tools in your shed, to ...

The brain is a physical organ—that much is clear to everyone. But how do we understand the mind and consciousness—what is it and how did it evolve? Source: Thinkstock Do you think of yourself as ...

As AI—and the ethical debate surrounding it—accelerates, scientists argue that understanding consciousness is now more urgent ...

Can sea slugs form abstract thoughts? Do we dare to see any "purpose" in evolution? Is the subjective just a complicated form ...

What is the purpose of life? There are as many answers to this age-old question as there are people, and they run the gamut from hopeful to nihilistic to, well, nonexistent. Here are just a few famous ...