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Scientific American Mind Magazine

August 2008

FEATURES

The Secrets of Storytelling: Why We Love a Good Yarn
Our love for telling tales reveals the workings of the mind
By Jeremy Hsu

High-Aptitude Minds: The Neurological Roots of Genius
Researchers are finding clues to the basis of brilliance in the brain
By Christian Hoppe and Jelena Stojanovic

Feature Gifted Children: How to Bring Out Their Potential
Enrichment activities can provide for very bright kids
By Christian Fischer

Feature Borderline Personality Disorder: No Man Is an Island
A new study provides an illuminating look into the brains of sufferers.
By Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg

Feature Subconscious Decisions: Voting in Churches and Buying Designer Labels
Marketing expert Jonah Berger discusses his research on how environmental cues subtly influence our ballots and purchases

Feature Animal Intelligence and the Evolution of the Human Mind
Subtle refinements in brain architecture, rather than large-scale alterations, make us smarter than other animals
By Ursula Dicke and Gerard Roth

Feature The Hidden Power of Scent
Far from being a weak and unimportant sense, our odor-detecting ability is surprisingly acute and shapes our social interactions in ways we do not consciously realize
By Josie Glausiusz

Feature Minding Mistakes: How the Brain Monitors Errors and Learns from Goofs
Brain scientists have identified nerve cells that monitor performance, detect errors and govern the ability to learn from misfortunes
By Markus Ullsperger

Feature Sleep on It: How Snoozing Makes You Smarter
During slumber, our brain engages in data analysis, from strengthening memories to solving problems
By Robert Stickgold and Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen

Depressingly Easy
We nuke prepared dishes rather than growing our own food and machine-wash ready-made clothes rather than sewing and scrubbing. Such conveniences may be contributing to rising rates of depression by depriving our brains of their hard-earned rewards
By Kelly Lambert