Consciousness
In some ways, consciousness is the only thing we can be sure really exists. Our subjective ability to experience things lies at the core of what we would consider the self. Even if the world is really a simulation, your ability to be aware of it and experience it is something you can be sure of.
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A severe brain injury can leave patients unresponsive to stimuli, but they may be more aware than we realize. A new study of brain activity has shown that up to a quarter of unresponsive patients may exhibit “hidden consciousness.” -
For the first time, scientists have found that a tiny region of our brain shuts down to take micro-naps while we're awake. These same areas 'flicker' awake while we're asleep. This could offer pivotal insights into diseases linked to sleep dysregulation. -
Earlier this month, co-founder and CTO Suzanne Gildert left humanoid robotics company Sanctuary AI and her beloved Phoenix robot to focus full-time on AI safety, ethics and consciousness. We spoke to her just weeks before she departed. -
A new Johns Hopkins study, looking at how psilocybin influences a mysterious brain region called the claustrum, is just one of several compelling recent articles shining a light on how our brains generate our experience of consciousness. -
How does psilocybin create a feeling of ego dissolution, and what chemicals in the brain create our subjective sense of self? New Atlas spoke to the lead author on a compelling new study delving into these questions, Natasha Mason, to learn more. -
A new study investigates the strange phenomenon of DMT-induced encounters with bizarre entities. The massive survey finds not only do most people who consume this psychedelic encounter unusual beings, but many atheists leave the experience with new beliefs. -
A new study has uncovered a possible new tool for diagnosing severe brain injuries, with an inexpensive “sniff test” demonstrating the potential to predict those that will go on to regain consciousness further down the track. -
University of Wisconson, Madison researchers have found a kind of "consciousness switch" in a specific area of the brain. When they hit this spot with electrical stimulation, monkeys immediately woke up from an anesthetized state.