intelligence
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How Aliens We’ve Never Met Could Help Humanity Escape Self-Destruction
Image: ESA Humans have had such a dramatic impact on Earth that some scientists say we’ve kickstarted a new geological era known as the Anthropocene. A fascinating new paper theorises that alien civilizations could do the same thing, reshaping their homeworlds in predictable and potentially detectable ways. The authors are proposing a new classification scheme…
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A Deceptively Simple Test Just Taught Us Something New About Elephant Intelligence
It’s hard to know how smart animals are for the simple reason that they aren’t able to come right out and tell us. Scientists have developed various methods over the years to assess animal intelligence, but a simple new body-awareness test involving elephants may be a promising new tool to add to the arsenal.
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New Study Could Be The Death Knell Of Brain-Training Games
Brain-training programs like the ones offered by Luminosity and LearningRx claim to boost intelligence and even offset the effects of ageing. A re-evaluation of the existing scientific literature on the matter shows that these claims are complete garbage.
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How To Make Your Willpower Stronger, According To Science
The holiday season is over, so it’s time to get serious about your New Year’s resolutions. But those fine intentions are only as good as your self-control. Here’s what you need to know about the neuroscience of willpower — and what you can do to make your will even stronger.