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Scientific American Mind Magazine

October 2008

FEATURES

Bird Brains: Are Parrots Smarter than a Human Two-Year Old?
That might be stretching things but, as an expert on animal cognition discusses, certain birds display startling abilities and intelligence.

Art as Visual Research: 12 Examples of Kinetic Illusions in Op Art
Art and neuroscience combine in creating fascinating examples of illusory motion
By Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen L. Macknik

Putting Thoughts into Action: Implants Tap the Thinking Brain
Researchers are decoding the brain to give a voice and a hand to the paralyzed—and to learn how it controls our movements
By Alan S. Brown

Five Ways Brain Scans Mislead Us
Colorful scans have lulled us into an oversimplified conception of the brain as a modular machine
By Michael Shermer

Tempering Toddler Tantrums Now May Prevent Aggression Later
Emotional outbursts afflict virtually all toddlers. Some children, however, are prone to more violent fits that could—if left unchecked—pave a path toward persistent aggression
By Stefanie Reinberger

Never Say Die: Why We Can't Imagine Death
Why so many of us think our minds continue on after we die
By Jesse Bering

The Psychology of "The War on Terror" and Other Terms for Counterterrorism
How we characterize an issue affects how we think about it. Replacing the "war on terror" metaphor with other ways of framing counterterrorism might help us curtail the violence more effectively
By Arie W. Kruglanski, Martha Crenshaw, Jerrold M. Post and Jeff Victoroff

Your iBrain: How Technology Changes the Way We Think
How the technologies that have become part of our daily lives are changing the way we think
By Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan

The Science of Gossip: Why We Can't Stop Ourselves
It helped us thrive in ancient times, and in our modern world it makes us feel connected to others—as long as it is done properly
By Frank T. McAndrew