SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " feel " 2,498 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
26 Totally Bonkers Language Facts We Learned In 2025 That Feel Made Up
And now I'm obsessed with the word "napkin"
‘I feel great’ - Kenneth Walker talks to Field Gulls about his health, Seahawks’ season, and more
The Seahawks’ star running back isn’t taking anything for granted, and he’s doing what he can to stay 100% for the team.
One year later, D&D 2024 feels like a new edition in disguise
Wizards of the Coast says it’s just a revision. After a year of books and rules changes, D&D 2024 tells a very different story.
From AI to Venezuela: Why 2026 is a hinge year for global power
One year ago this week, Joe Biden was president. I was in Doha, Qatar, negotiating with Israel and Hamas to finalize a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The incoming Trump team worked closely with us, a rare display of nonpartisanship to free hostages and end a war. It feels like a decade ago. A lot can happen in a year, as 2025 has shown.
'Not feeling very merry right now' | City Wide Club says Houston Health Department threw out food ahead of annual Super Feast
City Wide Club officials are outraged after claiming health officials threw out food for their annual Super Feast, jeopardizing holiday meals for thousands.
Economic growth surges in late summer, the highest in two years
“This was the strongest six months of growth since late in 2023, but it certainly didn’t feel that way for most people,” one analyst said.
Nine mental-health tips for a happier 2026
Regardless of any resolutions you may have for 2026, one thing is for sure: Everyone wants to have a happy new year.While losing weight or saving money may be great goals, the most straightforward path to happiness is caring for your mental and emotional health. A robust body of research shows that simple cognitive and behavioral strategies can reliably boost happiness and reduce stress – and they’re generally free and accessible to all.These strategies don’t have to be super time-consuming, but they do require intention: They only work if you do them.Here, psychologist Valentina Ogaryan, PhD, clinical director of the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, shares her top tips for cultivating more calm, centeredness and happiness in the new year (or anytime):Make time for playPlay isn’t just for kids, and it’s far from frivolous. The National Institute for Play says engaging in silliness, fun and just-for-pleasure activities reduces stress and increases optimism and resilience. A recent review also found that play improves mental health.“Adults can benefit from play as much as children,” Dr. Ogaryan says, “not just as a reward, but something that helps regulate.”So go ahead and dance with your dog, build something with Legos, tell a joke, sing karaoke or do anything else that feels like fun. Don’t worry about being productive, just enjoy yourself. And, if you can, opt for more analog play, Dr. Ogaryan suggests, as a respite from our ever-more-digital world. Move your bodyWhether you dance, ski, do yoga, play pickleball, ride a bike, roller-skate, hike or lift weights, physical movement benefits overall happiness and well-being. A 2018 review study of more than 1.2 million adults in the U.S. found that doing any kind of exercise was “significantly and meaningfully associated” with better self-reported mental health.The sweet spot was 45 minutes of movement three to five times a week, but even short bursts of physical activity can boost brain health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“Movement helps support mood and regulate the nervous system,” Dr. Ogaryan says.Plus: exercise can improve sleep quality, and sleep is essential for mental health.Prioritize sleep“Sleep plays a major role in managing stress,” Dr. Ogaryan says. Research shows that lack of sufficient sleep increases the risk of various diseases, including depression.While stress can interfere with sleep, practicing good sleep hygiene can make logging ZZ’s easier. That means maintaining a consistent bedtime; keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet; and avoiding social media, news and stimulating shows before bed.Consume lessWe live in a consumer culture, inundated by endless streams of content and advertising everywhere we go, which makes it easy to get overstimulated.“Something really helpful for stress reduction is to simply consume less,” Dr. Ogaryan says – less news, less social media, less information, less noise, less screen time. “It’s about reducing the input,” she says.Consider setting a maximum number of news articles per day, for example, or a time limit on scrolling. Maybe even go device free for an afternoon or a whole day.Practice present-moment awarenessWith so much coming at us all the time, focusing on the here and now can make life feel more manageable, Dr. Ogaryan says: “When everything feels super overwhelming, when everything feels larger than life, let’s make our world a little bit smaller for that moment in time.”She suggests taking things one day, or even one hour, at a time. Ask yourself: What’s my next right action? Release the need to know how everything turns out and liberate yourself from having to handle everything right now. Let the future take care of itself and just focus on the current moment. Then the next one. Have a daily anchorFrom work to the daily commute to family and life responsibilities, our days can feel jam-packed. Dr. Ogaryan recommends creating a centering daily anchor that can fit into even the busiest day.Maybe it’s a 10-minute walk during your lunch break or mindfully enjoying your coffee in the morning. Let your anchor adapt to your needs each day, she says, but be intentional about using that time to ground yourself and calm your nervous system. You might even say to yourself, “I choose this walk to help me become centered,” or “My day already feels stressful, so I’m going to take the next 10 minutes to enjoy this cup of coffee, feel the warm mug in my hand and just be present.” Having an anchor won’t erase the busy-ness from your day, but it will allow you to approach it more calmly.Be kind to yourselfMost of us have a harsh inner critic in our heads who works overtime. But that critical voice only increases our stress, triggering the same fight-or-flight response as caustic words from another person.To feel happier, we need to replace that inner critic with a kinder, more compassionate voice, Dr. Ogaryan says. Studies show that self-compassion is a source of eudaimonic happiness – the kind of happiness associated with purpose and meaning in life.While our knee-jerk reaction may be to self-criticize – “How could you let it get to this point? You didn’t manage your time well and now the project is going to be late. You’re so inept.” – we fare better mentally by treating ourselves with kindness, like we would a friend. That might sound like, “You’ve got a lot on your plate, but you are capable and you’ll get it done. I believe in you.”We may think that speaking kindly to ourselves means letting ourselves off the hook, so we end up becoming lazy do-nothings. But research shows the opposite: People who are self-compassionate are more likely to try harder in the face of failure and ultimately reach their goals.You can thank your inner critic for its good intentions, but resolve to talk to yourself in a kind, compassionate voice.Connect with othersHumans are social animals built for connection. Stress can be isolating and cause us to withdraw, but connecting with others is a salve for the psyche, Dr. Ogaryan says.“We know that not all relationships are always easy, but if we can think about intentional, nourishing connection – even in really small doses – it could really help center us,” she says.Take a moment to laugh with your colleagues, hug your pet, have a conversation with a friend or smile at the barista making your coffee. A study found that even tiny interactions with casual acquaintances and strangers decreases loneliness and improves happiness and well-being.Seek supportIf you try these practices and happiness remains elusive, or if you can’t access the wherewithal to follow these tips, seek support from your physician or a therapist. Mental health conditions are among the most common health issues in the U.S. and around the world – more prevalent than diabetes or heart disease. One in five people in the U.S. experiences a mental illness each year, with depression and anxiety the most common, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.“We can all think about these tips,” Dr. Ogaryan says. “But it’s important to recognize if you’ve done everything you can and you’re still really struggling, it’s really important to seek help.”
'The ambition around the club feels different now'
Ethan Ampadu was immense, setting the tempo from the back and leading like a proper captain, calm in possession but aggressive when it mattered. The atmosphere lifted every time he stepped in to break up play. The free transfer signing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin already looks inspired.
The women’s sports moments of 2025 – as chosen by The Athletic’s writers
It feels impossible to sum up another beautifully chaotic year in women’s sports in a series of moments, but that challenge didn’t stop us.
Not going to lie, ChatGPT's new year end recap made me feel a bit ashamed
ChatGPT has a fun new end of year recap, though in my case it highlighted just how much I overuse AI as well.
The Year in Politics: Analysts describe 2025 as ‘overwhelming, crazy, chaotic’
For a special edition of “Closer Look,” program host Rose Scott talks with several guests for a recap of local and federal politics in 2025. Guests also shared their thoughts about what they feel are some of the most pressing concerns for voters, the mishaps of both Democrats and Republicans and what each party must do as America turns 250 years old.
My family's holiday budget is smaller than I'd like. Here's how I'm making sure the season is still magical for us.
My family's holiday budget is smaller this year. I'm making sure the season still feels magical through decorations, free events, and homemade gifts.
Bright new MyChart features to light your care journey
This time of year, lights are aglow—on our streets, in our homes and in the moments we share. At Parkview, we believe your healthcare journey should feel...
With rate cut, inflation, how do NJ businesses feel about 2026?
Tariffs and high energy costs are giving NJ business leaders a less than optimistic outlook for 2026, though a new governor could have an impact
11 TV Hill: What the UMBC Poll tells of Maryland politics
A recent UMBC Poll reveals how Marylanders feel on several topics likely to come up in the next legislative session.
'I've lived it': Valeria Alarcón pushes for state funding for rural, tribal health councils
"As a woman of color, cancer survivor in this field of work, it feels like all of my life experiences are ... to inform the work that I do —
Your College Basketball Saturday Viewing Guide: December 20, 2025
Feels like everyone ran away from the college football triple-header, doesn’t it
Like the Iraq War, but Worse
The administration’s justifications for attacking Venezuela feel familiar, but nakedly imperialistic.
For a prime minister struggling in the wake of Bondi terror, standing up to the gun lobby is smart politics
Restoring a feeling of safety for Australian Jews will take extraordinary effort. As well as stamping out antisemitism, the work should start with a national approach to managing guns
RAM is getting too expensive to waste memory in Windows 11 — optimize your PC with my tips and keep it running smoothly
Practical tweaks to reclaim system memory, reduce background load, and make Windows 11 feel faster without upgrading hardware.
Column | Feeling wonder every day improves our health. Here’s how to do it.
Research has established the power of awe. I experienced it myself in a way I never thought I could.
‘Matter of survival’: South Korean president urges public health cover for hair loss
Medical professionals and some in conservative circles feel argument of Lee Jae Myung may be a bit thin
Science Lab: Why NFL players refuse to tank
Welcome to "The Science Lab", a place where football facts and in-depth analysis always triumph over feelings.
Tom Durkin | The journey: People over politics
“Everyone’s on a journey,” Dianna Hill used to remind me gently whenever I got upset with what someone did or didn’t do. Maybe 5’2” in heels and just barely topping 100 pounds, Dianna had the look and soft voice of the perfect kindergarten teacher. She taught 8th-grade algebra. Dianna was empathy personified. She could feel […]
Your body feels cold in two different ways
Researchers have uncovered that the body uses different molecular systems to sense cold in the skin versus internal organs. This explains why surface chills feel very different from cold experienced deep inside the body.
Micah Parsons injury: Packers DC makes bold prediction on star pass rusher's return
Jeff Hafley feels that much brighter days are ahead for Parsons
How dogs make teens feel less anxious
The beneficial relationship is much more than skin deep
'False hope': Why families who celebrated California's new mental health court feel let down by it
Ronda Deplazes thought Gov. Newsom's CARE Court could save her son as he struggled with mental illness. Almost three years later, she and other families say little has changed for them.
‘We feel safer at church.’ Latino community works together to provide health care access amid fear, high costs
A recent health fair offering vaccines, physicals and more moved to a different Weld County location due to immigration enforcement fears.
Why Do Warm Hugs Make Us Feel So Good? Here’s The Science
“Warm touch reminds us that we are connected, valued, and part of a social world.”
Newcastle: Howe says side's consistency is a 'horrible feeling'
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe says it is a "horrible feeling" to not know what he is going to get from his side.
Trump administration takes its economic message to Pennsylvania again as Vance heads to swing state
President Donald Trump bragged to Pennsylvanians last week that he’d delivered an “unbelievable” economy. Now, it’s up to Vice President JD Vance to explain why they’re not yet feeling the benefits.
Five Penn State Sports Moments That Felt Like Christmas Morning
These five recent moments made us feel like kids again.
McDonald's CEO delivers blunt career advice that may 'hurt your feelings' in new Instagram video
McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski delivers blunt career advice that may 'hurt your feelings,' urging followers to take full ownership of their professional paths.
Can you really trust your gut? The science of acting on intuition
The expert who says gut feelings can help us to make the best decisions.
Sen. Rand Paul says redistricting could lead to political violence
The Kentucky Republican said he believes redistricting efforts across the political aisle are a "mistake" that could lead voters to feel disenfranchised.
25-year-old certified nutrition and health coach's go-to breakfast: 'It sets me up for success, it makes me feel good'
Known as "Health with Hunter" on social media, this nutrition and health coach recommends this healthy breakfast to feel your best.
Analysis | Rank-and-file Republicans feel heat from constituents on health care
As efforts to address expiring Obamacare subsidies stall in Congress, members of Trump’s party say it’s time to find a way to help millions afford health insurance.
Analysis | Rank-and-file Republicans feel heat from constituents on health care
As efforts to address expiring Obamacare subsidies stall in Congress, members of Trump’s party say it’s time to find a way to help millions afford health insurance.
Chicago Bears ‘optimistic’ Rome Odunze will play in Week 15
The Chicago Bears feel optimistic about Rome Odunze's return for their Week 15 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Higher cost, worse coverage: Affordable Care Act enrollees say expiring subsidies will hit them hard
Americans are feeling the strain already with less than three weeks to go until the expiration of COVID-era tax credits that have helped many people pay for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
Today is Dick Van Dyke’s 100th birthday: His tips for a long, healthy life—'sometimes I feel like I'm 15 again'
Dick Van Dyke is officially a centenarian! Here are three research-backed staples in his routine that he credits for his 100 years of life.
These are the 2 worst pains you can feel, according to science - Futura-Sciences
Pain is a universal experience — but some types push the human body to its absolute limits. So, what are the most intense physical pains known to science? A Canadian study has pinpointed two particularly ... Read more
Nine science-backed ways to prevent overeating this Christmas
Flavour perception and food presentation can affect our brain and make us feel fuller earlier, so we eat fewer calories
For Republicans, Trump’s Hands-Off Approach to Health Care Is a Problem
The prospect of soaring health care costs could exacerbate Americans’ feelings about affordability, an issue that President Trump has tried to downplay. But Democrats plan to keep the issue front and center.
December 12, 2025
Over the past century, most cancer research has focused on the tumor itself. Rakesh Jain focused on the tumor’s environment instead. Plus, a glacier’s edge can be a dangerous place to do research. One team is using robots and sound samples to monitor the melting ice. And, when cases of plague pop up in the US, it can feel straight up medieval. It’s treatable, but how and why does it persist?
'There's a fear': How Bills fans are reacting to Patriots' resurgence with Maye
Has the AFC East's balance of power already shifted back to the Patriots? NFL insider Tyler Dunne explains how Bills fans are feeling about New England's rise.
Amputees often feel disconnected from their bionic hands. AI could bridge the gap
Sensors and artificial intelligence help a prosthetic hand act more like a natural one, new research shows.
The year the Big Tech job market cracked
"It feels like recruiters are looking for Superman," said one job seeker who's struggled during the tech job market's brutal year.
Theater Review: "Stereophonic" Tour Offers Sharp Music, Uneven Storytelling
Kevin Taft reviews the theatrical production of the Tony-nominated Stereophonic, which he nevertheless feels never comes together in a dramatically satisfying way.
CEOs are feeling slightly more confident about the economy — but that doesn't mean more hiring
Labor and tariffs remain a pressure point, and Q4 marked the third straight quarter in which top executives expect more job cuts than hiring.
Sources: Trump told Blakeman victory unlikely in race against Stefanik
Blakeman told Spectrum News he feels he is the best man for the job.
Vikings-Cowboys Preview
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Dak Prescott feels the weight of the Dallas Cowboys having to win all of their remaining four games for their best chance to make the playoffs - and, he says, not in a bad way.
Many Obamacare premiums expected to spike after votes on health care plans fail
The Senate failed to pass two different health care plans, which means premiums will spike for many people who rely on Obamacare. One breast cancer survivor told NBC News she feels caught in the middle of a political fight. NBC News’ Ryan Nobles reports.
Feeling Champagne fatigue? A sommelier recommends 5 swaps that taste more expensive than they are
A wine expert shared the best sparkling wines under $30, from brut prosecco to Lambrusco, for those seeking cheaper alternatives to Champagne.
Science Lab: How the Cowboys Can Make the Playoffs
Welcome to "The Science Lab", a place where football facts and in-depth analysis always triumph over feelings.
Communicators know business acumen matters. Most don’t feel ready.
There's a sizable gap between what communicators think they should know and what they feel comfortable with.
Crooks: 11-0 ISU 'battle-tested' after win vs. Iowa
Audi Crooks had another huge game in leading No. 10 Iowa State past in-state rival and No. 11 Iowa on Wednesday. After the win, which kept the Cyclones undefeated at 11-0, Crooks said, "I feel like now we're officially battle-tested."
It’s not just Americans who are feeling US tariffs. Five charts show their global impact
There are signs steeper US tariffs, introduced by US President Donald Trump, are feeding through to higher prices for Americans. But they are also inflicting pain beyond US borders. We look at examples from around the world.
The One UI 8.5 beta turned my Samsung phone into an iPhone
Samsung's One UI 8.5 beta is here, and there's a problem with it: It's made my Galaxy S25 feel just like an iPhone.
Feel the magnetism in this lengthy list of leaked first-party Samsung Galaxy S26 accessories!
We now know the names of half a dozen official accessories for the Galaxy S26 series, and they're all magnetic.
Analysis: Trump has ‘fun’ but fails to feel American’s pain on prices
President Donald Trump certainly made himself feel better. Whether he did the same for gloomy voters haunted by high prices is more doubtful.
Brain health tips: Neurosurgeon shares 5 simple habits that help
The brain works tirelessly to help us think, remember, decide, and feel. Neuroscience suggests that the overall ‘fitness’ of the brain highly depends on daily habits. As it turns out, seemingly simple lifestyle patterns can shape the structure, connectivity, and resilience of the brain over time. Highlighting the importance of consistency, balance, and protection for long-term brain resilience, US-based neurosurgeon Dr. Jay Jagannathan shared 5 simple habits that help improve brain health and function, when done consistently. Let’s take a closer look:
Analysis: Trump’s answer for everything: Blame Biden
It feels like a lifetime since Joe Biden was in the Oval Office, such is the turmoil and transformation unleashed since he went home to Delaware. But one person in Washington never stops obsessing about the 46th president — his predecessor and successor.
‘I feel it’s a friend’: quarter of teenagers turn to AI chatbots for mental health support
Experts warn of dangers as England and Wales study shows 13- to 17-year-olds consulting AI amid long waiting lists for services
Canes' Cristobal feels for Irish: 'A tough business'
Miami coach Mario Cristobal is relieved the Hurricanes earned a berth in the College Football Playoff field, but he understands the selection process isn't perfect
Gif to-go: A business built for breaking things
At Rage! KC in the East Crossroads, you learn how satisfying it can feel to give your anger a safe place to land. Breaking stuff.
Look again at the Nuzzi affair. Because when our politics and media are so debased, the joke’s on us
There is a bread and circuses feel to this scandal. A wise public would see red flags; instead it sees entertainment, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
Column | Carolyn Hax: Unemployment and health issues add up to ‘feeling inadequate’
Solutions to both problems are in progress. In the meantime, how does the letter writer push through difficult conversations?
Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ loss to the Texans on Sunday night
The Chiefs aren’t eliminated just yet, but this one had a feeling of finality about it.
Notre Dame despondent after being left out of College Football Playoff — 'Overwhelming shock and sadness'
“There is no explanation that could possibly be given to explain the outcome,” Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua said. “We feel like the playoff was stolen from our student-athletes.”
Neon Liberalism #55: Politics As Culture
Has culture stagnated in the 21st century? Do the last twenty-five years feel like a blur? What can politics learn from the inherent dynamics of cultural change? And is Donald Trump the greatest kitsch artist of our time? Join Samantha Hancox-Li and guest W. David Marx, author of the just-released
I saved $3 million but was afraid to spend it when I retired. 3 tactics changed my mindset after being frugal for decades.
Tactics like having a "war chest" for fun experiences and a "paycheck" helped Scott Scovel feel comfortable spending money after 40 years of saving.
Restaurant Norms May Be Making Us Miserable, Scientists Say
New research reveals that most diners feel uneasy eating before everyone at the table has been served, even though their companions typically wouldn’t mind if they did.
Printable Metroid Prime 4 'Databook' Has Us Feeling Nostalgic For Instruction Booklets
Manual override
Are you a swing voter? We want to hear how you're feeling about politics
Do you think the country is going in the right or wrong direction? Are you happy with your vote last year or do you have any regrets? Or maybe you sat the election out? NPR wants to speak with swing voters across the political spectrum.
My dad died unexpectedly. Picking up one of his hobbies has helped me feel more connected to him.
My dad died last year, and it still makes no sense to me. I've picked up his painting hobby, and it's created a tiny tether to feel connected to him.
AI Slop Is Ruining Reddit for Everyone
Reddit is considered one of the most human spaces left on the internet, but mods and users are overwhelmed with slop posts in the most popular subreddits.
Bengals discussion: How confident are you with Joe Burrow back?
Take our Bengals survey, and tell us why you feel that way ini the comments.
Dog Parents, Rejoice: Science Says Your Pup Might Actually Help Your Teen’s Well-Being (Including Their Gut)
Like most parents of teens, you’re probably constantly trying to decode what actually supports your kids’ emotional well-being. Some days it feels like a moving target: school pressure, friendship drama, big emotions, changing hormones—it’s a lot. But one constant in your house could be… your dog. Your family pup can somehow manage to crack open …
Wes Streeting orders review of mental health diagnoses as benefit claims soar
Health secretary has asked experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become ‘over-pathologised’
Frustrated patients amid UConn Health-Aetna rate dispute
We are hearing from patients who feel caught in the middle of a dispute between Aetna and UConn Health. They are frustrated the health system is now considered out-of-network for thousands of people. “It’s very disconcerting to all of a sudden to be told, ‘Hey, I can’t see you because you know, your insurance won’t pay,’” said Brenda Barth, of…
How The Idea Of Affordability Is Shaping Our Politics : 1A
No matter where you live in the U.S., you’ve probably heard stories — or have your own — about not being able to afford to live. The couple in their 30s that can’t buy a home. The 20-something who can’t afford rent without living with several roommates. The family of five who feel pinched every time they visit the grocery store. The retiree struggling to pay their health insurance premium.Whatever the situation, these stories are becoming central to how Americans are experiencing the economy. And this feeling is shaping politics.A CBS poll from October suggests inflation and the economy are now the top concern among Americans. According to the Urban Institute, 52 percent of U.S. families don’t have the resources to cover what it costs to live. The average monthly cost of groceries has also risen 32 percent since 2019.What do when we mean when we say something is “affordable?” And how do we achieve that goal when the target keeps moving?
Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy During the Cold Winter Holidays
Facing the holiday rush may put your health in the backseat so NBC medical reporter Dr. Akshay Syal joins TODAY to share his tips for staying healthy and safe this season. Tips include what you should do if you’re not feeling well, cold weather safety, how to keep your exercise goals on pace and more.
Feeling more at home on road, Nuggets take on Pacers
Home is usually a sanctuary for NBA teams, but Ball Arena has become a house of horrors for the Denver Nuggets.
“It kind of feels like we’ve opened Pandora’s box”: Jenna Ortega spoke about AI in the entertainment industry
"It's unacceptable, and many famous people are being victimized."
Why Does It Feel Like You’re Dropping Around 30 Seconds After A Plane Takes Off?
Our ears and stomachs are very good at picking up on changes in acceleration.
Cancer. COVID. Strikes. After a 9-year journey, 'A Little Prayer' was still worth the wait
Writer-director Angus MacLachlan explains how his tiny indie surmounted so many hurdles — and why he still feels the 'Movie Gods' smiled upon him.
Science must move from materialism to mystery
Theoretical physicist and neuroscientist Àlex Gómez-Marín argues that modern science has become trapped in a framework that mistakes matter for the whole of reality. In this wide-ranging interview, Gómez-Marín challenges the foundations of materialism, defends the scientific study of near-death experiences, and calls for a new type of science grounded in mystery and a renewed sense of the sacred. He suggests that abandoning materialism could open the door to a deeper understanding of consciousness, death, and the purpose of human existence. Simon Custer: You are both a theoretical physicist and a neuroscientist, and you have also been fiercely critical of materialist theories of mind and consciousness. What do you think the ultimate nature of reality is?Àlex Gómez-Marín: I don't know what the ultimate nature of reality is, but what I try to first assess is whether the stories that they [mainstream science] have told us about it are right, or maybe whether there are other alternatives. That's why I've been a fierce critic of materialism. As a scientist, I realized that they had sold us this idea that to be a good scientist you also had to subscribe to many other -isms, like materialism, reductionism, and even secularism. And so first I think one needs to unmount these -isms, and then, as is happening today in consciousness studies, we have a huge landscape where there isn't only one game in town, the idea that matter is the only thing that really exists. But because we are studying the hard problem of consciousness, it may be the case that other views of reality, like idealism, or even dualism, or other theories like dual aspect monism... these are philosophical ideas that now, I think, have room in science to be taken seriously. How does something like materialism relate to dualism or idealism? What is materialism in the first place?Well, materialism is the philosophical position that matter is the only really ‘real’ thing in the universe. And I think that worked kind of well because science started 400 years ago and Galileo made that split, I call it the foundational wound. It was a great business move.He said, let's start doing science on that portion of reality that lends itself more easily to mathematization and measurement. So, for some reason, the solidity of this table or the movement of planets lend themselves very well to this foundational idea of science. But as time went on, 400 years later, we realized that we had forgotten the other side, which is what really matters.What really matters is pain, is love, is feelings, sensation, consciousness, which is very hard to define, but very intimate. We all know what it is. It's that thing that disappears when we go into deep sleep and comes back in the morning. SUGGESTED VIEWING On the edges of knowledge With Michael Shermer, Rupert Sheldrake, Güneş Taylor It's what it is like to be, as Nagel said. It's the feeling of being alive. So, materialism is good to study certain things, but then when it ossifies into this ideology and then is dressed like science, now it's preventing us from understanding these key questions that are really that everybody wants to know.Why are we here? Why do we feel reality? Where do we go when we die? And so we need other ways. We need pluralism. I'm only asking for having more options on the table and taking them seriously. Why does materialism fail to explain consciousness? For example, if you were to lobotomize me, I would not be a functional human being. What do you say to someone who might think that materialism adequately explains the mind?Well, here we could speak about different things. We could talk about physics or about neuroscience. I happen to have training with both.For instance, for neuroscientists, 99% of them, I'm not included in that portion, believe that the brain can only be a productive organ. It's an organ that somehow, somewhere, consciousness emerges. It's like a lamp. And then something happens, magic happens, and then consciousness emerges.That's the position you need to be if you're a materialist because if the only really ‘real’ thing is matter, then you need to say, just give us some more time and money and we'll figure out how mind emerges or is produced from matter. There are many philosophically sophisticated ways of criticizing this.Now there's another option, which is the brain as a permissive organ. This was said by William James more than 100 years ago.Now then the brain wouldn't be like this machine, like for instance, a heat engine whose smoke is consciousness, which is what we would have in the first big model, the productive model. But in the permissive model, the brain would be a kind of a filter. And so the brain would still have a very important role in consciousness, but it wouldn't be a productive role.It would be permissive, much like a filter or much like a prism which would receive light. And - I'm speaking metaphorically - it would receive the light of the mind and then it could reflect it and refract it.Now, with these two big options on the table, I think we can make progress into what I call the edges of consciousness, which are all these experiences, weird experiences that many people have, but we don't talk about enough, like near-death experiences, precognitive dreams, synchronicities. These experiences are very important for humans and they have a place in the permissive hypothesis and they are literally impossible in the productive hypothesis. So that's yet one more reason to explore alternatives to materialism. There may be anecdotal evidence for near-death experiences, but is there robust evidence that would be accepted by the majority of scientists who subscribe to the scientific method?Sure. And the plural of anecdotes, someone said, is data.And there's a lot of data. Actually, this year is the 50th anniversary, half a century, since Dr. Raymond Moody realized that we have two ears and one mouth and started listening to what his patients had to say about their experiences while they were clinically dead.The heart had stopped, breathing had stopped in these patients. These patients would come back and tell him these amazing stories that some people may say are hallucinations, but for the patients were hyper-real, like seeing light at the end of the tunnels, seeing deceased family members waiting for them, feeling bliss.___I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain.___And so he and others started taking them seriously and writing their accounts down. And then you can do a science based on that material of experience that people have. Now, on the more objective side, more recently people have started to measure what's going on in the brain when people are clinically dead and brought back. This has opened a proper field of study, which is near-death studies.Evidence is a difficult word, because sometimes people think that when you say evidence, this is just the final proof. Evidence is like in a jury. You bring testimony, you bring pieces of data that point in one direction or another.I would say the evidence suggests that the mind can survive the death of activity of the brain. When brains are broken or shut off, there can still be mind going on. And that's revolutionary.That would entail that when we die, it's not game over, which, by the way, is the thesis of materialism. If consciousness survives, materialism dies. It's game over for materialism if something of us continues after we die. Do you think that there is mental continuity after death?Well, I think so, and I believe so, and I could also say I may have experienced it myself, because four years ago I had a near-death experience. I was in the hospital, I lost a lot of blood, and I saw those beings at the end of the tunnel, three beings, and there was yellow light. I was in a well, I was looking upwards, and I hadn't read about NDEs by then, but when I came back from this experience, I decided I would try to integrate this also in my professional life. Not just my personal life, of course, but my professional life as a physicist and as a neuroscientist. So I may have had the experience of glimpses of what an afterlife would be, and I'm not ashamed to say it in this way, and then one can do science of it, and then one can do philosophy of it.One can think about what -isms we were discussing, what views on reality would allow those experiences to be really ‘real,’ as opposed to, well, poor guy, the brain was kind of broken, it must have been a hallucination. Do you have a view about whether individuality or “the ego” persists after death, or whether we sort of merge into some sort of cosmic consciousness instead?I don't know, but my view would be along those lines you're suggesting. I think we could speak about a kind of universal mind, and then the problem is not how we emerge from matter, but how we fragment from a more holistic consciousness into these individual eddies and then when we die, this kind of dissipates.But I'm not sure. For instance, idealism would promote that view, but then what would survive of us after these eddies just vanish and become again the big Consciousness, I'm not sure what that would be. I don't know for sure, but I would tell you I believe something of us survives.And there are other lines of research, not just near-death experience, that can address this really hard question of survival. For instance, there are children who remember previous lives. This was studied by Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia for more than 50 years.___Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.___It's amazing research. He went all over the world, especially in the East, and collected all these case studies, all these stories. In plural, these were data of kids, very young age, who would describe up to 40 items that then he could go and verify.There was no internet. There was really no way the kid could know. Why would the kid say that when I was living in this other body and I was a woman and that's how my house would look like or that's how I would die, right? Again, there is evidence, not proof, but there's evidence not only that something weird and interesting is happening as we cross the threshold, but also when we come back to this life.Scientists should not be afraid of studying this, but they are because there's stigma. There's usually stigma upon the enigma, and this is so unfortunate. And one of the reasons is because of the ideology of materialism, because those things cannot be possible. What is wrong with the politics of science such that they have generated this stigma?So many things. Science is a human activity to begin with.So it falls prey to all our passions and ego and greed. That's one thing. Science is a job for the good and for the bad.You need to get a salary. You need to get grants. Research takes place within a selection mechanism that also sometimes reinforces things that are not very scientific.And then, we didn't have time to unpack this, but science for many years become entangled, as I was suggesting before, to other -isms, materialism, secularism. So anything that smells like the afterlife, people may think has to do with God, and then they freak out.Anything that suggests that there's something about the mind that may not need a physical material substrate to exist, it smells like non-materialism. So, all these -isms are ideologically blocking that kind of research, and then there are all these sociopolitical constraints as to what should be studied and what shouldn't be studied.I call it the backstage of science. Sometimes we scientists or science communicators seem to speak as if the data is the only thing that matters. We say, well, data and theory.But then there's a third leg of this stool, which is all the politics that goes behind the scenes. And we often don't speak about this, and it's quite vicious and petty, and it's very real. Why is materialism so attractive to most scientists?Well, an easy answer is because we've grown up with it.It's what the educational system promotes, and that's what you hear when you go to university. So it's like growing in a culture. It feels like the air in which you breathe.So it's very hard to begin with to detect, well, maybe there's another alternative. Maybe there are other ways of doing science, other environments in which one could do science. That's one reason.And other reasons maybe are more profound, and I'm not qualified to explain them, but I could say, looking at this 400-year history of science, since it started around 1623 with Galileo's book The Assayer, that science went and coupled with all what's going on in the West.And so the fall of religion, you could say, and science presented us this new alternative that then could be coupled very well with other -isms, and this idea of growth, and then science losing its good twin brother, which was philosophy. There's a whole natural history of science starting as philosophy, kind of emancipating or breaking out from philosophy, and then marrying technology, and then marrying other social systems.From that point of view, materialism is a very convenient idea to propose. There were attempts, like the German idealists tried to do a more romantic science. But no, the idea prevailed, like Francis Bacon said: You should pursue nature through all her corners, he said, and make her spill her secrets.Our attitude towards nature in the science that dominates is very much reflecting how we treat nature in our society, in our culture, like a resource to extract secrets by force and then dominate it. How is materialism related to the notions of growth and progress? What's wrong with having a productive citizenry?This is another very interesting and very difficult question to answer.But there's this recent book coming out by Paul Kingsnorth. In it, he explains this idea of the machine and this idea of progress. And this, again, this conflation of more is better, of we need to go forward always, and convincing us that the way to do that is to continually extract more from nature. But because we don't have the religious context anymore, because God is dead, then what do we have? We have what we can do as humans with our own gadgets.It's kind of the story of the Promethean fire. We will just build anything to make ourselves God.A good example today is transhumanism. Transhumanism is this pseudo-religion dressed in technoscientific language whose goal is very religious. They promise immortality, they promise redemption, they promise transformation of the entire natural world, but it's done by human means through technology. Are you suggesting that we can't have ethics without religion?Well, we should have ethics with or without religion. That's another pruning that has happened in science. We say, forget about aesthetics, although some physicists still think that beautiful means probably true, and forget about politics. We pretend there's no backstage of science, and even let's forget about ethics.___Science needs to be in the service of mankind.___Scientists, when they become more like engineers, they're just thinking how to make things work so that they can go to the moon, go to Mars, make machines that think, but they don't think whether that's a good idea.And also consider metaphysics. Many scientists for a long time pretended, and maybe that comes from the stream of positivisms, that really one doesn't need metaphysics at all, except that materialism is always the metaphysics running the system.You see, it's not just ethics. It's the pruning of all of these, you could say, five main legs of philosophy that just makes a kind of unconscious science, a science that doesn't really know what it's doing. It's doing it very well locally, but it just doesn't know what it's doing globally. Do you think science has to have an ultimate vision and purpose behind it for it to be effective or for it to be meaningful and transformative?Yes, a way I would say that is that science needs to be in the service of mankind. And it hasn't been that. And we can see it through, you know, when we discovered the secrets of the atom, and all of a sudden, the Manhattan Project, and then we create nuclear weapons.And now we're trying to crack how machines may think, and now we're creating this mess, right? So science needs to be in service of mankind, not in service of a few ideas that maybe want to make more money or just dominate upon nature. What about planes, trains, automobiles, and modern medicine? Hasn't science served mankind by helping us develop those technologies?Yes and no. I see where you're going, and it's fair.I came here by plane, and it's a blessing. When I almost died, the surgeons did their job, and they saved my life. But these two forced choices between Luddites and Silicon Valley types, I think, of course, it's a false dichotomy.Progress, in a way, it's good, but we often don't speak about the dark side of the moon. We say the great things that progress has brought, and we don't speak about the disasters, the side effects that it has come with, and the same when we promise new technologies. We tend to think that any technology is great, that email is going to save us so much time because we don't need to write letters and send them anymore.Is that true? I spend so many hours a week writing emails. Let's just say there are great things about it and bad things about it. People like Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, for example, argue that we've made moral progress over time because of the Enlightenment. Do you think that's totally wrong-headed?I think he's emphasizing a side of the moon, and he does that very well, and you can find tons of plots where there's a slope going up and say it's great. But I think he should also tell the not-so-friendly story.But if your ideology is just to resist and continue to explain that the Enlightenment is the best thing ever and reason is the best thing ever… this feels to me like you're worshipping these abstractions.I'm very critical of it and also of these, again, science communicators and scientists that say, Oh, science says, in the name of science, experts say. It's like, come on, let's be careful because we can shoot ourselves in the foot by putting forth to the people an image of science that we know is not really true. Recently there's been a resurgence of spirituality and of people who say that they're spiritual but not religious, especially in the United States. If materialism is going away, what is going to fill that gap? Are we going to return to traditional religion? Do you see that being connected with the rise of the political right?I'm not a fortune teller, so I don't know what's going to happen. But, yeah, we could say we're in this post-materialist age and even post-secular age. One cannot come back to the past, but maybe just to contact with the roots is a good idea.What do I mean by that? I think we need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method. We need to do so in a culture where we realize humans cannot thrive in a vacuum where there's this idea that the sacred has to be removed.Now, how do we do that without bringing in back all the vices of religion? I don't know. I'm from a Catholic country.Here we are in England, so there are differences and interreligious dialogue has always been a challenge. But I think maybe a way of putting it is: after all these conflicts and branchings I was quickly alluding to, science from philosophy and then also from religion, now there's a time of reconciliation perhaps and maybe debates in the proper sense, like exchange of ideas in service of learning and getting into something higher than both poles. We need science to talk to religious people and it's interesting when people say they're spiritual and not religious.I think this is just a way of saying, no, I don't want to go back, I want to go forward. But at the end of the day, religions have offered us practices and grounding that we now desperately need. Everybody can and should just meditate or pray or do whatever they want, but we're in a crisis and it's time for reconciliation. What do you say to critics that say you are merely projecting our need for meaning onto a fundamentally indifferent universe?Yeah, I know that the typical science communicator says something like this. But we're not projecting. Human beings feed on meaning.It's the other way around. If you're a materialist, because the only thing that there is is matter, all that comes next, free will, consciousness, meaning, this is a kind of illusion that we need to explain.They're just craving for meaning, but there isn't really for them. I would also like to remind my materialist friends that for decades, if not centuries, they've said in the name of science, we know that this and this and this doesn't really exist. I think now they sense they're forced to say, well, actually, we don't know. We've been saying, for instance, that there's nothing after you die, and now probably they need to admit that they don't know the answer.___We need to do a science 2.0, a science that says thank you to Galileo and thank you to materialism, but we need to reinvent even a new kind of scientific method.___So it's a moment to open up possibilities and also to gently but fiercely critique these claims that I think harm society. If you say in the name of science, get on with it, when your father dies, you'll never see him again. Well, what the F do you know about it? You haven't studied the literature, you haven't had any of those experiences, and basically what you're doing is you're just doing marketing on ideology. This needs to stop. Do you think that it's scarier for some people to entertain the thought that there might be life after death, compared to a materialist worldview where you just die, given that there might be consequences for unsavory behaviour?Well, death and dying is scary. It's maybe the ultimate ending. It's a limit on life, and when we're in this conquest mode, we don't like limits.And it also has, there's a shockwave backwards, so I think if you change your notion of what death is or may be, you live differently. It also has consequences, as you're saying, for the future because this is not our only goal here and we come back in whatever form. And again, different religions would say different things. I the East, they are more happy with the idea of reincarnation, and here in the West, there are other preferences. But in any case, it changes how we live, and that's really what matters.It's not about just projecting or imagining what we'll be after, but how we live now and also how we treat those who are dying. So it goes from the individual to the families, to the hospitals.Now in the near-death research I do, this has ramifications at all these levels, all the way to society.But our society is thanatophobic. It has a phobia of death. We don't want to hear about death, and this is another thing we need to put on the table and be willing to talk about it. Do you think that we might get closer to answering ultimate questions like why is there anything at all if we jettison materialism?That’s an excellent question, Simon. Two things: we should stop treating reality, I believe, as a great sudoku, as an enigma, as something that with intelligence, money, and time that we will crack and instead treat reality more like a mystery. And what you do for in front of a mystery is not to be the clever guy in a class and say “I’ll solve you” but more like “I will bow and you will transform me.”I know this sounds a bit like a scientist speaking like a mystic. But I think this reorientation is needed. In the end, we won’t crack the big questions, but they will transform us. If we free ourselves from this prison of materialism, the way we will explore these questions will be freer, more creative, and in service of mankind. Do you think exploring mystery is the reason why we are here?I think we are here because, and this pseudo-theological argument I’m making off the cuff, But the One, the Absolute, if there is such a thing, had everything except limitation. We are that absolute experiencing that contingency. It’s like an act of divine proprioception. It’s a wonderful adventure, it’s just incredible to be alive. Perhaps we have forgotten why we are here and the whole point is to experience the flesh.Let me end by saying this. I criticize materialism harshly. I bang on this dead horse, because I think it’s dead. But matter is a great mystery. So maybe my invitation is as follows: hey materialist friends, come here, let’s work on materialism 2.0! Consciousness is a mystery, but matter is also a mystery. The fact that we can have an intersubjective experience consensus, the fact that we can apply mathematics, that we can measure things... the physical world we take for granted, but it is a great mystery too.Maybe that’s related to your last question: why are we here? Why did spirit decide to incarnate? Being in the flesh may be a great thing if spirit decided to do so.Àlex Gómez-Marín, thank you very much.My pleasure.
Starmer to defend Reeves after claims that some ministers feel she misled them ahead of budget
Prime minister to give speech after report that some ministers are unhappy over handling of the budget
‘It feels so rewarding’: Local business owner creates perfect gifts for loved ones
It’s a mad rush to find Christmas gifts. Many local artists and businesses have set up shop at the D.C. Holiday Market hoping to provide the perfect gift.
I founded a company while in university. It's hard to give up student life.
A 22-year-old cybersecurity student shares what it's like to build an AI startup in university, and why being a young founder can feel lonely.
Best Cyber Monday deals to jumpstart your 2026 health goals
Make health and wellness your priority for the year ahead with these Cyber Monday deals on everything you need to get in shape and feel like your best self.
Our kitchen remodel cost $10,000. We stand by 3 controversial design choices we made to save money and open up the space.
We renovated our kitchen to make our small, dated space feel bigger, modern, and functional. Some of our choices saved us money and opened our space.
I shopped at Michaels and Hobby Lobby for holiday decor. My teen has a clear favorite, but I feel torn.
After comparing shopping at Michaels and Hobby Lobby for winter holiday decor this year, my teen prefers one, but I found both have pros and cons.