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If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
by Artemis Christoforatos art by Kai Yara Hallucinogens, stimulants, dissociatives—what place do these drugs have in the lab? What can we learn from giving a mouse amphetamine or psychedelic mushrooms? Neuroscientists often give various substances to mice because their responses can elucidate the biology behind basic brain functions and in form possible treatments for diseases. Mouse research has been an essential instrument in revealing how our brains work, and conti
May 5
At the Cutting Edge
by John Pierre Alkhoury art by Kristen Chun Flesh is meant to meet flesh. Every time we hug one another, we feel a warmth that can only belong to another living thing. However, when a patient lies on the operating table, metal replaces flesh. For now, it exists only as a tool, a sterile passage to a successful operation. Whether signified by technology’s increasing involvement in surgery or by looming fears of artificial intelligence replacing the surgeon, metal is becoming
May 5
Everything, Everywhere…All At Once?
by Phoebe Matthew art by Luciana Piro “I have too much to do and not enough time.” This is a familiar dilemma, and multitasking may seem like the only solution; checking off two, three, or more tasks with the time commitment of one is a deal that not many people would pass up. Whether it's listening to music while you drive, replying to emails during a lecture, or calling a friend while you do your homework, we have all normalized the idea of multitasking in our daily lives.
May 5
Dopamine Detox
by Anna Freitag art by Anna Siegel You are sitting on your bed late at night after a long day. You scroll through Instagram and see pictures of your friends together—without you. For a moment, you feel your chest tighten. Maybe they simply forgot to invite you out, or maybe they purposefully ignored you. Then a notification arrives: your story has been liked. Then another. The tension softens. You keep scrolling. That cycle—sting, then relief—has a neural signature. Unde
May 5
The Fabric of the Mind
by Tressel Holton art by Noelle Biehle Biohacking, the process of technologically improving your lifestyle based on scientific evidence, has become more normalized than ever before [1]. In a world where social media bombards us with fitness tips and diet plans, and Times Square advertisements promise to sharpen your senses or hone your memory, our culture is one of unprecedented optimization. The Nike MIND is but the latest product to join the trend. The MIND is a shoe desi
May 5
I think, Therefore I am
by Nick Thomas art by Vivian Yang Which came first - the chicken or the egg? The question presents one of the most classic examples of cyclic reasoning: “I mean, it could be the egg, since a chicken must hatch from an egg. But then again, doesn’t an egg require a chicken to lay it in the first place? Maybe it’s the chicken, then? But that chicken would need to come from an egg itself… which was laid by a chicken before it.” And soon enough, our argument becomes an endless
May 5
Lost in Our Thoughts
by Farzana Zane art by Jennifer (Ruiqi) Wang A stuttering, incessant chime rings through my ears. I groan and put forth the smallest trace of energy to turn my alarm off. In the fleeting moments between sleep and wake, I remain still as the last remnants of my dream vanish. And then it hits me. Assignments. Emails. Deadlines. With a deep chested sigh, I pull myself up and out of bed and begin mechanically moving around. As the drowsiness seeps out of my body, my mind starts
May 5
Yugo-nostalgia
by Andrea Mojsoska art by Anjali Jawa Baton in one hand, flowers in the other. A relay race that spanned three thousand kilometers and thousands of runners. Music, sports, community. This is how Yugoslavia’s youth celebrated and commemorated President Josip Broz Tito’s birthday at the annual Relay of Youth, on May 25, for forty-three years. Decades after the fall of Yugoslavia, framed pictures of Tito still loom over the homes of its former residents. Many cherish their mem
May 5