HowStuffWorks Newsletter
Human Nature encompasses peoples' actions, perceptions, and thought processes. Topics include food cravings, mind-reading, and contagious yawning.
Topics to Explore:
Hugging is way more than just how we greet our family and friends. And when COVID-19 abruptly ended this natural human connection, many of us were lost. Here's why.
By John Donovan
Getting lost in a book is one of life's greatest pleasures, but is a digital book just as pleasurable as a paper book? And which format is the best for learning?
How do we find hope when times are bleak? It's not always easy, but it is possible.
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Everyone experiences boredom at some point and maybe even ennui, a chronic type of boredom. But surprisingly, ennui does have some benefits.
By Alia Hoyt
Perhaps everyone feels unworthy of their achievements at some point. But if you constantly have that feeling, you may have impostor syndrome. So, who's more likely to have it and how do you cope with it?
By Alia Hoyt
A study found that stereotypes of Americans who identified with more than one race were different from stereotypes applied to people of one race. What were they and what do biracial people think about these findings?
The term 'microaggression' has gone mainstream in the last few years. But what counts as a microaggression, and why are some experts critical of the word?
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The suicides of two students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, as well as the suicide of a father of a child killed at Newtown Elementary highlight how the shock from a deep trauma remains long after for survivors.
By John Donovan
There's a magic number that gets casual players (maybe you) really interested.
By Dave Roos
Author Gretchen Rubin says people have one of four personal tendencies that direct how we handle inner and outer expectations. Knowing your tendency can help you figure out how to manage change.
More than 250 people in six years have died while taking selfies. Who is taking such risks and why?
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And that difference has a lot to do with dopamine — and how you respond to it.
You'll never look like your Snapchat self, but that's not stopping people from trying.
A new study out of Germany claims that artists are less driven by monetary rewards than other people.
Experts who've studied this say you have to look at several factors regarding parenting, toy guns and aggression.
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Science shows that, although people do tend to feel angrier when hungry, there are ways to tame that "hangry" feeling.
It may seem like a ridiculous question, but it's actually kind of a mindbender.
By Robert Lamb
The announcements of Kylie Jenner's 'surprise' baby and Beyonce's pregnancy with twins were two of the most liked Instagrams of all time. Why do celebrity babies excite the public so much?
By Alia Hoyt
Loneliness is such a prevalent problem that the British have appointed a minister for loneliness.
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Secrets can take a measurable mental and physical toll on those who keep — and share — them.
Many kids grow up with imaginary friends. Why do they rely on these make-believe playmates and are they a sign of trouble or great things?
Are facial expressions learned or innate? A study that looked at the facial expressions of people blind from birth found mixed results.
By Alia Hoyt
Short or tall, height affects us all — but does it have the power to determine how long we live, or whether we're happy?
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Swedish speakers tend to measure time by distance, while Spanish speakers tend to say measure it by volume. But how does this difference in expression affect how people perceive time?
We've all performed this social ritual thousands of times but, as it turns out, there's a right way and a wrong way to shake hands. A psychologist who has studied the art and psychology behind handshakes explains.
By John Donovan