On a clear night, the sky is filled with stars — far more than most of us can see. But there’s a surprisingly simple trick that can help you spot more of them, even without a telescope. It’s something experienced stargazers routinely do, and it can make a remarkable difference in what you see when you look up. ⁠https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/how-to-find-good-places-to-stargaze/⁠ (more…)

Having friends is great. Paying for friendships? Not so great. Between lunches, dinners, drinks, and other get-togethers, maintaining a social life can get surprisingly expensive. And research suggests the rising cost of friendship is changing how often people see their friends and even which friendships they maintain. Listen as I explain what’s happening and why it matters. ⁠https://www.badcredit.org/studies/friendship-spending-statistics/⁠ (more…)

Everyone knows that practice makes perfect. Or does it? Practicing is certainly important when you’re trying to master something new, but research suggests there’s another ingredient that can make practice far more effective. And the surprising part is that it involves not practicing. It turns out that what you do between practice sessions may be just as important as the practice itself. ⁠https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/take-short-breaks-to-maximize-memory-and-learning⁠ (more…)

Being a perfectionist sounds like a good thing. You have high standards, pay attention to details, and want to do things right. What’s wrong with that? As it turns out, quite a lot. Perfectionism can actually work against you, causing you to procrastinate, obsess over mistakes, avoid taking risks, and feel dissatisfied even when you’ve accomplished something worthwhile. And ironically, the harder you try to make everything perfect, the less you may actually accomplish. (more…)

Have you ever noticed that when two people walk together, they often fall into step without even trying? Or that people in conversation sometimes begin to mirror each other’s movements? Humans have a curious tendency to synchronize with one another, often without realizing it. Why does this happen, and what does it reveal about how we connect? ⁠https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/social-synchronicity-37695⁠ (more…)