60-Second Mind

Animal behaviorist Temple Grandin believes extraordinary animals think much like autistic geniuses. Now, some neuroscientists say it simply isn't true.

*This week's podcast guest hosted by Christopher Intagliata, an intern for Scientific American Mind. www.sciammind.com

A study out of the business school INSEAD reveals that we tend to invert the economic axiom of short supply leads to high demand, meaning that we also conclude (prematurely and often incorrectly) that anything in high demand must be in short supply.

A survey of 1,000 Iraqi teens reveals a surprising effect of living in a war torn country. Seems that when faced with an indirect threat to one's self or nation, we take action to raise our own self esteem.

Contrary to the media hype that today's teens are more self-absorbed than generations past, Canadian researchers have found zero evidence for any increase in narcissism, which includes arrogance and self-entitlement, over the last three decades.

Psychologist Steven Pinker describes why passionate infatuation, typically associated with unhealthy romantic behavior, may have real advantages for long term commitment.

Results from a 10-year study show that bisexuality in women is not a transitional phase enroute to lesbianism, but rather a distinct and long-term sexual orientation.

Two Harvard psychologists use neuroimaging to provide what some call the best evidence yet that extrasensory perception (or ESP) does not exist.

James Flynn, who noticed that IQ scores have risen by three points every decade (a trend called the Flynn Effect), makes a case for why any racial differences in IQ are not immutable and caused by genetics. For more see his latest book, "What is Intelligence? Beyond the Flynn Effect."

As much as parents try to craft equal gifts for each child around the holidays, siblings still seem to fight over who got the better gift. New research reveals that parents may not always give fairly to each darling, in fact there's one sibling who takes the lion's share.

Recent research from the Baylor College of Medicine tackles the fascinating experience we have of time slowing down during a terrifying event, like a car accident. Does our brain track time differently during crisis? They say no, it's more about a trick of memory.