Imagination makes us human – this unique ability to envision what doesn't exist has a long evolutionary history

By learning what parts of the brain are crucial for imagination to work, neuroscientists can look back over hundreds of millions of years of evolution to figure out when it first emerged.

Andrey Vyshedskiy, Professor of Neuroscience, Boston University • conversation
Feb. 23, 2023 • ~10 min

Rapid eye movements in sleeping mice match where they are looking in their dreams, new research finds

Why your eyes move during the REM stage of sleep has puzzled scientists for years. Researchers measured mice brains to look for a possible explanation.

Massimo Scanziani, Professor of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
Aug. 25, 2022 • ~6 min

Sleeping octopuses might experience fleeting dreams – new study

Colour-changing patterns in snoozing octopuses are characteristic of two alternating sleep states.

Alexandra Schnell, Research Fellow in Behavioural Ecology, Darwin College, University of Cambridge • conversation
April 1, 2021 • ~7 min

Coronavirus dreams: how anger, sadness and fear crept in during lockdown – new research

The level of anger and sadness in our dreams may be related to how much we suffer mentally with social isolation.

Mark Blagrove, Professor of Psychology, Swansea University • conversation
Nov. 30, 2020 • ~7 min

The science of sleep: how sharing your dreams could help to improve your relationships

Listening to other people's dreams can help to improve your empathy levels.

Julia Lockheart, Senior Lecturer and Head of Contextual Practices, University of Wales Trinity Saint David • conversation
May 13, 2020 • ~7 min

Why do we dream?

During times of stress and anxiety we either dream more or remember our dreams more often, as a way of coping with challenging circumstances and new information.

Jason Ellis, Professor of Sleep Science, Northumbria University, Newcastle • conversation
April 14, 2020 • ~6 min

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