Why Do Some People Get the Urge to Jump Off High Places (“Call of the Void”)?
The urge to jump from a high place is usually a harmless brain glitch, not a hidden wish. Researchers call it the high place phenomenon. Your brain fires a quick …
Why Do Some People Feel Intense Emotion From Nostalgia?
Some people feel nostalgia intensely because they are wired to be more emotionally sensitive and more tied to the people in their memories, and that wiring is partly inherited. Twin …
The Genetics of Being a “People Person” vs. a Natural Homebody
Some people leave a party feeling more energized than when they arrived, already texting friends about the next get-together. Others love their friends just as much but need a solid …
Why Some People Are Naturally More Risk-Tolerant
Some people hear about a risky investment, a spontaneous move to a new city, or an extreme sport and feel an immediate pull toward it. Others hear the exact same …
Why Some People Cry at Commercials and Others Almost Never Cry
Some people can’t make it through a heartfelt insurance commercial or a reunion video without tearing up, every single time, no matter how many times they’ve seen it. Others sit …
Why Some People Are Chronic Overthinkers
You send a slightly awkward text and move on with your day. Meanwhile, someone else sends a slightly awkward text and spends the next three hours replaying it, analyzing every …
Why Some People Thrive on Routine and Others Need Constant Change
Some people build their whole life around a steady, predictable rhythm, the same morning routine, the same weekly schedule, the same comfortable rotation of meals, and genuinely find that structure …
Why Some People Get Anxious in Social Situations (and Others Don’t)
Some people walk into a party full of strangers and feel completely at ease within minutes. Others feel their heart rate spike before they’ve even opened the door, replaying every …
Why Some People Have a Great Sense of Direction and Others Get Lost Constantly
Some people can walk out of an unfamiliar subway station, glance around for a few seconds, and immediately know which way to go. Others can visit the same building dozens …
The Genetic Basis of Perfect Pitch
Perfect pitch has a reputation as this almost mythical musical gift, the ability to hear a random note and instantly name it, no reference tone required. It shows up in …