Consciousness

Ethicists say AI-powered advances will threaten the autonomy of people who use neurotechnology

Octopuses’ response to a human illusion suggests a sense of body ownership

As AI grows more fluent in mimicking human empathy, language and memory, we’re left asking: If a machine can fake awareness so well, what exactly is the real thing?

Other species exhibit capabilities that were once thought to be exclusive to Homo sapiens

Insights from human brains could inform how scientists search for awareness in all its possible forms

Scientists are just beginning to document sexual synesthesia, a phenomenon that can bring consciousness-altering washes of color and fantastical scenes at the moment of orgasm

Answering the question of when consciousness emerges is deeply tied to the mystery of what it actually is and how it can be measured

Many people believe AI will one day cause human extinction. A little math tells us it wouldn’t be that easy

AI systems could show signs of consciousness. We need to develop better tests to show whether they are actually aware

Two leading theories of consciousness went head-to-head—and the results may change how neuroscientists study one of the oldest questions about existence

Our conscious awareness may be governed by a structure deep in the brain

Life as an “innie” in the show Severance would likely involve severe trauma and mental stress, psychological research suggests