Recently, I found myself pouring my heart out, not to a human, but to a chatbot named Wysa on my phone. It nodded – virtually – asked me how I was feeling and gently suggested trying breathing exercises.
As a neuroscientist[1], I couldn’t help but wonder: Was I actually feeling better, or was I just being expertly redirected by a well-trained algorithm[2]? Could a string of code really help calm a storm of emotions?...
“Is it just me, or is there a storm coming?”
If you are one of the 39 million Americans in the U.S. living with migraines[1], there’s a good chance an intense headache[2] will begin when the weather shifts.
You aren’t alone. Studies[3] find 30% to 50% of people with migraines identify some type of weather change as a trigger, making it the most commonly reported migraine source[4].
Yet, it’s also one of the most...
As the summer’s sunny days take hold, many people turn to outdoor exercise.
But in parts of North America, pleasant weather often aligns with wildfire season. As summers get drier, both the frequency and the intensity[1] of wildfires have grown, producing more polluting smoke.
A fire’s smoke can spread across several states[2], leaving people at risk for the health consequences of air pollution.
Exercisers and health...