There are times when I sit in bed endlessly scrolling through social media. Even when the clock slowly creeps to 1 AM, I refuse to put my phone down. I know I am not the only one who has this addictive feeling towards their phone, so why do we feel this way?

Relationships play an important role in our lives, from families to friendships to romantic partners. These social ties can often affect how we think, feel, and behave; but how do we form these powerful social bonds with one another in the first place? Part of the answer lies in the brain, with a special molecule called oxytocin.

Although, when we talk about the brain, the cells that come fastest to our mind are ‘Neurons!’, there are other cells in the brain with essential functions, such as glial cells. Their goal is to keep a safe and nice environment for neurons, so brain circuits can perfectly work, and we can think, decide, image, dream.

How many of us have found ourselves cramming for an exam the night before we take it? Hunching over the textbook and attempting to memorize one more chapter through weary, bloodshot eyes, we push ourselves to “pull an all-nighter.” We believe that this practice will ensure our success during the exam, but in reality, it is lessening our chances. Why?

Everyone loves a sweet snack, but we all know that too much sugar can come with consequences. Type II diabetes, a condition characterized by high blood sugar and insulin-resistance, is usually the first disease to come to mind. However, research has recently suggested that insulin-resistance may play a significant role in another major disease as well – Alzheimer’s disease.

The human brain is one of the most complex organs in the body, made of billions of cells that form trillions of connections with one another – all wired together in a way that allow us to think, feel, walk, talk, and even to read the words on this page.

Have you ever heard the term “brain-waves”? If you have, what comes to mind when you think of them? Do you think that they’re a made-up science fiction term?

The brain is like a computer inside our body. To operate this computer, individual cells called neurons form upwards of 100 trillion connections with each other. These neurons are constantly working together in complicated circuits – similar to the circuits inside our computers, cell phones, and tablets.