The entire universe may have an internal mind—or the whole idea of consciousness could be a sham. Here’s why scientists still ...

The biofield, mediated by light known as biophotons, could be the missing piece of the consciousness puzzle.

Ever since we published our very first issue 123 years ago—yes, we’re old—Popular Mechanics has endeavored to help you understand all kinds of technological marvels, from the tools in your shed, to ...

Under the influence of psychedelics, many report that plants seem to be alive. Is it wrong to assume we’re the only sentient beings?

"Theories are like toothbrushes," it's sometimes said. "Everybody has their own and nobody wants to use anybody else's." It's a joke, but when it comes to the study of consciousness—the question of ...

A dancing humanoid robot gyrates to music at a fair in Beijing. - © AFP Pedro PARDO/File A dancing humanoid robot gyrates to music at a fair in Beijing. - © AFP ...

An unprecedented experiment seven years in the making has shaken the field of neuroscience. Researchers set out to answer one of science’s most puzzling questions: Where does consciousness come from?

Why does consciousness exist? This question lies at the heart of my book, A Philosophy for the Science of Animal Consciousness, in which I argue that consciousness evolved to help animals navigate ...

While many of my readers are philosophers, or have at least studied philosophy for a while at university, many are not. So I was reluctant to get into metaphysical debates within philosophy, fearing ...

Researchers propose that the key to identifying consciousness in animals and AI lies in understanding how their information processing systems work.