Why is it that we use musical terms to describe feelings and moods? As it turns out, several theories of the basic human emotions—or the affects as they’re also called—have musical origins. To understand the connection, we can pay particular attention to a moment during the eighteenth century when affect theory and music theory were mutually entangled.

What are the cognitive mechanisms that underlie numerical processing in humans and other species? The ability to represent quantities in written, abstract and exact form is—as far as we know—exclusive to humans and only a few millennia in the making.

How can we more constructively consider historical thinkers when addressing modern problems? While raising questions about the inevitability of war between established and rising powers, this particular framing of ancient thought also identifies issues in how historical authors are used by politicians and policymakers.

How do we entrain with others in our social world, and what does this tell us about the impact of social connection on health and well-being? Although psychology has typically examined the individual in isolation, new evidence finds that our emotions, behaviors, and even physiology can be shared with the people around us.