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Honoring Excellence, Announcing New Members: Academy 2025 Election
April 23, 2025 | Cambridge, MA – Since 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has honored excellence and convened leaders from across disciplines and divides to examine new ideas, address issues of importance, and work together “to advance the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.” The Academy’s founders – including John Adams and John Hancock – envisioned an organization that would recognize accomplished individuals and engage them in meeting the nation’s challenges. The first members elected to the Academy in 1781 included Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
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Science Explains How Children Best Learn Math—And Yes, Timed Practice Helps
A new report shows that children learn arithmetic most effectively when instruction combines conceptual understanding and timed practice.
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8 Ways to Respond to an Apology Besides ‘It’s OK’
Not all apologies are created equal. While a good one can’t always fully undo the damage that’s been done, apologies help people on the receiving end feel validated, emotionally heal, and even ease a desire for revenge, says Seiji Takaku, a professor of psychology at Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, Calif., who has researched forgiveness. If you’re on the receiving end of a sorry attempt to make amends, on the other hand, it might feel just as offensive as the original transgression. How someone apologizes will determine how you respond.
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3 Toxic Relationship Habits to Avoid
Conflict is “inevitable and normal in intimate relationships,” said Andrew Christensen, a distinguished research professor at the U.C.L.A. department of psychology. But the way that couples manage it is a key to a healthy bond, he added. ... James A. Coan, a professor of psychology and a neuroscientist at the University of Virginia, recommends taking what negotiators call a “mutual gains approach,” where you focus on finding common interests and brainstorm solutions that benefit you both. “Instead of dividing the pie, you build a larger pie,” he said.
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Exploring Emerging Adulthood Among Ovambo Namibians
A new study looks at how young Namibians reach adulthood, broadening the understanding of this life stage in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Why Catchy Songs Get Stuck in Your Head
Of all the sounds we encounter, music seems to be the stickiest for our brains. While words and sounds can also pop into our head, they are less likely to echo there than songs, which tend to have a repetitive structure and looping motifs. Speech doesn’t inherently have that structure, but poetry might. Simply repeating spoken words can make them sound musical, a phenomenon known as the speech-to-song illusion, which was discovered by psychologist Diana Deutsch.
