Is consciousness everywhere? In every rock and atom? That is what panpsychists like the philosopher Philip Goff believe. They urge us to revolutionize or abandon physics itself to accommodate ...

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 ...

Koch, who studied vision, thought that by measuring people's brain responses as they looked at special optical illusions, ...

In an effort to solve the riddle of why we have subjective conciousness, scientists have develop myriad theories, including ones involving the quantum realm. A new theory suggests that consciousness ...

In intensive care units, some patients who appear unconscious occupy a gray zone in their relationship to the world. To better diagnose them and predict their recovery potential, Dragana Manasova, ...

Scientists found organic compounds in the asteroid Bennu samples that are essential for life on Earth, but it could also contain molecules that may be necessary for forming consciousness. A theory ...

Ms. Grose is a Times Opinion writer and the author of a Times newsletter on culture, social change and the American family. Marzena Abrahamik is a photographer based in Chicago. Jan. 7, 2026 ...

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: In an effort to solve the riddle of why we have subjective conciousness, scientists have develop myriad theories, including ones involving the ...