In a controversial 2025 paper, a researcher proposed a theory that consciousness may give rise to matter—not the other way ...

One scientist’s unorthodox method could finally explain where your “soul” goes when you die, precognition, and everything in ...

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 ...

Explore 25 Unsolved Mysteries That Haunt Modern Science. From dark matter to consciousness, these profound puzzles challenge ...

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 ...

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?

Beyond spirited dinner party debate, establishing which creatures have consciousness matters in terms of animal welfare and conservation policy. A Michigan State University philosophy scholar has ...

Is consciousness a product of the brain, or could it be something more fundamental? This is one of the central questions addressed by Christof Koch, one of the most influential contemporary ...

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 ...