How can a brain change in a blink?

+ ethical coffee; extreme downpours US Edition - Today's top story: Psychedelics plus psychotherapy can trigger rapid changes in the brain − new research at the level of neurons is untangling how [View in browser]( US Edition | 2 October 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [AI will supercharge political disinformation]( - [How vacated Senate positions are filled]( - [Supreme Court decisions don’t always fit labels]( Lead story Have you ever had a spiritual awakening or a near-death experience? Or maybe just a moment of real awe in nature? Life can feel immediately different after experiencing what psychologists call a pivotal mental state. But what’s going on in your brain to allow a positive moment to leave such a lasting impression? Neuroscientists are starting to figure out how psychedelic substances – like psilocybin or ayahuasca – produce their effects, which some people also find transformative. They’re connecting the dots between particular receptors in the human brain and these kinds of rapid changes. Psychiatry professor Edmund S. Higgins describes research underway to understand more about how psychedelics in combination with psychotherapy [might help people achieve positive breakthroughs](. [ [Understand what’s going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter.]( ] Maggie Villiger Senior Science + Technology Editor New research hints at how psychedelics can trigger rapid, lasting change. wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Plus [Psychedelics plus psychotherapy can trigger rapid changes in the brain − new research at the level of neurons is untangling how]( Edmund S. Higgins, Medical University of South Carolina Change in the brain usually comes with plenty of effort over time. Neuroscientists are working to understand how psychedelic drugs provide a shortcut that seems to rely on existing brain systems. Politics + Society - [Supreme Court justices’ ideologies don’t always fit ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ labels]( John A. Tures, LaGrange College The ‘most divided’ Supreme Court ever may have been in 1941, when seven of the nine justices were New Deal supporters appointed by the same president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. - [Feinstein’s death raises the question: How are vacant Senate seats filled?]( Gibbs Knotts, College of Charleston One US senator has died, another is facing criminal charges and one more is dealing with health problems. Who replaces a senator who is no longer in the seat? Ethics + Religion - [Lost in the coffee aisle? Navigating the complex buzzwords behind an ‘ethical’ bag of beans is easier said than done]( Spencer M. Ross, UMass Lowell If you’ve decided to look for coffee that’s better for the earth or the people making it, you might need some help translating all the industry lingo. - [Pope Francis has appointed 21 new cardinals – an expert on medieval Christianity explains what it means for the future of the Catholic Church]( Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross The College of Cardinals is an important part of the church’s governance structure. Its members elect the next pope and help develop future policies for the church. Science + Technology - [AI disinformation is a threat to elections − learning to spot Russian, Chinese and Iranian meddling in other countries can help the US prepare for 2024]( Bruce Schneier, Harvard Kennedy School ChatGPT and its ilk give propagandists and intelligence agents a powerful new tool for interfering in politics. The clock is ticking on learning to spot this disinformation before the 2024 election. - [How do astronomers know the age of the planets and stars?]( Adam Burgasser, University of California, San Diego Measuring the ages of planets and stars is tricky. An observational astrophysicist describes the subtle clues that provide good estimates for how old different space objects are. Environment + Energy - [There’s a thriving global market in turtles, and much of that trade is illegal]( Jennifer Sevin, University of Richmond More than half of the world’s turtle species are endangered or threatened, and overhunting of wild species is a major cause. - [As extreme downpours trigger flooding around the world, global warming’s intensifying impact becomes more clear]( Mohammed Ombadi, University of Michigan There’s a rule of thumb that rainfall intensity increases by about 7% per degree Celsius as temperatures rise. But the increase is much higher in the mountains, scientists found. Health + Medicine - [HIV self-test kits are meant to empower those at risk − but they don’t necessarily lead to starting HIV treatment or prevention]( Oluwafemi Atanda Adeagbo, University of Iowa; Engelbert Bain Luchuo, University of Johannesburg; Oluwaseun Abdulganiyu Badru, University of Iowa Many people at heightened risk for HIV have never been tested. Those who have self-tested for HIV often don’t go on to receive care or change their sexual behavior. International - [Soccer kiss scandal exposes how structural sexism in Spain can be a laughing matter]( Erin K Hogan, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Maria Garcia-Puente, California State University, San Bernardino The jokes, memes and skits came thick and fast – but behind the humor were serious points. Trending on site - [US Supreme Court refuses to hear Alabama’s request to keep separate and unequal political districts]( - [Should I kill spiders in my home? An entomologist explains why not to]( - [Tracking daily step counts can be a useful tool for weight management – an exercise scientist parses the science]( Reader Comments 💬 “Two percent (2%!) is a tiny amount requested by SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America, given average yearly profits made by the studios. (They claim reinvestment in artistic work – only after execs have taken their payouts. Another smoke screen used to further exploit labor). Accountants in Hollywood concentrate, as always, on profit maximization – it is a cruel system, with a few “stars” misleading the public about the true nature of creative work in the industry.” – Reader Marcus Breen on the story [The fight for 2% − how residuals became a sticking point for striking actors]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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