The transition from non-life to life was very likely aided by an asteroid hitting Earth, prebiotic chemistry, molecular ...

“Alive” is obviously a loaded term; the more frequently used word is “conscious.” If you ask Anthropic if the company thinks Claude is alive, the company will flatly deny it, but stop short of saying ...

In his new book 'A World Appears,' journalist Michael Pollan explores the mysteries of the human brain — and whether computers could ever catch up.

After changing how we eat and how we trip, the author returns to his garden — and the page — to examine the mystery of ...

Richard Jeffery Wagner, PhD explores love, free will, and sentient companionship in a near future shaped by technology ...

On Wednesday, Anthropic released a revised version of Claude’s Constitution, a living document that provides a “holistic” explanation of the “context in which Claude operates and the kind of entity we ...

As more people use AI assistants and chatbots for everyday tasks, a curious phenomenon is emerging: a growing number of users view their chatbots as not merely intelligent tools but as conscious ...

Researchers believe other species could help explain the mysterious origins of our consciousness. One new paper argues that consciousness evolved in distinct waves from environmental pressures, like a ...

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 ...

Consciousness evolved in stages, starting with basic survival responses like pain and alarm, then expanding into focused awareness and self-reflection. These layers help organisms avoid danger, learn ...

What if your conscious experiences were not just the chatter of neurons, but were connected to the hum of the universe? In a paper published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, I present new evidence ...