Drugs 101: An interactive guide

Psychedelic compounds: a visual library

However psychedelic experiences manifest, they all begin with the presence of psychoactive compounds. Learn about their various chemical compositions in this structural library of psychedelic compounds. Clicking on an entry will take readers to a new page where they can learn about the chemistry and pharmacology of each compound, as well as the drug's possible applications.

How four types of psychedelics affect the brain

Brain imaging shows that ayahuasca, MDMA, DMT, and psilocybin profoundly affect neural activity, giving rise to higher states of introspection and consciousness. This article details exactly how each of these drugs physically affects the brain and what that means for mental health treatment. Some of these drugs quiet the brain or trigger the release of neurochemicals associated with mood regulation and learning.

What do psychedelic plants look like?

Far from the drippy aesthetic often associated with psychedelics, the plants powering naturally occurring psychoactive experiences may not stand out as anything special. This database offers a visual guide to psychoactive plants and fungi. Clicking on the title of a particular plant, such as yerba mate, will bring up a secondary screen with various hyperlinked images, such as the plant itself, related botanical drawings, and molecular structures.

Opioids are a class of drugs including fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone, and more

Since the dawn of pain, living things have sought ways to mitigate this evolutionary warning signal. One of nature's most effective painkillers is opium, a highly addictive, milky latex extracted from poppy plants. This forms the basis of one of the most prescribed classes of modern drugs.

How to avoid a 'bad trip' advice includes relaxing your mind if you experience scary things and not fighting the feeling

In this video, Michael Pollan, author of "This Is Your Mind On Plants," underscores the gaps in existing understanding about the substances and recommends only taking guided experiences, for safety and help. He tackles how psychedelics work, explains microdosing and psychedelic risks, how the substances could be used to treat addiction, and the history of psychedelic stigma.

The neurobiology of meaningfulness: the benefits of psychedelics

Psychedelics produce powerful emotions in its users, including a profound sense of meaningfulness. The philosopher William James called this sense "noetic" in the late 19th century, but for decades researchers avoided studying the effects of such drugs on the brain. However, the recent resurgence in psychedelic research has heightened interest in the relationship between this noetic sense resulting from the therapeutic use of drugs. Learn what researchers have found out here.

What can psychedelics teach us about dying?

Psychedelics have made their way into the world of licensed mental healthcare, and the drugs have been proven to help people process and lessen anxiety and depression. What does this mean for people with terminal illnesses who are afraid of death?

An eye-opening interactive journey into the global drug trade

POPPY Interactive reveals how drug money destabilizes entire countries, fuels global conflicts, and allows a worldwide illegal economy to grow. Navigating the site involves diving into three major routes—the Northern Route, the Balkan Route, and...

Are psychedelics legal in your state?

The answer is usually more complicated than a simple yes or no. This resource includes a state-by-state and international breakdown of current psychedelics legislation and reform. As of November 2023, psychedelics are fully illegal in 18 states, though there still may be religious or medical exemptions depending on the drug in question. Legislation reform and decriminalization efforts are ongoing.

The psychedelic playlist inspired by a Johns Hopkins experiment

Dating back to 1967, the playlist is over seven hours long and organized in such a manner as to echo users’ experiences as their trips rise, crest, and fall. According to the initial creator of the playlist, the music is a “nonverbal support system” that keeps users from prematurely returning to normal consciousness.

LSD fueled a countercultural movement before evolving into a potential therapeutic

As the use of recreational psychedelics became common, authorities were quick to claim LSD had lasting adverse effects, criminalizing the drug and halting scientific study for decades. Over time, LSD's reputation shifted from a potential source of enlightenment to a dangerous drug that could dim a person's future, and back to a possible therapeutic compound.

Psychoactive drugs found in 1,000-year-old bag made of fox noses

Archaeologists in Bolivia have uncovered an ancient bag filled with "amazing goodies" that suggests the owner or owners were well-versed in the properties of psychoactive substances and sourced goods from well-established trade routes. This article details the findings, which shed light on how ancient peoples in the region consumed and obtained psychoactive substances.

Explore this deep dive into how SSRIs work

This 101-style explainer on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors explains how they work in the brain—complete with classroom-style whiteboard drawings. It covers common SSRIs, why someone might try this medication, and a deeper discussion about potential side effects.

The science of addiction treatment

A helpful resource from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (part of the NIH). This article examines addiction treatment and recovery through the science behind several accepted methods. The guide draws helpful comparisons with other chronic disease treatments. In particular, it discusses the overlap between medications and therapeutic treatments, and the understanding that relapse doesn’t indicate treatment failure—only a need for continued or modified care.

'1440 Explores,' Episode 2: Why We Drink and What It Does to US

Alcohol is the world's most popular drug—a molecule that can calm or excite and bond communities or tear them apart. We trace alcohol's journey from ancient rituals to modern hangovers, uncover how it shaped civilizations, and dive into the neuroscience of how it affects your brain and body. With insights from leading experts, we ask: Given all that we know, why do humans continue to drink?

Learn about the US opioid crisis in this free course

Where did the US opioid crisis come from, and how did it spread? Learn this and more in this free, online Harvard University course. Learn about the disease model of addiction treatment and management, and get up-to-date with public health and law enforcement's current harm reduction practices. This free resource gives users a greater understanding of opioid addiction and the epidemic still haunting the US.

Browse and explore dozens of major psychology theories

There are a ton of different psych theories—so here's a breakdown of some of the major ones according to the general psychological focus.

The negative effects of cannabis use

After decades of criminalization, cannabis is a legalized drug in an increasing number of countries around the world. This allows for accurate, robust research on the drug's effects on humans . While weed isn't as harmful as alcohol, regular usage has its negative effects. As strains of the drug become stronger, so does its consequences. Watch this video for a lucid look at the effects of cannabis on its users.

Understanding the distinctions between coffee types

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed looking at a coffee shop menu, you're not alone. Here's a breakdown between common coffee styles. Click through the link to see similar guides to espresso and cold drinks.

Drugs in space: the pharmacy orbiting the Earth

Researchers are developing pharmaceutical solutions for astronauts, whose bodies may not respond the same way in space as they would on Earth. Similar to how microgravity causes changes to astronaut physiology, the environmental shift enables new...

'Why'd I take speed for twenty years?': an exploration of stimulant ADHD medication

Many people with ADHD are prescribed stimulant medication to assist with symptoms ranging from time blindness to executive dysfunction. This hour-long podcast episode by Search Engine explores the host's experience with ADHD medication and the history of amphetamine and methylphenidate use in the US.

What’s with the teen brain, anyway

In this video NIDA explores the intriguing similarities between the processes of brain development and computer programming. This analogy helps us understand why toxic environmental factors like drugs, bullying, or lack of sleep strongly affect a teenager’s life The information provided by this video can empower your children or students with information they need make better decisions.

The gray area that makes PEDs seem like leveling up to hardcore athletes

Doping in sports is broadly condemned as unsafe and unfair. Significant controversies in major sports, including baseball and cycling, have been prompted by the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs, which are described as clear-cut dangers and abuses of the rules. But to many competitors, the line between a PED and the next smart technique to adopt is unclear. This podcast episode explores that gray reality.

A comprehensive guide to the gods

History is filled with the power and mystique of gods, from the epicly bearded Greek boss Zeus to Hoori, the Japanese god of hunting. Check out this database of over 4,000 of the world's deities, from Norse mythology to the gods of Polynesia, and click through for explainers and facts. Peruse specific pantheons (a single culture's collection of gods) or look for the god of a specific attribute, place, or emotion. Dive in here.

Migrane 101: data, symptoms, and treatments

Living with migraine, however often the neurological condition attacks, is a journey fraught with pain and isolation. This migraine guide offers insight into the condition, common triggers, possible treatments, personal stories, and tips for managing life with migraine.

Read a deep dive on the 'all-purpose healing' peptide BPC-157.

Explore an interactive map built from more than 100,000 survey responses on where people find joy in their lives

This poison ivy knowledge quiz—accompanied by photos of the plant's varied forms—may help you identify this common rash-inducing growth.

See how fireworks are made and learn how metals like magnesium and copper are responsible for different colors.

Doctors differentiate between a phobia and fear by asking patients whether their fear interferes with their day-to-day activities.

See how each of the more than two million known species relates to each other—and to common ancestors—in this zoomable tree of life.

Hear 50 years of iconic hip-hop samples, the genre's foundational looped tracks

Explore the known asteroids, comets, and spacecraft involved in asteroid studies within our solar system with 'Eyes on Asteroids,' a 3D visualization from NASA.

Visualize how CRISPR-Cas9—a type of immune system used by single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses—targets and makes precise changes to a gene's DNA.

After her fellow cult members tried to kill her with an LSD-infused hamburger, one member of the Manson Family, the murderous cult led by Charles Manson, decided to testify against the group's leader.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

Explore a list of the 100 best novels of all time, compiled by some of the world's best living writers, including Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, and Jennifer Egan.

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

The use of fungi to detoxify land and water—a process known as mycoremediation—has been used to clean up natural resources affected by the 2025 California wildfires.

According to the physics of black holes, our 4D reality may be a hologram—a projection of information coded on a 2D surface on the edge of the universe.

Play the role of a student in a game where you try to navigate college and remain debt-free, selecting different income levels, high school experience, race, ethnicity, and more.

When you complete a CAPTCHA on a website to prove you are human, you may be unknowingly training algorithms for self-driving cars, whose systems require training data to help identify crosswalks, bicycles, and other outdoor objects.

Netflix profits when you're not watching, and its movies are designed that way—read a detail-rich critical essay exposing lesser-known Netflix takes

Georgia O'Keeffe's flower paintings are often assumed to be sexual, though the artist claimed she was simply interested in highlighting the beauty of flowers that most people neglect

Explore chaos in this simulation of two double pendulums, where small differences in the release angles produce wildly different outcomes.

An initial public offering or 'IPO' is the process of a private company becoming public by putting shares of the company on the stock market for purchase.

See how Ebola tore through Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia in 2014-2016.

For centuries, it was common to sleep in two shifts: a few hours at the beginning of the night, and a longer period beginning around midnight