Is it possible to die of boredom?
Muse Science Magazine for Kids|April 2024
To figure out if we can die of boredom, we first have to understand what boredom is. For help, we called James Danckert, a psychologist who studies boredom at the University of Waterloo in Canada.
LIZZIE WADE
Is it possible to die of boredom?

A: “A lot of people think about being bored as being a couch potato or being lazy. And it’s absolutely not that,” he says. “Bored people want to be engaged with their world, they want to do something satisfying and stimulating. But any attempt to do so is failing.”

This story is from the April 2024 edition of Muse Science Magazine for Kids.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 2024 edition of Muse Science Magazine for Kids.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MUSE SCIENCE MAGAZINE FOR KIDSView All
Who's Your Cousin?
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

Who's Your Cousin?

The great apes are among the most popular animals in most zoos. Their actions, facial expressions, and family life remind us so much of ourselves. Have you ever wondered, though, how we might look to them?

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2024
Is it possible to die of boredom?
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

Is it possible to die of boredom?

To figure out if we can die of boredom, we first have to understand what boredom is. For help, we called James Danckert, a psychologist who studies boredom at the University of Waterloo in Canada.

time-read
1 min  |
April 2024
THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL

Palm oil is all around you. It’s in sugary snacks like cookies and candy bars. It’s in lipstick and shampoo and pet food.

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2024
SERGE WICH
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

SERGE WICH

Serge Wich’s favorite days at work are spent out in the forest, studying orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo or chimpanzees in Tanzania.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2024
ELODIE FREYMANN
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

ELODIE FREYMANN

When you’re feeling sick, it probably doesn’t occur to you to try eating tree bark.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2024
Guardians of the Forest
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

Guardians of the Forest

EARLY, MAKESHIFT WILDLIFE DRONES HELPED TO DETECT AND PROTECT ORANGUTANS.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2024
APE ANTICS
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

APE ANTICS

The Whirling World of primate play

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2024
Dr. Ape Will See You Now
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

Dr. Ape Will See You Now

HUMANS AREN’T THE ONLY  PRIMATES THAT USE MEDICATION.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2024
THE LEFT OVERS
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

THE LEFT OVERS

A lot has happened for modern humans to get to this point. We lost most of our hair, learned how to make tools, established civilizations, sent a person to the Moon, and invented artificial intelligence. Whew! With all of these changes, our bodies have changed, too. It’s only taken us about six million years.

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2024
SO, WHAT IS A PRIMATE?
Muse Science Magazine for Kids

SO, WHAT IS A PRIMATE?

What do you have in common with the aye-aye, sifaka, siamang, and potto? If you said your collarbone, you re probably a primatologist—a person who studies primates. If you’re not, read on.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2024