Science & technology | Well informed

The drug is hugely addictive but it does boost mental performance

A cigarette with the smoke in the shape of a brain
Illustration: Cristina Spanò

|3 min read

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This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “What nicotine does to your brain”

From the September 20th 2025 edition

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A melting ice cream cone topped with a sad-faced cherry and colorful sprinkles.

Well informed

Are some types of sugar healthier than others?

We weigh up the options

Prehistoric tribe around fire.

Humans were lighting fires from scratch a lot earlier than previously thought

A 400,000-year-old tinderbox is found in eastern England

Iain Douglas-Hamilton, the scientist who saved the elephants

The beasts have lost their stoutest defender 

Well informed

Why hangovers get worse as you get older

But there are things you can do to help

The Chinese rocket industry takes off

A reusable booster failed last week, but showed the Americans they may soon have competition