Throughout human history, people have wondered if dreams had any significance. This subject also fascinates contemporary scientists. The field of dream science has long oscillated between mainstream and fringe studies.

However, innovative study designs and cutting-edge technologies are making it a fascinating and significant research area. These four recent discoveries could lead to a deeper comprehension of dreaming.

Lucid dreams-
An worldwide study conducted in 2021 demonstrated the feasibility of two-way communication between a lucid dreamer and a lab researcher. Building on this, a different study in 2024 taught lucid dreamers to operate a simulated car from within their dreams.

What causes us to dream?
Blagrove and artist Julia Lockheart have been working together in a dream discussion and drawing group since 2016. A recent dream is asked to be shared by a member of the audience. While Lockheart doodles an explanation of the dream onto the pages of Sigmund Freud's book The Interpretation of Dreams, Blagrove facilitates the conversation.

His 2019 study revealed that having this kind of conversation about dreams can boost empathy between the dreamer and the listener. According to Blagrove, this might have been important for the survival of the ancestors in making meaningful relationships with other people.

According to the embodied cognition hypothesis of dreaming, dreams help us become ready for the cognitive tasks of daily life. Although it hasn't been investigated, there is a growing body of research examining the potential adaptive value of dreams.