Abstract: Cognitive science is the booming scientific enterprise attempting to unravel the mysteries of human mind using an interdisciplinary approach. Cognitive science explores the most influential scientific territories in terms of future destination of human beings and has been attracting attention from all walks of life. Based on a myriad of up-to-date information and data, this review introduces the status quo of cognitive science research around the globe, analyzes the future trends of its development, discusses the prospective areas where the inquiry of human mind will find marked practical uses, and points out the challenge facing the future generation of cognition researchers.

Key words: cognitive science, mind, brain, emotion, environment.