Summary: Scientists have uncovered how serotonergic neurons in larval zebrafish process visual information tied to movement to determine when and how much serotonin to release. This neuromodulator fine-tunes the fish’s…
Category: Life
Genetic Sensitivity to Environment May Shape Mental Health Traits
Summary: A large international study of over 21,000 identical twins has identified genetic variants that influence how individuals respond to life experiences, affecting traits such as anxiety, depression, and autistic…
Viewpoint: Sustainable agriculture: Why gene editing should be welcomed by organic farmers
Gene editing should be allowed in organic crop cultivation to boost yields and promote more sustainable farming practices, according to an international research team led by scientists at the University…
Robot Yawns Spark Contagious Yawning in Chimps
Summary: Chimpanzees have been observed yawning and lying down after seeing a humanoid android mimic a yawning facial expression, indicating contagious yawning triggered by an artificial agent. This study is…
Conquering Nightmares and Insomnia with Science
Summary: A new workbook offers science-backed strategies to help individuals overcome chronic nightmares and insomnia. Using proven therapeutic approaches, it teaches readers how to rewrite distressing dreams and develop healthier…
Challenging the ‘multi-billion dollar fear-and-smear campaign against genetically-engineered crops’
It’s been said before but is worth repeating: Humans have been modifying the DNA of our food for thousands of years. It’s called … agriculture. Early farmers, >10,000 years ago), used…
How the Brain Tells Imagination from Reality, And When It Fails
Summary: A new study identifies the brain mechanisms that help us distinguish real experiences from imagined ones. Researchers found that the fusiform gyrus—a region involved in visual processing—plays a key…
Preemptively cutting rhinos’ horns cuts poaching
Rhino poaching may be substantially reduced by removing the reason so many rhinos are poached in the first place: their highly valued horns. Dehorning rhinos dramatically drops the poaching rate…
Can AI Be Funny? Yes, But Not Funnier Than a Human
Summary: A new study shows that AI can create internet memes rated as funny and shareable as those made by humans, but the best jokes still come from people. Researchers…
