Summary: A new study reveals that people often overestimate the amount of information they have when making decisions, a phenomenon researchers call the “illusion of information adequacy.” Participants who were…
Category: Life
The largest arthropod to ever live finally has a head
Two newly discovered fossils are helping scientists wrap their heads around the anatomy of the largest arthropod of all time — a millipede that grew longer than a king-sized bed…
Arianne-Elise Harris – Functional Ecologists
Hi there! My name is Arianne-Elise Harris and I’m an instructor in the Department of Biology at the University of Guyana. My interests lie in population ecology where I’ve spent…
To tell a right-trunked elephant from a lefty, check the wrinkles
There’s a Sherlock Holmes tale in here somewhere: A clever observer could check wrinkles and whiskers on an elephant trunk to catch a left-trunker pachyderm perp masquerading as a righty,…
Optimism Boosted by Psilocybin, Hinting at Depression Relief
Summary: Researchers have discovered that psilocybin, a psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, increases optimism and motivation in rats, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits for treating depression. Using computational modeling, scientists observed…
How Conscious Thought Fades Under Anesthesia
Summary: A new study has shown that conscious thought relies on synchronized brain rhythms to maintain communication between sensory and cognitive brain regions. Under general anesthesia, this rhythm-based communication breaks…
These sea creatures can fuse their bodies
In a Frankenstein-y feat, a small, gelatinous sea creature can merge its body with a neighbor’s. The animals — called sea walnuts, a type of comb jelly — can then…
Viewpoint: Why are politicians letting the tort lawyer and organic industry funded anti-science Environmental Working Group influence public policy?
We are in an era where rejection of science occurs across all ideologies and communities. Anti-science misinformation spreads as a result of low science literacy and lack of understanding of…
First Gut Microbiome Map for Personalized Food Responses
Summary: A recent study has mapped how molecules in food interact with gut bacteria, revealing why people respond differently to the same diets. By examining 150 dietary compounds, researchers found…
