Summary: Research reveals that loneliness is linked to an increased frequency and intensity of nightmares, highlighting the connection between social isolation and sleep disturbances. The study suggests that stress, rumination,…
Category: Life
Why a small seabird dares to fly toward cyclones
Tropical cyclones are synonymous with destruction. But at least one seabird may take advantage of them as feeding opportunities. The Desertas petrel, a small and threatened seabird native to the…
Hurts to Think: The Unpleasant Truth About Mental Effort
Summary: New research suggests that mental exertion is often associated with unpleasant feelings such as stress and irritation, challenging the notion that people enjoy mentally demanding tasks. A meta-analysis of…
Pheromone fingers may help poison frogs mate
During mating, some male poison frogs embrace their partner’s face in a love-potion-laced hug. The amorous amphibians may create pheromones in glands in their fingers, researchers report July 21 in…
Viewpoint: Gene-editing roadblocks — Excessive regulations and a ‘guilty until proven innocent’ mindset hamper gene editing’s massive potential to address climate change
Jared Diamond (1997) observed that, Any society goes through social movements or fads, in which economically useless things become valued or useful things devalued temporarily. Nowadays, when almost all societies…
Overthinking Happiness Can Lower Life Satisfaction
Summary: Obsessing over personal happiness can actually decrease life satisfaction, according to new research. In three studies involving over 1,800 participants, individuals who judged their own happiness reported lower well-being,…
How Your Brain Remembers: How Episodic Memories Form
Summary: Researchers developed a computer model that mimics how the hippocampus stores new episodic memories without erasing old ones. This model demonstrates that the CA3 region of the hippocampus serves…
Study Reveals Dopamine’s Limited Role in Rapid Neural Activity
Summary: A recent study has found that dopamine signals have a minimal impact on rapid neural activity in the striatum, challenging existing theories about dopamine’s role in brain signaling. Using…
Unraveling Schizophrenia: Genetics and Environmental Insights
Summary: A recent review outlines the genetic complexity of schizophrenia, highlighting nearly 300 common genetic variants and over 20 rare variants linked to the disorder. Researchers emphasize that schizophrenia’s genetic…
Breakthough Institute: Are cover crops the silver bullet to reduce agricultural carbon emissions as regenerative-farming enthusiasts claim? Time for a rethink
Cover cropping, the practice of planting secondary crops during the off-season to improve soil health, has roots stretching back to antiquity. Ancient Romans used crops like lupines to enhance soil fertility…
