Intelligence and Focus: How the Brain Tunes Out Distractions

Summary: Researchers made a breakthrough in understanding how the brain manages to focus in noisy environments, distinguishing between enhancing relevant information and tuning out distractions. Their study explores the intricate…

Older monarch caterpillars binge on toxic milkweed goo

Maybe science has misunderstood the dining style of big monarch butterfly caterpillars. What insect watchers have called defense against the toxic latex a milkweed plant oozes may not be avoidance…

Decoding Emotions: Beyond Senses in the Human Brain

Summary: A new study explores how the human brain constructs emotions, regardless of sensory input. By analyzing brain activity in individuals with and without sensory deprivations while they experienced the…

Unlocking Synaptic Mysteries: The Role of FAM81A Protein

Summary: Researchers have identified a critical protein, FAM81A, that plays a pivotal role in forming postsynaptic protein agglomerations, essential for synaptic function in the brain. By analyzing 35 previous studies,…

International Women’s Day 2024  – Functional Ecologists

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, we are excited to share a collection of blog posts showcasing the work of some of our new Associate Editors. In each post, our…

Viewpoint: Do you believe in magic? Many nutritional supplements are impure, ineffective, unsafe — and unregulated. That needs to change

Drawings Shape Math Problem-Solving Skills

Summary: Researchers uncovered the connection between individuals’ drawings and their arithmetic problem-solving strategies. By analyzing the illustrations produced by both children and adults when tasked with solving simple mathematical problems,…

This is the first egg-laying amphibian found to feed its babies ‘milk’

In the middle of the night in a humid coastal rainforest, a litter of pink, hairless babies snuggle with their mother. They stir and squeak for milk, their mother obliges,…

Linking Childhood Adversity to Adult Mental Health

Summary: Researchers delved into how adverse childhood experiences contribute to the risk of psychiatric illness in adulthood, leveraging data from over 25,000 twins in the Swedish Twin Registry. The study…

Less Obesity and Depression in NPD Individuals

Summary: A comprehensive study across 38 states in the U.S. has revealed a surprising link between narcissism and positive health outcomes, including lower obesity and depression rates. States with higher…