Four thousand years ago, on an island off the coast of what is now Siberia, the world’s last woolly mammoth took its final breath. Living on that island, isolated from…
Category: Life
how standing dead biomass affects litter decomposition of herbs – Functional Ecologists
In this Behind the Paper blog post, Šárka Angst – a research assistant at the Czech Academy of Sciences – discusses her paper “The effect of dead standing (marcescent) biomass…
What are the prospects of developing a COVID vaccine against all strains and future pandemics?
The arrival of the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if. In order to be prepared for it, we will need government-funded basic science in universities and the…
Depression Linked to Amygdala Activity
Summary: A new study reveals how depression affects brain activity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of rats. Using a microelectrode array, researchers found increased theta frequency activity in the BLA…
Brain Control of Escape Behavior May Unlock Anxiety Treatments
Summary: Researchers discovered how the brain controls sensitivity to threats, influencing escape behavior in mice. The study found that inhibitory neurons in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) regulate both the initiation…
Kelsey Byers – Functional Ecologists
Happy Pride Month! Join the British Ecological Society in this annual, global celebration as we share stories from STEM researchers who belong to the LGBTQ+ community. This post is by…
Empathy in Kids Linked to Poorer Health Amid Parental Conflict
Summary: Empathetic children aged 7-9 show poorer health and higher inflammation levels when exposed to interparental conflict. The research highlights the physiological impact of empathy in stressful home environments. The…
MDMA Variants Show Promise for Safer Psychotherapy
Summary: Researchers developed three new MDMA variants (ODMA, TDMA, and SeDMA) that retain the therapeutic benefits while reducing side effects. These compounds affect mood-regulating brain structures similarly to MDMA but…
Mindfulness Improves Sleep and Reduces Stress
Summary: A new study reveals that mindfulness helps improve sleep quality and reduce stress by focusing on the present and minimizing negative thoughts. The study tracked 144 nurses over two…
1 in 5 people have seasonal allergies — up from just 1% at the beginning of the 20th century. What’s the cause?
For around 20 per cent of us, nature’s annual awakening comes with side effects: Runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Some are so troubled by pollen allergies that they have…
