Summary: Researchers have identified a rare type of brain cell whose overactivity may contribute to schizophrenia-like symptoms, such as cognitive deficits and disrupted sleep. When scientists reduced the activity of…
Category: Life
Music and Nature Work in Harmony to Ease Stress and Lift Mood
Summary: The viral phrase “touch grass” may be more than internet humor—science shows that engaging with nature and music can significantly boost emotional and physical well-being. A new review found…
Brain Circuits Split Food Choices Between Sugar and Fat Cravings
Summary: A new study reveals that the brain uses two distinct neural pathways to regulate sugar and fat intake. In mice, glucoprivation—a drop in blood sugar levels—activates separate circuits in…
Swap 30 Minutes of Sitting for Light Activity to Boost Next-Day Mood
Summary: New research reveals that replacing even 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity—like walking or doing household chores—can boost mood and energy the following day. The study tracked…
Viewpoint: Organic fantasies—Why rejecting industrial agriculture for regenerative farming would be a big mistake for food security and sustainability
Last year, Scientific American published a short but ominous article titled “Only 60 Years Left of Farming if Soil Degradation Continues.” Similar claims had appeared in the Guardian in 2019…
Pain Resilience, Not Pain Itself, Predicts How Active People Stay
Summary: A new study reveals that how people think about and cope with chronic pain is more important than the pain itself in determining physical activity levels. Researchers found that…
Lack of Sleep in Teens Linked to Higher Suicide Risk
Summary: Teenagers who sleep less or experience frequent night awakenings are significantly more likely to attempt suicide later in adolescence, according to a major longitudinal study. Researchers analyzed data from…
Subway mosquitoes evolved millennia ago in ancient Mediterranean cities
Subterranean mosquitoes specialized for life in subways and sewers first evolved to pester humans millennia ago in Mediterranean civilizations. A widely accepted story about the mosquitoes’ evolution put their origins…
Which venomous snakes strike the fastest?
Some vipers are the sprinters of snakes. Vipers wielded the fastest attacks in a comparison of 36 venomous snakes from three families, researchers report October 23 in Journal of Experimental…
GLP podcast: Are science journals corrupt? Dr. Kevin Folta examines the ‘replication crisis’
The science community faces an existential crisis as thousands of studies are retracted and dozens of peer-reviewed journals are forced to close their doors after publishing fraudulent and low-quality research.…
