In our new post, Julia Koricheva—a researcher at Royal Holloway University of London, UK—discusses her interest in effects of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning. Having worked extensively on long-term forest…
Category: Life
Viewpoint: ‘Public fixation on human extinction from AI could distract from AI’s more immediate harms’
The warning consisted of a single sentence: “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.” The pithy…
Omega Fatty Acids Improve Vision in Preterm Babies
Summary: A novel study reveals that preterm babies given a supplement of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids show significantly better visual function by age two and a half. Conducted between…
Anger, The Forgotten Emotion Unveiled: How Trauma Influences Problem Anger
Summary: Anger remains a misunderstood emotion, often stigmatized and mishandled in society. Researchers revealed a significant link between problem anger and trauma experiences, with anger serving as a common, yet…
Mental Health and Cannabis Use in Pregnant Women
Summary: A recent study reveals a potential vulnerability of pregnant and postpartum women with mental health disorders towards self-medicating with cannabis. Prior research had been vague, generalizing mental health issues…
Ketamine in Depression Treatment: Balancing Promise with Caution
Summary: Researchers examined the evolving use of ketamine as a treatment for depression in New Zealand. While acknowledging its potential benefits for treatment-resistant depression, they advise against a rapid large-scale…
Sequestering carbon on a gigaton scale: How gene editing can address climate change by reducing atmospheric emissions
Hardly a day goes by without another piece praising the potential for gene editing to help solve climate change. Nevertheless, the possible contributions of biology and biotechnology have been conspicuously underplayed in most of the International Panel on Climate Change…
Unlocking Sound: Common Supplement Might Combat Age-Related Hearing Loss
Summary: Researchers discovered a link between age-related hearing loss and decreased cholesterol in the inner ear. This cholesterol reduction affects the outer hair cells (OHCs), which are essential for amplifying…
