In this blog post, we hear from the second-place winner of Functional Ecology’s presentation prize at the International Conference on Mycorrhiza (ICOM), Liu. Pei-Chu! Liu. Pei-Chu shares her presentation “Effects…
Category: Life
This armored amphibian once lived and hunted on the seafloor
Most amphibians shrivel or suffocate in saltwater. But long ago, an oddball armored amphibian may have dwelled deep in the ocean. Scientists have found evidence that an ancient amphibian with…
How octopuses squeeze through tiny openings, step by step
Octopuses have made many a great escape. Remember Inky, who fled from New Zealand’s national aquarium? The cephalopods can Houdini their way out of tanks and off boats by squeezing…
Estrogen Exposure Shields the Aging Brain
Summary: A longitudinal neuroimaging investigation published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, demonstrates that longer lifetime estrogen exposure and hormonal therapy use are strongly tied…
How hawkmoths turned their genitals into bat-busting weapons
When a bat closes in, some hawkmoths fight back with their genitalia. By rasping specialized scales on their sex organs against structures on their abdomens, the moths unleash bursts of…
Omega-3 DHA Eases Autism Behaviors by Calming Inflammation
Summary: A preclinical study from Chongqing Medical University and Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center demonstrates that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a crucial omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, alleviates autism-like behavioral deficits…
Neuromorphic Chip Decodes Brain’s Emotion Waves
Summary: Engineers at the Beijing Institute of Technology have engineered an ultra-efficient, brain-inspired computing framework that decodes emotional states from raw electroencephalography (EEG) signals with microsecond latency and microjoule energy…
The Dark Side of Bonding With AI Companions
Summary: A mixed-methods psychological investigation published in Psychology & Marketing reveals the profound emotional vulnerabilities experienced by people who form intimate bonds with artificial intelligence companions. Led by researchers from…
Viewpoint: The fragile (and often bizarre) MAHA-MAGA-far left health-and-chemicals coalition is fracturing. Here’s why
The Make America Healthy Again movement rallied voters around fears of industrial chemicals, pesticides and corporate agriculture — but the Republican administration it helped elect keeps siding with the chemical…
Single-Dose Psilocybin Lacks Lasting Behavioral Effects
Summary: A coordinated multi-laboratory investigation published in Nature Neuroscience challenges widespread assumptions regarding the enduring behavioral benefits of psychedelic compounds in animal models. Neuroscientists across five independent laboratories at UC…
