Summary: In a creative shift for psychiatric research, a study suggests that songwriting and group music-making can help people with psychosis re-connect with reality. The research explores the concept of…
Category: Life
Sandra Varga – Functional Ecologists
In this blog post, we hear from our newest Senior Editor, Sandra Varga! Sandra – an Associate Professor at the University of Lincoln, UK – is an evolutionary ecologist interested…
Stressed Out? Diverse Gut Bacteria Might Be to Blame
Summary: Does the community of bacteria in your gut determine how you handle a high-pressure situation? A new study provides fresh evidence that the human gut microbiome is intrinsically linked…
Treetop toilets may act as communication hubs across mammal species
When a human has a sudden need to take a number two, they might seek out a public bathroom. When mammals in the cloud forests of Costa Rica need to…
Shallow Brain Hypothesis: Subcortical Shortcuts Could Revolutionize AI
Summary: Current AI models mimic the brain’s cortex, the “high-level” outer layer, but they almost entirely ignore the ancient, deep structures beneath it. A research team has proposed a new…
what elevation reveals about herbivory and plant stress – Functional Ecologists
In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Soumen Mallick – a Postdoctoral researcher at Field Station Fabrikschleichach, University of Würzburg – discusses the paper “Elevation reverses the effects of forest…
Forensic Linguists Map the Language of Corruption
Summary: How do you convince a stranger to help you commit a multi-billion dollar crime? By using a specific “linguistic playbook” designed to manufacture trust. Researchers have analyzed the world’s…
New mutations help the H5N1 bird flu virus infect cows but not people
H5N1 bird flu viruses have acquired a molecular trick that makes them more easily infect mammary glands in cattle, but this adaptation does not appear to affect humans. To infect…
