Summary: A new longitudinal study reveals that the accumulation of visceral fat, the “hidden” fat stored deep within the abdominal cavity, is a primary driver of brain atrophy and cognitive…
Category: Life
If wings came before flight, what were they for?
Lily Burton is the Spring 2026 science writing intern at Science News. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology and Anthropology from UC Berkeley. She also has…
Primary Cilium Shapes the Developing Brain
Summary: For decades, the primary cilium was dismissed as a useless evolutionary leftover. However, a new study reveals that this microscopic, antenna-like structure is a critical architect of the brain.…
The “Goldilocks” Choice: Why Older Adults are Turning to Cannabis
Summary: Cannabis use among adults over 60 is the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S., yet their motivations and decision-making processes have largely remained a mystery. A new study reveals that…
Manasa Kulkarni | What happens in a mutualism at the elemental level? New tools to study the interaction – Functional Ecologists
In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Manasa Kulkarni, discusses the paper ‘Developing together: the elementome and biogeochemical niche of the mutualistic occupants of a fig microcosm’, which was recently published in Functional Ecology! Manasa delves…
Why Regret Loses Its Sting as We Age
Summary: While regret is a universal human experience, how we process it changes significantly over time. New research reveals that older adults report fewer recent regrets than their younger counterparts.…
High Cognitive Scores Might Predict Depressive Relapse
Summary: “Brain fog”, the memory loss and lack of focus that affects up to 90% of people with major depressive disorder, has long been thought to be a warning sign…
Nick Gulotta | To stay or to roam? Behavioural type influences trade-offs in male wild turkey survival – Functional Ecologists
In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Nick Gulotta – a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia, USA – helps us get “familiar” with turkey behaviour! Discussing the…
Neandertals used rhinoceros teeth as tools
Neandertals may have had an unexpected tool in their kits: rhinoceros teeth. Marks in fossil rhino teeth found in caves in France and Spain suggest they were once used as…
