Summary: A new study shows that background music in workplaces can harm employee mood, energy, and job performance when it doesn’t match individual needs. This “music misfit” effect leads to…
Category: Life
Some tropical trees act as lightning rods to fend off rivals
Getting hit by lightning is not usually a good thing. But one tropical tree species seems to harness heaven’s wrath. Not only do the trees survive lightning strikes, but their…
The Subtle Power of Self-Deprecating Humor
Summary: Self-deprecating humor, when used thoughtfully, can help people regulate emotions, build trust, and foster connection—especially in therapeutic settings. Far from being purely negative, this type of humor signals humility,…
Serotonin Signals the Brain’s Best Guess About Future Rewards
Summary: A new study reveals that serotonin neurons in the brain may play a crucial role in helping us estimate the value of future rewards. Rather than simply responding to…
How Psilocybin Lifts Mood Without the Hallucinogenic Trip
Summary: Researchers have uncovered two key brain mechanisms—specific neurons and a serotonin receptor—that help explain how psilocybin produces long-lasting antidepressant effects. Their study identified pyramidal tract neurons in the medial…
Autism-Linked Gene Alters Face Perception in Dogs
Summary: A new study shows that Beagle dogs with mutations in the autism-linked Shank3 gene exhibit face processing abnormalities similar to those seen in humans with ASD. Using behavioral tests,…
Gila monsters may struggle to survive climate change
For Gila monsters that live in the warming Mojave Desert, relocating to beat the heat may not be so simple. While climate change might create some better habitats, the lizards…
What’s a ‘GMO’? Challenging fears and misconceptions about crop biotechnology is a challenge in an era of disinformation
Last year, my friend Kevin Folta, professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida, tweeted this after getting scolded by amti-biotechnology activists who had invaded a farm discussion group:…
Study Reveals Brain Circuits That Drive Political Passion and Intensity
Summary: A new study has identified specific brain networks that regulate the intensity of political engagement, regardless of ideology. By analyzing Vietnam War veterans with localized brain injuries, researchers found…
