Ripple bugs’ nimble movements on the surface of water inspired a robot with automatically unfurling fans on its feet.
Category: Life
Around the world, birds sing longer in light-polluted areas
Light pollution makes birds work overtime. A behavioral analysis of nearly 600 bird species suggests that light pollution from human development can lengthen the time birds spend singing by nearly…
GLP podcast: ‘Hyperreality.’ How the digital world severs our connection to truth
Endless social media feeds, 24-hour news cycles, and AI-driven search engines have empowered us to curate the content we consume and even the people we interact with. It’s an unprecedented…
Experimental Drugs Reverse Autism Symptoms
Summary: Researchers have identified hyperactivity in the reticular thalamic nucleus as a driver of autism-like behaviors in mice. This brain region, which gates sensory information, was found to be overactive…
These giant carnivorous bats hug, cuddle — and even share dinner
Even for the world’s largest carnivorous bat, a hug is the best hello. Spectral bats are far more cooperative than researchers long assumed, routinely greeting one another with wing wraps…
Chi-Yun Kuo – Functional Ecologists
In this blog post, we hear from Associate Editor Chi-Yun Kuo, Associate Professor at Kaohsiung Medical University. Chi-Yun’s primary research interests are in understanding how animals can modify their behaviours…
“Eureka!”: Surprising Brain Clues Predict When Inspiration Will Hit
Summary: A new study has shown that the brain leaves subtle traces of creativity minutes before an “aha!” moment. By filming mathematicians solving difficult problems, researchers found that behavior grew…
Streaked shearwaters poop only while flying over the ocean
This seabird poops on the fly. Streaked shearwaters, oceanic birds that spend much of their time out on the open Pacific Ocean, defecate almost exclusively in the air, researchers report…
Eight New Genes Linked to Schizophrenia Revealed
Summary: The largest exome-sequencing study of schizophrenia to date has uncovered eight new genes tied to the disorder. Two genes, STAG1 and ZNF136, were strongly implicated, while six others showed…
Viewpoint: The Catholic Church’s new guidelines on AI fail to account for the overlap of evolution and technology
While the Vatican acknowledges stages of technological development, it lacks a model of integrating science and religion that can adequately assess the influence of technology. The Vatican’s approach, while ethically…
