Summary: New research reveals that each person has a unique breathing “fingerprint” that can be used to identify them with nearly 97% accuracy. By continuously monitoring nasal airflow over 24…
Category: Life
Viewpoint: Here’s why farmers use pesticides like atrazine and glyphosate—and why they are safe
Corn growers need access to all types of pesticides. [Glyphosate was] developed more than 50 years ago to control a wide range of problematic weeds. Atrazine is another valued herbicide…
This spider’s barf is worse than its bite
A single drawing from a 94-year-old scientific paper has revived interest in one of the more roundabout ways a spider preps its dinner. First swathe a fruit fly or other…
Negative Surroundings Skew Emotions in People with Depression
Summary: People with depressive symptoms are more likely to interpret neutral images as negative when those images are surrounded by unrelated negative visuals. This emotional “spillover” effect shows how peripheral…
How Serotonin Circuits Learn from Motion to Regulate Behavior
Summary: Scientists have uncovered how serotonergic neurons in larval zebrafish process visual information tied to movement to determine when and how much serotonin to release. This neuromodulator fine-tunes the fish’s…
Genetic Sensitivity to Environment May Shape Mental Health Traits
Summary: A large international study of over 21,000 identical twins has identified genetic variants that influence how individuals respond to life experiences, affecting traits such as anxiety, depression, and autistic…
Viewpoint: Sustainable agriculture: Why gene editing should be welcomed by organic farmers
Gene editing should be allowed in organic crop cultivation to boost yields and promote more sustainable farming practices, according to an international research team led by scientists at the University…
Robot Yawns Spark Contagious Yawning in Chimps
Summary: Chimpanzees have been observed yawning and lying down after seeing a humanoid android mimic a yawning facial expression, indicating contagious yawning triggered by an artificial agent. This study is…
Conquering Nightmares and Insomnia with Science
Summary: A new workbook offers science-backed strategies to help individuals overcome chronic nightmares and insomnia. Using proven therapeutic approaches, it teaches readers how to rewrite distressing dreams and develop healthier…
