Summary: Researchers have discovered how stress-induced cardiovascular changes are controlled by the brain. Experiments in rats show that activating the lateral habenula, a stress-sensitive brain region, triggers changes in heart…
Category: Life
Human Remains Reveal Violence and Cannibalism in Bronze Age Britain
Summary: Archaeologists studying the Charterhouse Warren site in England found evidence of a massacre, where at least 37 individuals were butchered, likely partly consumed, and dehumanized by their enemies. Analysis…
Visual Silence: Exploring Aphantasia – Neuroscience News
Summary: A new study reveals that aphantasics, people unable to visualize, are more resistant to involuntary visual thoughts, such as imagining a pink elephant. While vivid visual imaginations often lead…
Positive Attitude Boosts Passion and Determination
Summary: New research links a positive attitude, or “growth mindset,” to higher levels of passion and determination. A study of over 1,500 participants aged 13 to 77 found that those…
Why We Buy What We Buy: The Neuroscience of Shopping
Summary: New research in neuroeconomics explores the brain processes behind shopping decisions, revealing how factors like brand recognition, pricing, and online versus in-person experiences influence purchases. The ventral striatum, a…
Moms Carry 71% of the Mental Load
Summary: New research shows that mothers take on 71% of household mental load tasks, including planning, scheduling, and organizing, while fathers manage just 45%. This imbalance often leads to stress,…
AI Mirrors Human Bias: ‘Us vs. Them’ in Language Models
Summary: AI systems, including large language models (LLMs), exhibit “social identity bias,” favoring ingroups and disparaging outgroups similarly to humans. Using prompts like “We are” and “They are,” researchers found…
Genetic Mechanism Links Emotional Experiences to Behavior Changes
Summary: Researchers have identified a genetic mechanism that regulates behavioral adaptations to emotional experiences by forming R-loops, unique RNA:DNA structures that activate target genes. The study focused on NPAS4, a…
Roadmap for the incoming Trump administration: Friend or foe of US agriculture?
President-elect Trump has promised his second administration will move aggressively to deliver relief from regulatory burdens in a number of areas. Though not widely noted in the current media coverage,…
Do Animals Really Understand Fairness?
Summary: New research challenges the idea that animals share humans’ sense of fairness, suggesting their reactions to unequal rewards stem from unmet expectations rather than inequity aversion. In the largest…
