Summary: Scientists have discovered a group of brain cells in the orbitofrontal cortex that become more active when outcomes are uncertain, revealing how the brain adapts and learns from unpredictable…
Category: Life
Mic’d bats reveal midnight songbird attacks
Vampire bats are a Halloween staple, and now they’ve got company. Another bat species snatches birds out of the air for a gruesome midnight feast. Songbird DNA has previously shown…
Toy-obsessed dogs give clues to addictive behaviors
If you’ve ever had a slobbery ball at your feet and a dog’s hopeful eyes asking for yet another throw, then you know that some dogs really love to play.…
Mario Vallejo-Marín | The buzz of pollination and how plants stave off greedy bees – Functional Ecologists
In this week’s blog post, we’re learning all about buzz pollination between Bombus terrestris and Solanum rostratum! Author Mario Vallejo-Marín explains one of the most striking examples of evolutionary convergence…
Reelin Shows Promise for Healing Both Gut and Depression
Summary: A new study reveals that the protein Reelin may hold the key to treating both “leaky gut” and major depressive disorder. Chronic stress lowers Reelin levels in the gut,…
Bees in distress: Climate change is depressing the aroma that attracts bees for pollination. Scientists are scrambling for a solution
Across 120 publications from 19 countries, ozone pollution decreased performance of beneficial invertebrates by more than 31%, while nitrogen oxides (NOx) decreased it by 24%. The results suggest that pollution’s…
Five Sleep Types Revealed: How Your Brain Wiring Reflects Rest
Summary: A new study has identified five distinct “sleep-biopsychosocial” profiles that connect how we sleep with our brain networks, mental health, cognition, and lifestyle. Using data from over 700 participants,…
What You Choose to Remember Shapes Memory More Than Emotion
Summary: A new study reveals that intentional memory control—deciding what to remember or forget—is more powerful than emotional influence when forming long-term memories. Participants were more likely to recall words…
