Territorial conflict may explain male primates’ large size

It’s a game of monkey mean, monkey grew. Territorial tension may be behind the size of male primates. In many primate species, males have evolved to be bigger than their…

Map of Brain Histamine System Links Molecule to ADHD and Depression

Summary: Researchers developed the first multiscale map of the brain’s histamine system, spanning from genetics to behavior. While histamine is famously linked to allergies, this study highlights its critical, often-overlooked…

First Real-Time Brain-Controlled Hearing Device

Summary: Researchers provided the first direct evidence that brain-controlled technology can help listeners isolate a single voice in a crowded environment. The study demonstrates a system that acts as a…

Decoding the Metabolic Roots of Bipolar Disorder

Summary: While Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Bipolar Disorder (BD) share overlapping symptoms, a novel study reveals distinct biological pathways for each. The research is the first to identify a…

Reducing Visceral Fat Protects the Brain for Decades

Summary: A new longitudinal study reveals that the accumulation of visceral fat, the “hidden” fat stored deep within the abdominal cavity, is a primary driver of brain atrophy and cognitive…

Digital Memory Paradox: Social Networking “Mutes” Content Learning

Summary: Forming social connections online creates a surprising cognitive trade-off: as our networking performance soars, our engagement with and learning from actual content plummet. A collaborative study reveals that joining…

If wings came before flight, what were they for?

Lily Burton is the Spring 2026 science writing intern at Science News. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology and Anthropology from UC Berkeley. She also has…

Primary Cilium Shapes the Developing Brain

Summary: For decades, the primary cilium was dismissed as a useless evolutionary leftover. However, a new study reveals that this microscopic, antenna-like structure is a critical architect of the brain.…

The “Goldilocks” Choice: Why Older Adults are Turning to Cannabis

Summary: Cannabis use among adults over 60 is the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S., yet their motivations and decision-making processes have largely remained a mystery. A new study reveals that…

Manasa Kulkarni | What happens in a mutualism at the elemental level? New tools to study the interaction  – Functional Ecologists

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Manasa Kulkarni, discusses the paper ‘Developing together: the elementome and biogeochemical niche of the mutualistic occupants of a fig microcosm’, which was recently published in Functional Ecology! Manasa delves…