Summary: Cooperative breeding influences brain development in common marmosets and humans, allowing longer periods for social learning. Marmoset brains, like human brains, develop socio-cognitive regions slowly, maturing in early adulthood.…
Category: Life
Why finding bird flu in a U.S. pig for the first time is raising new worries
At least one pig has picked up bird flu amid an outbreak in poultry on a backyard farm in central Oregon. While the infection appears limited to one farm so…
For the 24 million people globally who suffer from schizophrenia, newly approved Cobenfy offers a breakthrough treatment
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration [has] approved a new kind of drug to treat schizophrenia, a breakthrough after 70 years of incremental innovation that appears to avoid side effects that…
A single enzyme can alter the vibrant colors in parrot plumage
One enzyme has a key role in determining whether parrots’ rainbow plumage emerges in vibrant reds, yellows or greens, a new study shows. Parrot feathers flaunt an array of colors,…
This marine biologist discovered a unique blue whale population in Sri Lanka
Pooping whales changed the course of Asha de Vos’ career. The Sri Lankan marine biologist was aboard a research vessel near her home island in 2003 when she spotted six…
AI is supercharging gene editing, slingshotting us into a future of creating new life
During her chemistry Nobel Prize lecture in 2018, Frances Arnold said, “Today we can for all practical purposes read, write and edit any sequence of DNA, but we cannot compose it.”…
These hornets may be the alcohol-detox champs of the animal world
Don’t get into a drinking contest with Vespa orientalis hornets. They could out-booze a tree shrew, even a fruit fly. Mere humans wouldn’t stand a chance. These hornets can survive…
Giant rats could help sniff out illegally smuggled goods
A new kind of border patrol agent could soon start work in African ports, sniffing out illegal goods that are smuggled across country lines. They’re rats. And they wear tiny…
When Human-AI Teams Thrive and When They Don’t
Summary: A new study reveals that while human-AI collaboration can be powerful, it depends on the task. Analysis of hundreds of studies found that AI outperformed human-AI teams in decision-making…
Key Biochemical Trigger of Huntington’s Disease Progression Identified
Summary: Researchers have identified a crucial biochemical mechanism that could allow Huntington’s disease to be studied before symptoms appear, offering hope for early intervention. The team found that disrupted dopamine…
