Neuroscie
How the Brain Tells Imagination from Reality, And When It Fails
Summary: A new study identifies the brain mechanisms that help us distinguish real experiences from imagined ones. Researchers found that the fusiform gyrus—a region involved in visual processing—plays a key…
Can AI Be Funny? Yes, But Not Funnier Than a Human
Summary: A new study shows that AI can create internet memes rated as funny and shareable as those made by humans, but the best jokes still come from people. Researchers…
Multitasking Is Many Skills, Not One
Summary: A new study reveals that multitasking isn’t a single, universal skill, but a combination of broad cognitive abilities and task-specific skills. Researchers tested 224 participants across nine different multitasking…
Hallucinogens Linked to Milder PTSD
Summary: In a unique real-world study, researchers examined the psychological effects of trauma on survivors of the October 7 Nova Festival attack in Israel, focusing on their use of mind-altering…
Life
Nature
Newfound bat skeletons are the oldest on record
Two fossilized bat skeletons unearthed in western Wyoming represent a new species and are the oldest set of bat bones yet discovered, researchers say. The incredibly complete fossils of Icaronycteris…
Astronomy
Astronomers thought the Milky Way was doomed to crash into Andromeda. Now they’re not so sure
For years, astronomers have predicted a dramatic fate for our galaxy: a head-on collision with Andromeda, our nearest large galactic neighbor. This merger—expected in about 5 billion years—has become a…
Mars Odyssey orbiter captures volcano peeking above morning cloud tops
Arsia Mons, an ancient Martian volcano, was captured before dawn on May 2, 2025, by NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter while the spacecraft was studying the Red Planet’s atmosphere, which…
Private lunar lander from Japan falls silent while attempting a moon touchdown
This image taken from video shows flight controllers at ispace Mission Control in Tokyo awaiting confirmation of their private lunar lander touching down on the moon Friday, June 6, 2025.…
Private Japanese lunar lander heads toward a touchdown in the moon’s far north
This image provided by ispace, inc. shows the Resilience lander circling the moon, Wednesday June 4, 2025. Credit: ispace, inc. via AP A private lunar lander from Japan is closing…
