Genes with Large Effect on Head and Brain Size Discovered
Researchers report genetic influences on head circumference remain stable during development and are correlated with genetic factors which contribute to intracranial volume.... Read More...
evolution
Building a Bigger Brain
ARHGAP11B, a gene unique to humans and active in the cerebral cortex, causes enlargement of the ferret neocortex when introduced during development. ... Read More...
Shedding Light on the Evolution of Metabolism
Researchers report the ability to use sugar as food varies strongly between closely related species. The study identifies a genetic basis for this variation and could shed light on how human populations with different dietary histories may respond differently to modern, sugar rich diets. ... Read More...
Why Are People Religious? A Cognitive Perspective
Researchers investigate both the cognitive and neurobiological basis of why so people have religious beliefs.... Read More...
Peering Into Little Foot’s 3.76 Million Year Old Brain
Researchers create the first endocast reconstruction of nearly the complete brain of the hominin Little Bigfoot. The brain, researchers report, is relatively small and combines both ape like and human like features. ... Read More...
Neanderthal Gene Gives Clues to Human Brain Evolution
Researchers report modern humans who carry particular Neanderthal DNA fragments have slightly less rounded heads. The findings shed light on the evolution of modern brain shape and function.... Read More...
Life Has a New Ingredient
Researchers report inosine could be a potential route to the first RNA and the origin to life on Earth.... Read More...
Could Consciousness Come Down to the Way Things Vibrate?
A new paper proposes resonance may contribute to human consciousness. ... Read More...
Why We Shouldn’t Like Coffee, But We Do
Researchers question why many of us are unable to live without our daily cup of coffee. According to a new study, bitter tastes are a natural warning system to protect the body from harmful substances, yet people with heightened ability to detect the bitter taste of coffee learn to associate it with positive things and tend to drink more than those with lower sensitivity. Researchers say this sensitivity is caused by genetic variants. ... Read More...
Lifespan and Sexual Maturity Depends on Your Brain More than Your Body
A new study reveals our longevity and sexual maturity are governed by our brains, not our bodies. Researchers discovered that animals with more neurons in the cerebral cortex live longer, regardless of their body size.... Read More...
Why Haunted Houses Creep Us Out
Psychologists examine why haunted houses make us feel creeped out, concluding they give us the creeps not because of the threat they pose, but because it is unclear whether or not they pose a real threat.... Read More...
Schadenfreude Sheds Light on Darker Side of Humanity
Researchers say dehumanization seems to be at the core of schadenfreude, the sense of pleasure at other peoples' misfortune. ... Read More...