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evolution

·September 18, 2017·5 min read

Dogs’ Social Skills Linked to Oxytocin Sensitivity

A new study reports genetic variations in sensitivity to oxytocin allows dogs to be more sociable and seek out contact with their owners.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 16, 2017·7 min read

Unveiling the Mystery of Why We Age

Researchers have identified genes that contribute to autophagy. The findings shed light on the origins of the aging process and provide evidence that aging arises as a quirk of evolution.

Featured Neurology Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 15, 2017·4 min read

Humans No Longer Have Ancient Defense Mechanism Against Viruses

The course of evolution has caused vertebrates to lose an important defense mechanism against viral infections, researchers report.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·September 13, 2017·5 min read

When Music Makes Male Faces More Attractive

Exposure to music, specifically complex and highly stimulating music, leads women to rate male faces as more attractive and increases willingness to date the men pictured, a new study reports.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 11, 2017·4 min read

Scientists Track the Brain-Skull Transition from Dinosaurs to Birds

A new study examines the link between brain development and the bones of the skull roof during the evolutionary transition from dinosaur to bird.

Featured Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·September 11, 2017·3 min read

Looking Stressed Can Help Keep the Peace

Scratching when stressed may have evolved as a communication tool to help reduce aggression and lessen conflict with others, a new study reports.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 9, 2017·4 min read

Great Apes Know When They Don’t Know

Max Planck Institute researchers report great apes actively seek out new information to help fill gaps in their knowledge.

Featured Genetics

·August 23, 2017·8 min read

You and Some ‘Cavemen’ Get a Genetic Checkup

A new study looks at genomic changes through human evolution and finds, for the most part, evolution has improved the genetic foundations for human health in the most part. However, modern humans appear to be at more of a genetic predisposition to mental health problems than our ancestors.

Image shows a drawing of sumo wrestlers.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·August 17, 2017·4 min read

Recently Discovered Protein Controls Appetite and Body Fat Composition

NPGL, a recently discovered protein, influences fat storage in the human body, even when on a calorie restricted diet. Researchers believe this mechanism had evolutionary benefits and the protein could be a potential target to treat obesity.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 12, 2017·4 min read

Chimpanzees Learn Rock-Paper-Scissors

Study reveals chimpanzees are able to learn the circular relationship between hand patterns in the game 'rock-paper-scissors' as well as a four year old child.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·August 10, 2017·4 min read

How the Brain Recognizes Familiar Faces

Researchers discover two new areas of the brain involved in facial processing.

Featured Psychology

·August 4, 2017·5 min read

Cultural Activities May Influence the Way We Think

A new PNAS study reports cultural activities directly influence learning processes, affecting how we collect different kinds of data. Researchers developed a new learning model that explains how culture helped shaped our cognition. Understanding these principles may someday be useful in AI development, researchers say.