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evolutionary neuroscience

This shows a picture of the CET reconstruction over a model of a neanderthal

·September 19, 2019·4 min read

Did a common childhood illness take down the Neanderthals?

First anatomical reconstruction of the Neanderthal cartilaginous Eustachian tube (CET) indicates the tubal morphology may have predisposed them to high rates of otitis media, a common childhood ear infection. The susceptibility to ear infections may have compromised their fitness and ability to compete within their niche. This may have contributed to their rapid extinction.

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·September 2, 2019·4 min read

Why do men find a lower waist-to-hip ratio sexier?

Researchers examine why males tend to rate women with a lower waist-to-hip ratio as more attractive or sexy.

This shows an ant with a parasite attached to it

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·August 25, 2019·4 min read

The macabre world of mind-controlling parasites

Understanding how parasites 'hack' the brains of their hosts may provide new insights into decision making and behavior.

This shows an ancient statue of a lion man

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·August 6, 2019·7 min read

Recursive language and modern imagination were acquired simultaneously 70,000 years ago

A mathematical model suggests a genetic mutation which extended the critical period by slowing prefrontal cortex development in two or more children 70,000 years ago was one factor for the emergence of recursive language and modern imagination.

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·July 31, 2019·4 min read

‘Love hormone’ has stomach-turning effect in starfish

Oxytocin, a hormone commonly associated with love and bonding in humans, causes starfish to turn their stomachs inside-out to feed. The findings provide vital new evidence for the evolutionary role of oxytocin and vasopressin neuropeptides as regulators of feeding in animals.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology Visual Neuroscience

·July 27, 2019·3 min read

The case against reality

A new theory argues consciousness creates neural activity, and humans have evolved to see what is needed for survival. Perception, it is argued, is a user interface which may not necessarily be real.

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·July 21, 2019·5 min read

How mammals’ brains evolved to distinguish odors is nothing to sniff at

Study reveals at least six types of mammals distinguish odors in similar ways, using neural networks that are evolutionarily preserved across species.

This shows a happy face painted on a ball surrounded by unhappy faced balls

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 19, 2019·4 min read

Humans aren’t designed to be happy

Researchers argue humans did not evolve to be consistently happy but primarily survive and reproduce. Evolution, they say, placed an advantage on depression, preventing humans from engaging in risky or hopeless situations.

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·July 15, 2019·5 min read

Environment, not evolution, might underlie some human-ape differences

A new study sheds doubt on existing theories of ape social cognition. Researchers argue it is possible apes and humans are equally capable in some aspects of social cognition, such as social signaling. The study concludes it is essential to not just consider evolution, but also environmental factors when researching ape-human differences.

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·July 3, 2019·3 min read

Infants 10 to 16 months old prefer those who yield in conflicts

In staged confrontations between two puppets, infants under 18 months preferred the one who deferred. However, older children preferred the victors.

This shows a young boy screaming into a microphone

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·June 30, 2019·4 min read

Screams contain a ‘calling card’ for the vocalizer’s identity

Listeners can correctly identify whether pairs of screams originate from the same person or two different people. Findings suggest human screams convey a level of individual identity and shed new light on their evolutionary origin.

This shows a person at different levels of obesity

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·June 28, 2019·4 min read

What made humans ‘the fat primate’?

Early humans underwent critical shifts in how DNA was packaged inside fat cells. As a result, the human body's ability to turn "bad" fat into "good", calorie burning fat was reduced.