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Penn State

·May 7, 2025·5 min read

Robot Gender and Design Influence Customer Choices

New research reveals that service robots’ gendered characteristics can shape customer decisions in the hospitality industry. Robots with male-associated traits were more persuasive with women who had a lower sense of personal power, while customers with higher power felt less influenced.

This shows a woman's face with a digital sticker.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 22, 2025·6 min read

Smart Sticker Reads Real Emotions Beneath the Surface

A new stretchable, rechargeable sticker developed by researchers can detect authentic emotional states by measuring physiological signals like heart rate, skin temperature, and humidity, even when facial expressions are misleading. The wearable patch transmits real-time data to mobile devices, helping health providers assess mental health remotely.

This shows a couple on chairs facing each other.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 31, 2025·7 min read

Fear of Emotions Fuels PTSD-Related Conflict in Romantic Relationships

New research reveals that fear of emotions may explain why individuals with PTSD symptoms often struggle to communicate with romantic partners. The study found that people with higher PTSD symptoms were more likely to fear strong emotions, which led to less constructive and more conflict-driven communication styles.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·January 7, 2025·8 min read

AI Predicts Autoimmune Disease Progression with New Genetic Tool

Researchers have developed a Genetic Progression Score (GPS) using artificial intelligence to predict the progression of autoimmune diseases from preclinical symptoms to full disease. The GPS model integrates genetic data and electronic health records to provide personalized risk scores, improving prediction accuracy by 25% to 1,000% over existing models.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 12, 2024·6 min read

Daily Exercise Boosts Brain Speed, Helps Keep Minds Youthful

Everyday physical activities, from light chores to intense exercise, provide immediate cognitive benefits for middle-aged adults. Participants showed improved processing speeds—comparable to being four years younger—within hours of being physically active.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 11, 2024·5 min read

Uncovering Hidden Brain Signals

A recent study offers new insights into how brain regions coordinate during rest, using resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) and neural recordings in mice. By comparing blood flow patterns with direct neural activity, researchers found that some brain activity remains "invisible" in traditional rsfMRI scans. This hidden activity suggests that current brain imaging techniques may miss key elements of neural behavior. The findings, potentially applicable to human studies, may refine our understanding of brain networks. Further research could improve the accuracy of interpreting brain activity.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 11, 2024·7 min read

Stable Bedtime Boosts Kids’ Behavior and Emotional Control

Children with regular bedtimes exhibit better emotional control and behavior than those with irregular sleep patterns. Researchers found that consistency in sleep times helps children handle stress and regulate their actions more effectively.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 21, 2024·6 min read

3D Brain Atlas Maps Key Stages of Brain Development

Researchers have created a 3D atlas of the developing mouse brain, offering a dynamic, high-resolution view of brain structures during embryonic and post-natal stages. This new tool allows scientists to explore how brain cells, such as GABAergic neurons linked to neurological disorders, emerge and interact during development.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 9, 2024·8 min read

Electronic Tongue Uses AI to Detect Differences in Liquids

Researchers have developed an AI-powered "electronic tongue" capable of distinguishing subtle differences in liquids, such as milk freshness, soda types, and coffee blends. By analyzing sensor data through a neural network, the device achieved over 95% accuracy in identifying liquid quality, authenticity, and potential safety issues. Interestingly, when the AI was allowed to select its own analysis parameters, it outperformed human-defined settings, showing how it holistically assessed subtle data.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·July 30, 2024·6 min read

Brain Blood Vessels Key to Combating Cognitive Decline

New research highlights the critical role of healthy blood vessels in maintaining brain health and addressing age-related cognitive decline. The study reveals that vascular degradation in the brain can lead to neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 25, 2024·5 min read

Empathy in Kids Linked to Poorer Health Amid Parental Conflict

Empathetic children aged 7-9 show poorer health and higher inflammation levels when exposed to interparental conflict. The research highlights the physiological impact of empathy in stressful home environments. The findings suggest a need for educational programs to help empathetic children set boundaries. This could improve their long-term health outcomes.

Neuroscience

·May 31, 2024·5 min read

Training AI Like Babies Boosts Performance

Researchers developed a human-inspired AI training method that improves object recognition by incorporating spatial data, leading to a 14.99% performance boost. This novel approach mimics how infants learn from their environment, training AI systems more efficiently. The findings could advance AI for extreme environments or space exploration.