How can we know the function of a region of the brain? Have we been approaching the problem in the wrong way? An interesting new paper from German neuroscientists Sarah Genon and colleagues explores these questions.
According to Genon et al., neuroscientists have generally approached the brain from the standpoint of behavior. We ask: what is the neural basis of this behavioral or psychological function?
Traditionally, assigning functions to brain regions has mainly been based on conceptualiza ...read more
No, calamity is not imminent. But new findings offer worrisome insights into the ongoing transformation of the Arctic—and our planet.
Collapsed permafrost block of coastal tundra on Alaska’s Arctic Coast. (Source: USGS)
The coldest reaches of the Arctic on land were once thought to be at least temporarily shielded from a major — and worrisome — effect of a warming climate: widespread melting of permafrost.
But a recent study suggests t ...read more
We often assume that evolution is entirely unpredictable. But, that's not always the case. Some evolutionary changes seem to be at least partly hardwired into a species' DNA.
For an example, we can look to ecomorphs, species that occupy the same habitat and look generally alike, despite not being very closely related to each other. In some cases, species will repeatedly evolve the same characteristics as they move from one location to another, as if it were predestined.
Those Are the Op ...read more
Thomas Jefferson was quite clear in his belief that an informed citizenry formed the very foundation of a functioning democracy. If that’s the case, then the hive mind of Twitter is an indication that our democratic foundation may be crumbling.
It’s impossible engage in rational, productive discussions about the current state of affairs if people can’t sip from a mutual fount of objective truth—the sky is blue, the Earth is round. When we diverge from the truth, we can p ...read more
For Jade Luiz, a graduate student in archaeology at Boston University, historical archaeology is all about detective work. Through piecing together historical documents and archaeological finds from the outdoor toilet, or privy, of a former brothel near Boston’s North End, she’s been reconstructing the lives of women who participated in sex work in the mid-1800s.
Louisa Cowen, for example, who in 1856 took over as the madam of 27–29 Endicott Street—the brothel behind whi ...read more
Where in the world is Amelia Earhart? It’s a question that has captivated the public ever since the famed aviator went missing in 1937 over the Pacific Ocean.
Theories and conspiracies abound, but most of the detective work has focused on a collection of bones unearthed on Nikumaroro, one of a spray of remote atolls scattered like freckles in the Pacific between Hawaii and Australia.
Mystery Bones
In 1940, a skull and several other bones, bearing signs of having been nibbled by coconut ...read more
Breathe in. Breathe out. Take a second and just let the air flow naturally through you.
When you’re having a tough time — you’re feeling an awful lot of resistance, maybe, or just running out of energy — remembering to breathe is important. It’s a mantra for a reason.
And now it’s not just good advice for people. The European Space Agency announced this week they’d developed a satellite thruster that breathes too, solving a host of problems and establi ...read more
Legend has it that coffee was discovered by a goat herder around 850 AD in what is now Ethiopia. It soon spread around the globe and is currently consumed by billions of people every day. But as the drink gained in popularity, it also gained a bad rap. From claims that coffee led to illegal sex in the 1500s, or that it caused impotence in the 1600s, to the more recent belief that it stunted your growth, history has not been kind to coffee.
But in recent years, rumors have been replaced by ...read more
In short, no. At least not based on self-reported statistics that others have expressed doubts about. But the abstract of this study was just too funny not to share. You're welcome.
Old Farts - Fact or Fiction? Results From a Population-Based Survey of 16,000 Americans Examining the Association Between Age and Flatus.
"An old fart, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a “contemptible or tiresome person, especially one who is old-fashioned, stuffy, or close-minded.” Howeve ...read more
