Brain

Past research has found that people’s personalities are relatively immune to changes following collective stressful events, but Covid-19 appears to be an exception.

Has the Pandemic Changed Your Personality?

Research suggests younger adults’ dispositions shifted the most during Covid-19

A sculpture by artist Arlene Love and a tray of bottled scents in Joel Mainland’s office at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

Sniffing Out the Science of Smelling

From the lab to the art gallery, the latest efforts to understand the fragrant, musky, stinky and utterly baffling world of your nose

The artificial intelligence has looked for patterns between audio recordings and the brain activity of people listening to those recordings. 

By Reading Brainwaves, an A.I. Aims to Predict What Words People Listened to

The research is a long way off from practical use, but researchers hope it might one day aid communication for people who experienced brain injuries

Skull of a Neanderthal, or Homo neanderthalensis

What's the Difference Between a Human and Neanderthal Brain?

One small variation in DNA may have helped Homo sapiens out-compete our ancient relatives

Scientists developed a skin swab test to detect Parkinson's disease within about three minutes.

Woman Who Can Smell Parkinson’s Helps Develop a Skin Swab Diagnostic Test

The test, which would be the first of its kind for this disease, can make a diagnosis in about three minutes

Scientists are beginning to understand when and why minds start to wander.

Why Do Our Minds Wander?

A scientist says mind-wandering or daydreaming help prepare us for the future

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins off the coast of Western Australia

Male Dolphins Have (Lots of) Wingmen

To find a mate, male dolphins work together in complex social networks that dwarf those of any other animal, except humans, study finds

A night of tossing and turning might lead to more selfish behvaior the next day, a new study suggests. 

Sleep Deprivation Could Make People More Selfish, Study Finds

Researchers measured charitable donations, looked at brain scans and conducted questionnaires to track changes in generosity

During a long workday, a molecule called glutamate can build up in the brain and contribute to fatigue, researchers say.

Why Does a Long Day of Thinking Tire You Out?

New research suggests the buildup of a molecule in the brain might play a role

A sulphur-crested cockatoo bows down at the Madrid Zoo Aquarium. The birds have been seen dancing to music and opening trash bins to get to food.

What Can Dancing Cockatoos Teach Us About Ourselves?

An evolutionary biologist demystifies bird intelligence in an excerpt from her new book

A woodpecker prepares to smash its beak against a tree. 

Woodpeckers Don’t Have Shock-Absorbing Skulls

The birds’ small brain size protects them from getting concussions, a new study finds

About 3.8 million concussions from sports-related injuries occur every year in the U.S.

This Wearable Sensor May Help Detect Concussions Early in Athletes

Researchers developed a small, flexible patch that sticks on the back of an athlete’s neck and can identify whiplash

On average, Osborne experienced 20 to 40 involuntary diaphragm spasms per minute. In total, he hiccupped an estimated 430 million times before his death in May 1991 at age 97.

The Curious Case of Charles Osborne, Who Hiccupped for 68 Years Straight

A 1922 accident sparked the Iowa man’s intractable hiccups, which suddenly subsided in 1990

Researchers want to recreate the smells of civilizations like ancient Egypt. 

Scientists Recreate Cleopatra's Favorite Perfume

Reconstructing the scentscapes of bygone civilizations is anything but simple

Many Americans struggle with risk assessment when making decisions during the pandemic.

Why It’s So Hard to Make Risk Decisions in the Pandemic

Our brains weren’t built to do public health calculus like this, but following a few pieces of advice from the experts will help as you weigh your options

Benjamin Choi was one of the top 40 finalists of this year's Regeneron Science Talent Search, the country's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors.

This High Schooler Invented a Low-Cost, Mind-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

Seventeen-year-old Benjamin Choi put his spare time during the pandemic to good use designing an accessible device that doesn't require brain surgery

High social media use may simply be a coping mechanism, rather than a cause, of adolescents' mental health challenges. 

Negative Effects of Social Media May Impact Adolescent Girls and Boys at Different Ages

A new study suggests certain 'windows' of development when youngsters appear most sensitive to technology

Neural data are decoded and analyzed in real time to control the speller software.

Brain Implants Allow Paralyzed Man to Communicate Using His Thoughts

This study marks the first time a completely paralyzed patient regained the ability to communicate at length, researchers say

Sleeping one night with light that emits just 100 lux—similar to the glow of television—was enough to change an individual's glucose regulation and heart rate.

Sleeping With Even a Dim Light Can Raise Blood Sugar and Heart Rate

In a study of 20 participants, those that slept with a light had worse blood sugar control the next morning compared to those who snoozed in total darkness

Researchers examined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brains of 785 British participants before and after Covid-19 infection.

Even Mild Covid-19 Infections May Change the Brain, New Study Finds

Scans taken before and after a case of coronavirus reveal tissue damage and accelerated loss of gray matter

Page 4 of 20