Behavior
Emotions, perception and the biological processes of living organisms
Are Spoilers Misnamed?
Giving away surprises, surprisingly, makes readers like stories better
August 16, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Dieting May Cause The Brain to Eat Itself
When "autophagy" was blocked, hunger signals were blocked and the mice became lighter and leaner
August 02, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Understanding Orca Culture
Researchers have found a variety of complex, learned behaviors that differ from pod to pod
August 2011 |
By Lisa Stiffler
Luna: A Whale to Watch
The true story of a lonely orca leaps from printed page to silver screen, with a boost from new technology
August 2011 |
By Michael Parfit
The Top Ten Deadliest Animals of Our Evolutionary Past
Humans may be near the top of the food chain now, but who were our ancestors’ biggest predators?
June 21, 2011 |
By Rob Dunn
Colin Firth: Actor. Writer. Academy Award Winner. Scientist?
The star of the King's Speech is the co-author on a paper examining political orientation and brain structure
June 09, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
One Hundred Years of the Indy 500
A century ago, the first Indianapolis 500 race started in high excitement and ended in a muddle
June 2011 |
By Charles Leerhsen
Top Ten Myths About the Brain
When it comes to this complex, mysterious, fascinating organ, what do—and don’t—we know?
May 20, 2011 |
By Laura Helmuth
Ancient Egyptian Princess Had Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease isn't just a modern problem--even the ancient Egyptians suffered from it
May 19, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Boredom and Other Helpful Time Wasters
There's a feeling these days that if you're not actively doing something with a purpose, you're just wasting time. Schools get rid of recess. Weekends must be filled. Vacations are scheduled down to the minute. Not everyone thinks this way, of course. Google is probably the best example---the compa...
May 10, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
What Animal is the Best Mother?
Cheetahs and gorillas have some of the strongest maternal instincts, according to a National Zoo biologist
May 04, 2011 |
By Megan Gambino
Going To The Park May Make Your Life Better
I may have grown up in the countryside, but I am more than content with my life as a city girl. That said, I find myself drawn to green spaces; for example, my vacations more often than not include trips to botanic gardens. And I like to walk to work when the weather's nice, taking advantage of Was...
April 22, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Why Scientific Ignorance Can Kill You
While working on this story from Smithsonian's May issue about oncologist Brian Druker and his discovery 10 years ago of a breakthrough drug for chronic myeloid leukemia, I was struck by the following passage:Over the pub’s blaring music Mayfield said of his BCR-ABL gene, “I had the G250E mutation—...
April 21, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Why We Need a Nap Room in the Office
Disappear from your desk for a coffee run or a smoke break---that's fine. Spend time on Facebook or Twitter---that's OK, too. Fall asleep at your desk for five minutes---then the boss gets mad.Napping is generally unacceptable in the workplace, and that's sad because it's the healthiest activity I'...
April 20, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
The Curious World of Zombie Science
Zombies seem to be only growing in popularity, and I'm not talking about the biological kind
April 18, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
The DMZ's Thriving Resident: The Crane
Rare cranes have flourished in the world's unlikeliest sanctuary, the heavily mined demilitarized zone between North and South Korea
April 2011 |
By Eric Wagner
Explore the Human Body on Your Computer Screen
The plastic skeletons and body models used in classrooms and doctors' offices may soon become obsolete, it seems, due to one of Google's latest offerings: Google Body. The program is still in beta (meaning it's got some bugs); this week its creators added a male body to the female they began with i...
March 31, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Nothing Can Stop the Zebra
A 150-mile fence in the Kalahari Desert appeared to threaten Africa's zebras, but now researchers can breathe a sigh of relief
March 2011 |
By Robyn Keene-Young
Studying the Bond Between a Cat and Its Human
It took 120 hours of observing 40 cat-human pairs for scientists to conclude that the bond between the two can be similar to other human relationships. And, yes, I know that most of you who have cats---or know someone who has a cat---will not find that surprising, so let's delve into the details. I...
February 28, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
HIV in 3-D
This may look like a cross between something my friend Helen would knit and a Good Eats model of a droplet of fat covered in lecithin, but it's actually a three-dimensional illustration of the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, and the winner of the Illustration category in the 2010 International S...
February 25, 2011 |
By Sarah Zielinski
