You’d probably walk past a chiton without even seeing it. These creatures often look like nothing more than another speck of seaweed on the crusty intertidal rocks. But it sees you. At least, if it’s one of the species with eyes dotting its platemail shell. ​You’d probably walk past a chiton without even seeing it. …

Unraveling the mystery of chiton visual systems Read More »

When certain species of wild birds and primates discover new ways of finding food in the wild, it can serve to measure their flexibility and intelligence. In the largest experimental study ever conducted on this topic, researchers have shown that foraging problems requiring overcoming obstacles, such as removing the lid off a container of food, …

A model for the evolution of intelligence Read More »

A new neuroimaging study reveals how the brain gets to the creative flow state. ​A new neuroimaging study reveals how the brain gets to the creative flow state. A new neuroimaging study reveals how the brain gets to the creative flow state. 

A new study finds younger adults look and feel older on stressful days — but only on days when they also feel they have relatively less control over their own lives. ​A new study finds younger adults look and feel older on stressful days — but only on days when they also feel they have …

It’s not just you: Young people look, feel older when they’re stressed Read More »

A global team of researchers has invented recyclable ‘water batteries’ that won’t catch fire or explode. The team use water to replace organic electrolytes — which enable the flow of electric current between the positive and negative terminals — meaning their batteries can’t start a fire or blow up — unlike their lithium-ion counterparts. ​A …

New water batteries stay cool under pressure Read More »

The sea lamprey, a 500-million-year-old animal with a sharp-toothed suction cup for a mouth, is the thing of nightmares. A new study discovered that the hindbrain — the part of the brain controlling vital functions like blood pressure and heart rate — of both sea lampreys and humans is built using an extraordinarily similar molecular …

An awkward family reunion: Sea monsters are our cousins Read More »

Fetal cells retrieved from fluid in the uterus can now be turned into balls of cells called organoids, which could help diagnose and treat fetuses with a serious lung condition ​Fetal cells retrieved from fluid in the uterus can now be turned into balls of cells called organoids, which could help diagnose and treat fetuses …

Organoids made from uterus fluid may help treat fetuses before birth Read More »