The enteric nervous system (ENS), often called the “second brain”, controls most activities in our gastrointestinal tract. A new study reveals important new information about how this brain-in-the-gut develops and changes as we age. Key Facts: The ENS contains two main types of nerve cells, from different origins. The balance between these cell types changes …
A new study found that a program to provide more social contact and activities for prisoners in solitary confinement led to improved mental health and behavior. The program was based on a “Resource Team” model developed in Norway. Key Facts: Solitary confinement involves isolating prisoners in cells for 22+ hours per day with limited social …
Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) chip that mimics the human brain for more energy-efficient speech recognition. The analog AI chip uses phase-change memory devices to perform computations in parallel, dramatically reducing power consumption. In tests, the chip achieved up to 12.4 trillion operations per second per watt, 14 times more energy-efficient than …
A new study provides unprecedented insights into the brains and cognitive capabilities of dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles. The key takeaways: Many theropod dinosaurs like T. rex had brains as large and complex as monkeys and primates. This suggests they were likely as intelligent as modern primates. However, other dinosaurs like sauropods had much smaller, …
Our bodies have an internal “clock” that anticipates and prepares for food intake at regular times each day. This was demonstrated in a new scientific study that manipulated meal timing in participants. Key Facts: Participants were given either 2 large meals per day or 14 small meals evenly spaced through the waking period. In those …
Researchers studied if drinking alcohol makes people rate others as more attractive, which is sometimes called the “beer goggles effect”. They had male friends who regularly drink together rate attractiveness of photos after drinking alcohol vs. a non-alcoholic drink. Drinking didn’t affect attractiveness ratings of the photos. But when asked to pick people from the …
Researchers developed a new gene editing technique that reduces anxiety in mice. The technique uses CRISPR technology to edit a specific gene in the brain called HTR2A. Editing this gene leads to lower levels of anxiety behaviors in tests with mice. This research demonstrates the potential of using gene editing tools like CRISPR to precisely …
Cigarette smoking and mental health problems often go hand-in-hand. But which one typically comes first? And how much does our genetic makeup contribute to this risky combo? New research examined these questions by analyzing long-term health data on over 300,000 people in the UK. Key Facts: Smoking initiation typically happened in adolescence, before the first …
New research reveals that the timing of our heartbeats relative to external events distorts our perception of how much time has passed. The study provides evidence that cardiac signals directly impact time perception on a moment-to-moment basis. Key Facts: Time perception was shown to contract during heart systole (when the heart contracts) and expand during …
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are rapidly becoming more sophisticated and human-like. This raises an intriguing question: could AI systems one day become conscious? A new interdisciplinary paper explores this complex issue, assessing theories about the neural basis of consciousness and their implications for AI. Key takeaways: Current AI systems are not conscious, but there may …
