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The Head Lines section of Scientific American Mind's May/June issue mentioned the following articles in brief. Click on the links to learn more about them.
Prions, the proteins behind mad cow disease, also help us learn by strengthening the connections between neurons.
Happiness may come from hitting a time-management sweet spot of not feeling rushed yet having little excess time, according to a recent survey.
Good grades can be contagious: High school students whose friends get higher marks tend to raise their own grade-point averages over time.
Bumblebees, like sharks, have an electric sense: they can detect the electrical charge of a flower.
Between five million and 14 million people in the U.S. suffer from compulsive hoarding, at least double the number of people diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Perch living in rivers contaminated by common antianxiety drugs, such as Xanax and Valium, were found to behave more boldly and antisocially.
The first retinal implant was approved for use in the U.S. It required 20 years of development and more than $200 million in funding.
Couples who used an oxytocin nasal spray became better communicators and experienced less stress than couples given a placebo spray.
Warm weather impairs our ability to make complex decisions and may instill a distaste for making decisions at all.
Rats outfitted with a brain prosthesis learned to perceive infrared light, revealing the brain's flexibility and pointing the way to sensory enhancement for humans.
Dogs vary enormously in size and shape, yet they still recognize fellow canines.