Fingering the Neural Perp in Parkinson's
New study finds it's not just dopamine-producing cells, but likely ones that secrete norepinephrine, as well, that kick-start the movement disorder
Stories by Nikhil Swaminathan
Happy Days: Unraveling the Mystery of How Antidepressants Work
The mechanism behind antidepressant drugs is unveiled, which could lead to better treatments for depression and anxiety disorders
Is the Out of Africa Theory Out?
An examination of over 5,000 teeth from early human ancestors shows that many of the first Europeans probably came from Asia
Newsweek denies the existence of global warming*
Maybe it's because I don't have the faith in people that I should, but I find this Newsweek cover really irresponsible. Actually, it's due to the polls cited in the article--and those I have seen elsewhere--that suggest that the American public thinks, among other things, that scientists are still trying to determine if global warming is for real and that it's a major issue in the upcoming Presidential election...
The Sound Track of Our Minds
How the brain parses music—and pays attention
Near-Vegetative Man Partially Recovers from Brain Injury, Recites Pledge of Allegiance
Deep-brain stimulation "jump-starts" a man's brain six years after he suffered a severe head trauma
To Read with Speed, Get Hooked on Phonics, and…
Context clues and word shape also contribute to overall ability to tease out a sentence.
A Gene to Better Remember Traumatic Events
Gene variant (found in 30 percent of Caucasian population and 12 percent of African-Americans) leads to more vivid recollections of emotionally powerful episodes—both good and bad
Counting on Your Brain to Keep Score
Researchers pinpoint the neurons responsible for figuring out how things add up
Would your favorite 17th, 18th or 19th-century scientist be a creationist today?
Odds are: Not bloody likely. Shout out to Phil at Bad Astronomy for alerting me to a ridiculous, recent op-ed from The Boston Globe. Conservative columnist Jeff Jacoby puts forward a little thought experiment where he evaluates the chances of a long-deceased, young-Earth creationist, who happened to possess possibly the greatest scientific mind of all-time, getting employment as a professor in a scientific discipline at a modern university...
New Theory about Autism Roots
It appears that some boys have as much as a 50 percent risk of developing the mysterious disorder
How We Know Where Our Lost Keys Are
In feature-based attention, neurons form the search patterns we use to find familiar objects in unexplored places
Expect the Best? Placebos Are for You!
New study links expectations of rewards to placebo effect
Forget It: Old Theory on Amnesia May Be Wrong
New study counteracts neurobiological dogma, which says inhibiting new protein formation in the brain causes memory loss
Uncovered: New Gene Linked to Type 1 Diabetes in Children
A mutation can dramatically increase the chances of developing the chronic form of diabetes
Fuggedaboudit, or Remember—It Just Takes Practice
Conscious memory manipulation could aid in designing both clinical treatments and new drug targets for patients suffering from phobias and post-traumatic stress
Disrupt an Enzyme, Destroy Drug-Resistant Superbugs
New method prevents the transfer of antibiotic resistance (killing the stronger bacteria in the process)
Gender Jabber: Do Women Talk More than Men?
In a word: No. But then, how did the rumor get started?
Asthma Gene Newly Uncovered
Discovery could lead to new treatments for the debilitating lung disorder
