Neuroscience2853 articles archived since 1845

Bird Brains Are Far More Humanlike Than Once Thought

The avian cortex had been hiding in plain sight all along. Humans were just too birdbrained to see it

What Research in Antarctica Tells Us about the Science of Isolation

Over the past few months, the phrase “social distancing” has entered our lexicon. Many of us have found ourselves separated from family and friends—or at least from our normal social lives...

Readers Respond to the May 2020 Issue

Elon Musk’s Pig-Brain Implant Is Still a Long Way from ‘Solving Paralysis’

His start-up Neuralink is not the first to develop a wireless brain implant. But the considerable resources behind the effort could help commercialize the technology faster

New Views of Our Mesmerizing, Maddening Minds

Warbler Species Fires Up Song Diversity

Hermit warblers in California have developed 35 different song dialects, apparently as a result of wildfires temporarily driving them out of certain areas.

Cracking the Neural Code with Phantom Smells

Scientists used light to evoke an odor directly in a mouse brain—no nose involved

Construction Process Builds Brain Circuits

A novel technique turns brain cells into circuit components

Paired Comparisons Could Mean Better Witness Identifications

Compared with traditional lineup techniques, a series of two-faces-at-a-time choices led to more accurate identification by study witnesses.

Neural Switch Flips on Aggression in Male Mice

A separate set of cells in the same region regulate sexual behavior

The Beautiful Things inside Your Head: Winners of the 10th Annual Art of Neuroscience Contest

The top works—and our favorites—range from interactive pieces to a pen-and-paper drawing

Cricket Avoids Being Bat Food by Doing Nothing

The sword-tailed cricket can discern bats’ echolocation signals by only responding to calls of a certain volume—at which point it plummets out of their approach.

Sparrow Song Undergoes Key Change

White-throated sparrows made a change to their familiar call that quickly spread across Canada.

How Human Brains Are Different: It Has a Lot to Do with the Connections

Different mammals demonstrate common patterns in brain connections. But our own species has a few twists of its own

Why Do Smells Trigger Memories?

Your sense of smell may be a better memory trigger than your sense of sight. Here's why a whiff of apple pie may instantly transport you home in your mind

Is Brain Stimulation the Key to Athletic Performance?

I wore a fancy set of headphones during every workout for two weeks to see if it could help me improve my cycling. And it worked (I think) through a concept called neuropriming

How Nature Helps Body and Soul

Journalist and author Florence Williams talks about her book The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative.

Can Mindfulness Ease Childbirth Pain? A Neuroscientist Says Yes

Is mindfulness helpful for women and their partners during childbirth? We talked with neuroscientist Emiliana Simon-Thomas from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center about the transformative practice of mindful body scan meditation...

Switch in Mouse Brain Induces a Deep Slumber Similar to Hibernation

If such a snooze button exists in humans, it could protect against strokes, heart attacks and trauma

Not the End of the Chase

The illusion game is still afoot