These ants can transform from worker to queen with one single gene
The social dynamics of ant colonies are complex setups, requiring sophisticated mathematical models to map them out. There is a strict hierarchy of jobs that are determined by age: sterile workers, reproductive males, and reproducing queens. Under this hierarchy, the colonies' main collective goal Read More...
Can a machine read your mind? Turning thoughts into words
BrainGate recently made a technological breakthrough that has the potential to improve the quality of life of people living with paralysis. Previously, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) had been able to translate thoughts into the physical world through point-and-click systems using virtual Read More...
Modelling AI from nature’s own supercomputer: The brain
AI and machine learning are to thank for transforming the world around us; from our phones to medicine, transportation, and even our toilets! Unfortunately, the huge rise in this field is coupled with a lot more energy expenditure to power these complex machines─not the most ideal situation with Read More...
3 ways that exercise changes the very structure of the brain
You probably know that exercise boosts brain function, but did you know that exercise can literally change the structure of our brains? Although these structural changes may not be visible to us, they can help us protect and preserve brain health and function throughout our Read More...
Gut health therapies could prevent brain damage in premature infants
We all know that what we eat impacts our health, but recent research indicates that diet could be more influential than previously thought. Our microbiomes, or gut health, has been linked to Alzheimer’s risk and even personal body image. Now, research from the University of Vienna demonstrates Read More...
Researchers allow paralyzed man to speak via brain signals
A man who is severely paralyzed was able to communicate successfully using cutting-edge technology that translates signals from his brain to his vocal tract into words that are displayed on a screen. Researchers at UC San Francisco developed this technique that allows people with speech loss to Read More...
A paralyzed man just fed himself using thought-controlled robotic hands
It’s been decades since Robert “Buz” Chmielewski could properly move his arms. A surfing accident robbed him of this ability as a teenager, causing him to be paralyzed from the neck down. But now, over 30 years since the accident, Chmielewski was able to cut food and serve himself thanks to a Read More...
Eating capers activates key proteins in the brain and heart
If you enjoy capers, we have good news for you. According to a recent study, a commonly found compound in pickled capers, quercetin, activates proteins required for normal human brain and heart activity. The study, which was published in Communications Biology, found that quercetin can directly Read More...
New discovery could lead to medicine that enables the brain to heal itself
Most cells in the body can patch up damage by dividing to create new versions of themselves. But the neurons in our brain lack this ability, so once they're damaged through illness or injury, there's not much that can be done. Worse still, in an overzealous attempt to protect the injured site, Read More...
8 science-backed strategies for keeping your brain young and healthy
Whether we like to believe it or not, science tells us that after the age of 45, our cognitive abilities start to decline. The older we get, the more the brain regions responsible for memory, attention, and perception begin to shrink and no longer communicate with one another as efficiently as they Read More...