Chimpanzees, famous for their abilities to learn sign language and use tools, have long been a source of fascination for humans. While chimps are one of the smartest animals on the planet and show remarkable capacity for learning new skills, their cognitive achievements are relatively small when compared with the human brain. New research has [...]
What is so disturbing about screams? Aside from the obvious--that they represent a fellow human's pain or fear of mortal peril? While it may seem clear on an emotional level why a scream is an upsetting sound to hear, scientifically, it appears that screams and other rapid changes in volume trigger the fear centres within [...]
Dementia is on the rise, but fortunately so are solutions for preventing it. A new MRI study has linked smaller size of certain brain structures--such as hippocampi--to an increased risk for dementia. People who are aware that they may be at higher risk may then make greater efforts to fight it--strengthening the brain through cerebral exercises and [...]
Did you know there are conferences for lucid dreamers? Or dedicated post-secondary researchers on the subject, such as the folks at the Stanford Sleep Lab? People are curious about the phenomenon--the ability to come to conscious awareness in the dreaming state. Perhaps they would like to learn how to swallow fire or visit the sun, [...]
In 2008, Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell attempted to dissect the methodology behind high achievement in his book Outliers: The Story of Success. Interestingly, he credited an individual's cultural legacy and societal influences as primary precursors when he wrote: "It is those who are successful, in other words, who are most likely to be given the kinds of special [...]
Have you ever found yourself rushing to answer a question before it's been fully verbalized by the questioner? A new MRI study from Cornell University has found that many people experience this unconscious impatience. The study, entitled A real-time MRI investigation of anticipatory posturing in prepared responses, revealed that many humans are more impatient than they [...]
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work," said Thomas Edison. He was certainly successful in making that statement; a new MRI study has found that when the brain is able to learn from its mistakes, failure is actually a rewarding experience. The study, by researchers from the University of Southern [...]
How do you sleep? Most people have a fairly consistent sleeping location, schedule and position. And, according to new MRI research, the position you favour may have something to do with long-term brain health. Researchers from Stony Brook University in New York state have learned, through MRI scanning, that sleeping on one's side opens the [...]
New research has proven what perhaps many Vancouverites already know: time spent in nature is therapeutic for mental health. A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science has shown that a mere 90 minutes on a hiking trail (or even just setting up camp in wild surroundings) decreases activity in the regions of [...]
A troubling new MRI study has uncovered that there are differences in brain development between wealthy and impoverished children. The study, called Family income, parental education and brain structure in children and adolescents was published in Nature Neuroscience spring 2015. It is the largest socioeconomic MRI brain study to date; its researchers spent 3 years studying [...]