They might be small, but fruit fly research has led to wide-reaching discoveries in science and six Nobel Prizes!
What we can learn from the fly on the wall
The curious thing about a tickle
Have you ever tried and failed to tickle yourself? Learn about how your brain stops you from tickling yourself by expecting what it will feel like.
A bug’s life: 3D vision in humans and praying mantids
Just like humans, praying mantids can see in 3D. Studying how their brains accomplish this might help us build machines that can do the same.
The sweet taste of lemon
A slice of lemon can taste like perfect lemonade. Just add miracle berry!
Use it or lose it: A look at cortical mapping, remapping, and implications for brain function
How our brains take into account our recent experience
Go with your gut: how your gut knows the difference between sugar and artificial sweetener
Think you have a sweet tooth just because you like the taste? A new study reveals a different reason for why you prefer sweet foods.
Dopamine: More than just reward
How our brain signals when rewards differ from what we expect
Life from the machine
Researchers are taking what we know about how neurons communicate and digitizing it.
Your body, your brain, and a continuum of arousal states
How the environment shapes our physical and cognitive experience
Clownfish brains change during sex transition
Current research is trying to understand how the brain changes when male clownfish transition into females.
Keeping a cool head
Hypothermia is an effective treatment to protect the brain after a lack of oxygen.
Sensing Our Organs
Why can we tell when our stomach hurts but not know which organ is affected?
Owls, dolphins, squids, and … worms? Oh my!
Ever wonder why so much of neuroscience is done in animal models? What can animal brains tell us about human brains?
Do melatonin supplements help with sleep?
Melatonin is a commonly-used sleep aid, but does it really work?
Memories of mealtime: how our memory influences how much we eat
Feeling hungry all the time? Your memory may be to blame!
From gut to brain: do your neurons know the gut is inflamed?
A recent study found that a specific region in your brain recognizes inflammation in your gut.
Electroconvulsive Therapy: The Mystery of Mechanism
Electroconvulsive therapy is an effective treatment for some people with mental illness, but how does this so-called “shock therapy” affect the brain?
A new type of rhythm: eta
Scientists discovered a new type of rhythmicity in brain activity when rats are in a virtual reality. What does it mean to be in the matrix?
What do you see in your mind?
Some people lack the ability to visualize in their minds. What makes their brain different?
Restoring Sight to the Blind
Restoring sight to the blind sounds like science fiction, but a recent study puts us one step closer to making this fantasy a reality.
Familiar Faces
How does the brain determine if someone is a friend or a stranger?
The Neuroscience of Acupuncture
New research uncovers the biology behind acupuncture’s anti-inflammatory effects
Seeing the light again
How a protein from algae might help blind patients see
Image memorability: A shared tendency to remember certain things we see
What makes some images easier to remember than others?
The Neuroscience of Skill
The delicate dance of building and breaking down that goes into learning a new skill
Octopi feel pain like you and I
New research shows that octopuses can have the negative emotional experience of pain
A circuit for social distance
New research finds a circuit in the brain that prevents social engagement with a sick partner
In Sync: The Neuroscience of Successful Communication
What is happening differently in our brains when conversations click versus when they don’t?
Why Does Sex Feel So Good?
What makes sex feel so good? What about it keeps our brains and bodies wanting more?
Do I know you?
To learn about how we recognize faces, neuroscientists study the most and least skilled face recognizers.
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