Hurricanes drive the evolution of more aggressive spiders

Researchers who rush in after storms to study the behavior of spiders have found that extreme weather events such as tropical cyclones may have an evolutionary impact on populations living in storm-prone regions, where aggressive spiders have the best odds of survival.

Brain molecule identified as key in anxiety model

Boosting a single molecule in the brain can change ‘dispositional anxiety,’ the tendency to perceive many situations as threatening, in nonhuman primates, researchers have found. The molecule, neurotrophin-3, stimulates neurons to grow and make new connections.

From not having kids to battling anxiety: Climate change is shaping life choices and affecting mental health – USA TODAY

For some, ignoring climate change is not an option. It’s real, and preventing global warming from getting worse is a driving force in their lives. Elizabeth Lawrence and Elinor Aspegren, USA TODAY Revelle Mast wanted to be an architect when…

Males of a feather flock together

(Deutsches Primatenzentrum (DPZ)/German Primate Center) ‘Birds of a feather flock together’ or rather ‘opposites attract’? The recently published study on male macaques in Thailand speaks for the former: Behavioral biologists from the German Primate Centre — Leibniz Institute for Primate Research and psychologists from the University of Göttingen have observed that the more similar male Assamese macaques are in their personality, the closer they get and the stronger their social bonds.

To fight loneliness, let's get innovative

[embedded content] There’s a unique program at Judson Manor, a retirement community in Cleveland, Ohio, where several college graduate students live amid the senior residents. Room and board for the students is free, and in exchange, they perform concerts and…

Scientists identify brain region that enables young songbirds to change their tune

(The Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University) In a scientific first, Columbia scientists have demonstrated how the brains of young songbirds become tuned to the songs they learn while growing up. The results of this study, published today in Nature Neuroscience, illustrate the extraordinary flexibility of the growing brain.

‘People with high social status aren’t concerned about environment’

Australian researcher Samantha K Stanley speaks to Down To Earth about her research that showed how social dominance orientation and political ideology play roles in climate change mitigation

CO2 Is So Powerful It Can Cause Global Warming To Pause For Decades

A new Nature paper claims that pauses and cooling phases mean that C02 may cause more warming than anyone thought. It’s all so obvious. If researchers start with models that don’t work, they can find anything they look for —…

What happens to your body when you cry?

Whether triggered by sad movies or happy reunions, stubbed toes or allergies, crying seems to serve many purposes. A salty fluid flows across the surface of your eyes and eventually, you feel better. While other animals have tears, humans are…

Study of Surveillance Cameras Proves That Strangers Will Almost Always Intervene to Help

In the largest ever study of real-life conflicts captured by CCTV, researchers found that bystanders will intervene in nine-out-of-ten public fights to help victims of aggression and violence. The findings, which were published in the journal American Psychologist, overturn our long held beliefs from previous decades that victims are ignored by those in their vicinity. […]

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