A new study by scientists at The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT provides the most comprehensive and rigorous evidence yet that the mammalian brain stores a single memory across a widely distributed, functionally connected complex spanning many brain regions, rather than in just one or even a few places. Memory pioneer Richard Semon had […]

Children differ dramatically from adults in their moral views on animals, new research shows. University of Exeter researchers asked children aged 9-11 about the moral status and treatment of farm animals (pigs), pets (dogs) and people. Unlike adults, children say farm animals should be treated the same as people and pets, and think eating animals […]

People who are organized, with high levels of self-discipline, may be less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment as they age, while people who are moody or emotionally unstable are more likely to experience cognitive decline late in life, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. The research, published in the Journal of Personality […]

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may help people being treated for opioid addiction reduce their methadone dose and better manage pain and withdrawal symptoms, according to a pair of studies led by Washington State University scientists. The research team recruited participants enrolled in a local opioid treatment program to test the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, a […]

A substantial fraction of shale gas – potentially more than 25% in some regions – has been produced by radioactive decomposition of organic matter, a mechanism that had been dismissed as unimportant, researchers claim. They believe the discovery could prove crucial for monitoring emissions near fracking sites to ensure that the potent greenhouse gas methane […]

Non-invasive diagnostics such as light scanners and swabs are increasingly used to diagnose illness in people. Now EU-backed scientists are trying to extend the techniques to the treatment of pets. There are an estimated 90 million dogs living as pets in European households. Having a dog in the family can make people more physically active. […]

MIT today announced the five flagship projects selected in its first-ever Climate Grand Challenges competition. These multiyear projects will define a dynamic research agenda focused on unraveling some of the toughest unsolved climate problems and bringing high-impact, science-based solutions to the world on an accelerated basis. Representing the most promising concepts to emerge from the […]

Research in recent years has demonstrated the diverse roles that gut bacteria can play in health and disease, but what about contributions from viruses, which, like bacteria, perpetually reside within the human intestine? New research published in Science Immunology and led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) indicates that imbalances in the intestine’s viral community—called the […]

A new U of T Scarborough study finds that liberals and conservatives differ in how they perceive dominance in women, which may influence their likelihood to vote them into political office. “We found that conservatives and liberals read dominance signals differently in the faces of men and women,” says Pankaj Aggarwal, professor of marketing in the […]

The urgent need to cut carbon emissions has prompted a growing number of U.S. states to commit to achieving 100 percent clean electricity by 2040 or 2050. But figuring out how to meet those commitments and still have a reliable and affordable power system is a challenge. Wind and solar installations will form the backbone […]