Research Pinpoints the Neurons Behind Feeling Sick
Research Pinpoints the Neurons Behind Feeling Sick
Specific neurons in the brainstem control sickness behaviors not directly caused by a pathogen, such as tiredness and lack of appetite, a mouse study finds.
Specific neurons in the brainstem control sickness behaviors not directly caused by a pathogen, such as tiredness and lack of appetite, a mouse study finds.
human behavior
Science Snapshot: Fine Feathered Foes
Lisa Winter | Sep 14, 2022 | 1 min read
Australians are resorting to increasingly drastic measures to keep cockatoos out of their garbage bins.
Opinion: Can Science Capture Love?
Anna Machin | Mar 14, 2022 | 4 min read
Researchers who study the phenomenon in humans should incorporate subjective experiences into data on love.
The Scientist Speaks Podcast - Episode 12
The Scientist | 1 min read
Decoding Smell: Demystifying Human Disease and Behavior
Exposure to Chemical from Babies Linked to Aggression
Chloe Tenn | Nov 22, 2021 | 3 min read
A study finds that the odorless compound hexadecanal, or HEX, increases aggressive behavior in women but has a calming effect on men.
Religion on the Brain
Emma Yasinski | Jul 13, 2021 | 6 min read
Researchers in a small but growing field search for neural correlates of religiosity and spirituality.
Incest Isn’t Taboo in Nature: Study
Christie Wilcox, PhD | May 7, 2021 | 4 min read
Avoiding inbreeding appears to be the exception rather than the norm for animals, according to a new meta-analysis of experimental studies.
Your Partner’s Genome May Affect Your Health
Catherine Offord | Jan 5, 2021 | 4 min read
A study using data from more than 80,000 couples finds evidence of indirect genetic effects on traits ranging from smoking habits to mental health.
Contributors
Amanda Heidt | Oct 1, 2020 | 4 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the October 2020 issue of The Scientist.
Opinion: What Animals Can Teach Us About Fear
Daniel T. Blumstein | Oct 1, 2020 | 3 min read
Fear binds us to our human and nonhuman ancestors. Understanding the emotion can help us grapple with challenges we face today.
Infographic: Measurements that Predict People’s Behavior
Paul J. Zak | Oct 1, 2020 | 1 min read
Changes in blood levels of oxytocin and adrenocorticotropic hormone and patterns of neural activity predict how much money people will donate to a cause with high accuracy.
Curiosity and Hunger Are Driven by the Same Brain Regions
Shawna Williams | Oct 1, 2020 | 4 min read
Researchers tease out the effects of the two cravings by having participants gamble for the chance to satisfy them.
Neurological Correlates Allow Us to Predict Human Behavior
Paul J. Zak | Oct 1, 2020 | 10+ min read
A combination of factors, from oxytocin release as an indicator of emotional investment to cortisol and other hormones that correlate with attention, can forecast what people will do after an experience.
Secrets in the Brains of People Who Have Committed Murder
Nicoletta Lanese | Nov 1, 2019 | 5 min read
MRI scans from more than 800 incarcerated men pinpoint distinct structural features of people who have committed homicide, compared with those who carried out other crimes.
Softer Diets Allowed Early Humans to Pronounce “F,” “V” Sounds
Katarina Zimmer | Mar 14, 2019 | 4 min read
Drastic dietary changes during the agricultural revolution altered the configuration of the human bite, paving the way for new sounds in spoken language, a new study finds.
Humans are Making Mammals Return to the Night Life
Ashley Yeager | Jun 14, 2018 | 2 min read
While shifts in behavior could help wildlife and people coexist, they might also affect the animals’ survival.
NIH’s New Rules Governing Human Research Go Into Effect
Jim Daley | Jan 25, 2018 | 2 min read
More than 3,500 scientists had signed an open letter to NIH Director Francis Collins opposing the rules change.
Mothers Are Hard-Wired to Respond Similarly to Infant Cries Across Cultures
Shawna Williams | Jan 1, 2018 | 3 min read
Researchers find consistent behaviors and brain activity in an international study.
How Moral Disgust Can Simultaneously Protect and Endanger Humanity
Robert Sapolsky | Jun 1, 2017 | 3 min read
The human brain’s insular cortex is adept at registering distaste for everything from rotten fruit to unfamiliar cultures.
Contributors
Diana Kwon | Jun 1, 2017 | 3 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the June 2017 issue of The Scientist.