language development alterations found in the brains of mice
Scientists of the German Mouse Clinic at Helmholtz Zentrum München have made a major contribution to understanding human language development. Using a comprehensive screening method, they studied a mouse model carrying a “humanized version” of a key gene associated with human language.

 
 empathy involves the ability to simulate others internal states
New research from Vanderbilt University indicates the way our brain handles how we move through space—including being able to imagine literally stepping into someone else’s shoes—may be related to how and why we experience empathy toward others.

 
Nanoparticles and polymers were used to create a sensor that can distinguish between healthy, cancerous and metastatic cells.
Using a “chemical nose” array of nanoparticles and polymers, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a fundamentally new, more effective way to differentiate not only between healthy and cancerous cells but also between metastatic and [...]

 
Mississippi dead zone in 2004. This year’s Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” could be one of the largest on record
University of Michigan aquatic ecologist Donald Scavia and his colleagues say this year’s Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” could be one of the largest on record, continuing a decades-long trend that threatens the health of a [...]

 
Scientists have found that there are significant differences in the way our brains function depending on whether we’re early risers or night owls
Are you a “morning person” or a “night owl?”

 
We humans prefer to be addressed in our right ear.
We humans prefer to be addressed in our right ear and are more likely to perform a task when we receive the request in our right ear rather than our left. In a series of three studies, looking at ear preference in communication between humans, Dr. [...]

Homing pigeons use the Earth’s magnetic field 
Homing pigeons have built in ’satnav’ that uses Earth’s magnetic field to pinpoint position and help them find their way home, according to a study.  Scientists have suspected for years that birds possess the ability to use the Earth’s magnetic field for their navigation, although it has never been proved beyond doubt.

Mild noninvasive electrical current to brain could help stroke patients 
A simple, inexpensive device that delivers electrical current to the brain noninvasively could help stroke patients recover lost motor ability. According to a new study, the treatment–transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)–in combination with occupational therapy boosted recovery better than either treatment on its own.

 
Space Colony
For more than 50 years, many have taken the so-called Fermi Paradox to indicate that the existence of intelligent alien civilizations is an impossibility. However, a recent re-examination of the paradox points out that, rather than discounting the spread of an intelligent civilization, the Fermi Paradox merely points out that advanced civilizations with exponential [...]

Smoking linked to brain damage
There is a direct link between smoking and brain damage, according to new research conducted by Debapriya Ghosh and Dr Anirban Basu from the Indian National Brain Research Centre (NBRC).

Bottle Tops Revisited

 
Most of us normally discard the bottle caps as its of no use to us. But if you ask Yoav Kotik, then the use can be quite interesting and useful. Artist Yoav Kotik is the designer of the “Precious Metal” jewelry line. Using beverages’ caps, he creates these wonderful designs; his interesting and [...]

Tiny teenager: Despite being just 2ft tall and weighs 10lbs, Khagendra
cannot claim the title of smallest man until he turns 18 in October this year
“At just two-feet-tall, Khagendra Thapa Magar is just four months away from being named the world’s smallest man. Excitedly awaiting his 18th birthday in October of this year, Khagendra and his [...]