What do genes have to do with psychology? They likely influence your behavior more than you realize

Human psychology is influenced by a complex network of genes and environmental factors. Studying how and when genes fail to cooperate could broaden our understanding of behavior.

Jessica D. Ayers, Assistant Professor of Psychological Science, Boise State University • conversation
July 24, 2024 ~9 min

Why most people are right handed but left eyed

Animals have these kinds of brain hemisphere biases too.

Gillian Forrester, Professor of Comparative Cognition, University of Sussex • conversation
July 2, 2024 ~8 min


African elephants address one another with name-like calls − similar to humans

Humans aren’t the only animals that have names for each other − and studying animals that use names can teach researchers more about how human names evolved.

Mickey Pardo, Postdoctoral Fellow in Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University • conversation
June 11, 2024 ~9 min

Animals self-medicate with plants − behavior people have observed and emulated for millennia

Humans have watched and learned from animals who treat their ills with bioactive plants. This animal wisdom has a scientific name: zoopharmacognosy.

Adrienne Mayor, Research Scholar, Classics and History and Philosophy of Science, Stanford University • conversation
May 24, 2024 ~9 min

New tool empowers users to fight online misinformation

The Trustnet browser extension lets individuals assess the accuracy of any content on any website.

Adam Zewe | MIT News • mit
May 16, 2024 ~7 min

Playing with the kids is important work for chimpanzee mothers

When resources are tight, mothers bear the costs of playing with their offspring even as they avoid socializing with others.

Kris Sabbi, Fellow in Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University • conversation
May 8, 2024 ~8 min

How AI might shape LGBTQIA+ advocacy

New “AI Comes Out of the Closet” system seeks to merge artificial intelligence and LGBTQIA+ support.

David Sweeney | Media Lab • mit
May 7, 2024 ~11 min

Exploring the mysterious alphabet of sperm whales

MIT CSAIL and Project CETI researchers reveal complex communication patterns in sperm whales, deepening our understanding of animal language systems.

Rachel Gordon | MIT CSAIL • mit
May 7, 2024 ~8 min


Animal behavior research is getting better at keeping observer bias from sneaking in – but there’s still room to improve

Like all people, the way scientists see the world is shaped by biases and expectations, which can affect how they record and report. Rigorous research methods can minimize this effect.

Todd M. Freeberg, Professor and Associate Head of Psychology, University of Tennessee • conversation
May 3, 2024 ~7 min

New York City greenlights congestion pricing – here’s how this toll plan is expected to improve traffic, air quality and public transit

One more reason not to drive into midtown Manhattan: Soon it will cost an extra $15 as New York City launches its long-debated congestion pricing system.

John Rennie Short, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
April 10, 2024 ~9 min

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