New rat study suggests consciousness comes from quantum vibrations in microtubules
A Wellesley College study finds that stabilizing microtubules in rats delays anesthesia, supporting the theory that consciousness arises from quantum processes.
Neuroscience
Music preferences as reflections of moral values
A study links musical preferences to moral values using machine learning to analyze participants’ favorite songs. Acoustic elements like pitch and timbre predict values like care and fairness, while lyrical content relates to loyalty and authority. These insights highlight the…
The cognitive benefits of team sports and reading for children
An academic study identifies team sports and reading as activities that significantly enhance children’s intelligence. Team sports promote cognitive development through physical challenges and structured, strategic learning, while reading improves verbal skills, creativity, and overall cognitive performance. Both activities are…
Enhancing critical thinking through writing and mindful technology use
Writing helps develop critical thinking by requiring clarity, logical organization, and evaluation of information. Technology can either hinder or enhance these skills, depending on its use. While quick access to information may reduce deep thinking, tools like chatbots can support…
Brain connectivity influences optimal sleep duration
New neuroscience research reveals that individual variations in brain connectivity impact the amount of sleep needed for optimal functioning. People with stronger connectivity in brain networks related to attention and memory tend to require less sleep, while those with weaker…
Cannabis use linked to epigenetic changes that may affect gene expression
Epigenetic study reveals DNA methylation changes linked to marijuana use A genome-wide study in middle-aged adults found significant DNA methylation changes associated with both recent and cumulative marijuana use. These changes are linked to pathways related to cell proliferation, hormone…
Enlarged brain network linked to depression risk, study finds
A new study has identified that the frontostriatal salience network, a brain region tied to reward processing and external stimuli filtering, is nearly twice its usual size in people with depression. Researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine found that this network…
Dreams as a key to brain function and health
The significance of dreams in brain activity and health Rahul Jandial’s insights reveal that dreams serve as a cognitive tool, with the brain highly active during sleep. Nightmares and erotic dreams are universal, and the brain’s emotional and visual centers…
Scientists find brain network twice as large in depressed people
Scientists have discovered that the salience network, a set of brain regions that decides what you focus on and how rewarding something feels, is much larger in people who experience major depression. Using an intensive form of brain-scan analysis called…