Brain & Behavior
Weekend Diversion: Make Yourself Hallucinate (Safely)
Posted by Ethan on November 24, 2012 
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a Ride!’” -Hunter S. Thompson For those of you who’ve never…
What’s that Smell?
Posted by Weizmann Science Writer on November 22, 2012 Weizmann Institute scientists have created a “white smell.” Think about white light or white noise: Each mixes a bunch of different waves together from various parts of the visual or audible spectrum. Those wavelengths combine such that we perceive that unobtrusive light or sound we call “white.” How do smells fit into this scenario? Prof.…
Don’t just blame the turkey for making you sleepy
Posted by Dr. Dolittle on November 21, 2012 This video from Scientific American explains how Thanksgiving dinner makes you feel sleepy: Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
A Computer That Learns to See Like a Baby
Posted by Weizmann Science Writer on November 18, 2012 The idea of “seeing the world through the eyes of a child” takes on new meaning when the observer is a computer. Institute scientists in the Lab for Vision and Robotics Research took their computer right back to babyhood and used it to ask how infants first learn to identify objects in their visual field.…
Sex and Gender in An Odd Primate
Posted by Greg Laden on November 14, 2012 The Gender vs. Sex question…referring to the meaning of those two terms in relation to each other…is standard material for discussion in Anthropology and related fields, but is often left unattended to in day to day discourse. Both terms have internal complexity, with Gender meaning something about people’s identity as well as being a linguistic…
Skeptically Speaking #189 Gay, Straight, and The Reason Why
Posted by Greg Laden on November 11, 2012 This week, we’re looking at the science of sexual orientation, where debates over nature vs. nurture have influenced law, policy and equal rights. We’re joined by neuroscientist and writer Simon LeVay, to talk about his research on the topic, and his book Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why: The Science of Sexual Orientation. And on…
Clever cockatoo caught using tools
Posted by Dr. Dolittle on November 10, 2012 Check out this picture of a captive cockatoo (Cacatua goffiniana) in the Department of Cognitive Biology at the University of Vienna using a tool: Figaro (shown above) was observed by a student using a piece of bamboo to try to retrieve a dropped pebble. This was the first documented evidence of a Goffin’s cockatoo attempting…
Monckton goes all out birther
Posted by coby on November 7, 2012 Via Thngsbreak, we have the charming Lord Monckton back at it with all out Birtherism: The diligent, unpaid heroes who have been investigating the dodgy document for more than a year on behalf of the people of Maricopa County, Ariz., have found a long list of irregularities in Mr. Obama’s identification documents. I have used…
What are animals thinking?
Posted by Dr. Dolittle on November 7, 2012 I know what I’m doing tonight! I just heard about a special called “What Are Animals Thinking” that will be airing tonight on NOVA ScienceNOW. To check local listings, click here. Watch What Are Animals Thinking? Preview on PBS. See more from NOVA scienceNOW.
What a Rat Feels
Posted by Weizmann Science Writer on November 5, 2012 We have been told what it’s like to be a bat or a bird; now Prof. Ehud Ahissar and Dr. Avi Saig are getting people to experience what it’s like to be a rat. Specifically, they want the participants in their studies to learn what it’s like to locate things in the dark by twitching…
