Animal models can serve as gateways for understanding many human communication disorders, but a new study suggests that the established practice of socially isolating mice for such purposes might actually make them poor research models for humans, and a simple shift to a more realistic social environment could greatly improve the utility of the future studies.
Read moreBabies who are years away from being able to say 'one,' 'two,' and 'three' actually already have a sense of what counting means, researchers have discovered. The findings reveal that very early on, years earlier than previously believed, babies who hear counting realize that it's about quantity.
Read moreA team has developed FlowSense, which lets those who may not be experts in machine learning create highly flexible visualizations from almost any data.
Read moreAn international team of scientists has discovered that some of the most renowned classic Belgian beers, including Gueuze and Trappist ales, are fermented with a rare and unusual form of hybrid yeasts. These yeasts combine DNA of the traditional ale yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with that of more stress-resistant feral yeasts such as Saccharomyces kudriavzevii.
Read moreOur brains have a remarkable ability to pick out one voice from among many. Now, a team has uncovered the steps that take place in the brain to make this feat possible. Today's discovery helps to solve a long-standing scientific question as to how the brain's listening center can decode and amplify one voice over others. It also stands to spur development of hearing-aid technologies and brain-computer interfaces that more closely resemble the brain.
Read moreHave you ever found it difficult to focus on a task due to background noise? Scientists are studying just how these sounds impact our brain activity — and what that impact means for designing neurotechnology.
Read moreBioscientists develop a method to observe patterns of early embryonic development, during which ectodermal cells diverge toward their fates as skin, organs and the nervous system.
Read moreImmigrant parents worry their children will struggle with reading and fret that as non-English speakers, they can't help. A new study shows that's simply not true. Reading to a young child in any language will likely help them learn to read in English.
Read moreBabies seek to understand the world around them and learn many new things every day. Unexpected events — for example when a ball falls through a table — provide researchers with the unique opportunity to understand infants' learning processes. What happens in their brains as they learn and integrate new information?
Read moreUsing innovative new methods researchers have built a new index that uses data from books and newspaper to track levels of national happiness from 1820. Their research could help governments to make better decisions about policy priorities.
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