How neuronal recognition of songbird calls unfolds over time
A novel computational approach sheds new light on the response of neurons in the brain of a songbird when it hears and interprets the meaning of another bird's call.
Read morePerception
Music is essential for the transmission of ethnobiological knowledge
Songs are a storehouse for ethnobiological knowledge and a means to construct, maintain and mobilize peoples' relations with their local environments.
Read moreNew genes identified in hearing loss, providing treatment hope
A new study has identified 44 genes linked to age-related hearing loss giving a much clearer understanding of how the condition develops and potential treatments.
Read moreTrue lies: How letter patterns color perceptions of truth
Cause-and-effect statements may seem more true if the initial letters in the words are in alphabetical order because the human brain prefers patterns that follow familiar sequences.
Read moreCommit a crime? Loved ones got your back
Reading about a child abuse case or someone burglarizing homes often stirs feelings of disgust, anger and disbelief when it's learned the perpetrator's family or friends did nothing to stop it or report it to police.
Read moreSeeing is believing: Eye-tracking technology could help make driving safer
'Keep your eyes on the road.' With the recent advances in vehicle-assisted safety technology and in-car displays, this old adage has a new meaning, thanks to two new applications of eye-tracking technology.
Read moreThe problem with promoting 'responsible dog ownership'
Dog welfare campaigns that tell people to be 'responsible owners' don't help to promote behaviour change, a new report suggests. Dog owners interviewed for a study all considered themselves to be responsible owners, despite there being great variation in key aspects of their dog-owning behavior.
Read moreWhen it comes to robots, reliability may matter more than reasoning
What does it take for a human to trust a robot? That is what researchers are uncovering in a new study into how humans and robots work together. Research into human-agent teaming, or HAT, has examined how the transparency of agents — such as robots, unmanned vehicles or software agents — influences human trust, task performance, workload and perceptions of the agent.
Read moreUnlock your smartphone with earbuds
A research team is developing EarEcho, a biometric tool that uses modified wireless earbuds to authenticate smartphone users via the unique geometry of their ear canal. A prototype of the system proved roughly 95% effective.
Read moreInequality: What we've learned from the 'Robots of the late Neolithic'
Seven thousand years ago, societies across Eurasia began to show signs of lasting divisions between haves and have-nots. Scientists have now charted the precipitous surge of prehistoric inequality and trace its economic origins back to the adoption of ox-drawn plows.
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