Biotech
Virtual Reality System Lets You Stop and Smell the Roses
A wireless device worn on the face or lip can produce fragrances such as lavender and green tea in a virtual world
Stories by Simon Makin
Psychology
People Differ Widely in Their Understanding of Even a Simple Concept Such as the Word ‘Penguin’
We think about what a penguin is like in dozens of different ways—one reason why we often talk past each other
Medicine
Lab-Made Enzymes Could Chop Up the Virus That Causes COVID
Artificial enzymes could fight COVID and other tough diseases
Medicine
New COVID Antiviral Cuts Hospitalizations in Half
An injection of a type of interferon drastically reduced the risk of severe COVID in a late-stage trial
Policy
Restrictions on Psilocybin ‘Magic Mushrooms’ Are Easing as Research Ramps Up
Here’s how the psychedelic substance’s legal status has been shifting
Microbiology
How Viruses Hop from Wild Animals to Humans
A virologist explains what it takes for a virus to leap from an animal host into humans
Artificial Intelligence
Smart Algorithms Could Identify Animal Viruses with Pandemic Potential
Machine learning could find the viruses that are most likely to spill over from animals and cause future pandemics
Neuroscience
A Hormone May Boost Cognition in Down Syndrome
The hormone GnRH may have potential for improving language, memory and other intellectual functions in people with Down syndrome, according to a pilot study
Biotech
A Portable MRI Makes Imaging More Democratic
An open-source approach downsizes today’s clunking behemoths with permanent magnets and deep-learning algorithms
Medicine
Pathogen-Sensing Mask Could Detect COVID Infection
Freeze-dried genetic circuits could reveal the presence of SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, MRSA, and more
Neurology
An Inventory of All the Brain Cells That Let You Run, Jump and Roll
A project to map the motor cortex used the widest range of tools for probing brain cells ever deployed in a single, coordinated effort
Biotech
Using Light to Control Cells Holds Promise across the Body
Optogenetics could aid vision, blood glucose, and more
Biotech
Bionic Eye Tech Learns Its ABCs
An experiment stimulates monkeys’ brain to generate shape perceptions
Cognition
Hypnosis Experts Cast Doubt on Famous Psychological Experiments
Suggestibility may explain why people “feel” vicarious pain or sensation in a fake hand
Neuroscience
Construction Process Builds Brain Circuits
A novel technique turns brain cells into circuit components
Neuroscience
Switch in Mouse Brain Induces a Deep Slumber Similar to Hibernation
If such a snooze button exists in humans, it could protect against strokes, heart attacks and trauma
Biology
From Hamsters to Baboons: The Animals Helping Scientists Understand the Coronavirus
Different species are helping answer different questions about COVID-19 in humans in order to develop vaccines and treatments
Psychology
Effective Psychological Therapy May Slow Cellular Aging
Cognitive-behavioral therapy improved both symptoms and markers of senescence in people with anxiety
Cognition
“Event” Cells in the Brain Help Organize Memory into Meaningful Segments
Neurons in the hippocampus categorize what we experience into abstract, discrete events, such as taking a walk versus having lunch
Cognition
Constant Shifts between Mental States Mark a Signature of Consciousness
Both of two essential brain networks that switch roles—one is on when the other is off—shut down in unresponsive individuals
