In the news

In the News is a monthly round-up of research news. We try to provide two links for each story: first, a media story showing how research is being presented to the public and, second, the original research. In the News is compiled by Stephen Zachary.

FEBRUARY 2010

HUMANS

1. Despain, David, “Early Humans Used Brain Power, Innovation And Teamwork To Dominate The Planet.” ScientificAmerican.com, Feb. 27, 2010.

based on: ASU Origins Project

2. Wade, Nicholas, “Human Culture, An Evolutionary Force.” NewYorkTimes.com, Mar. 1, 2010.

based on: Laland, K., et al., “How Culture Shaped The Human Genome: Bringing Genetics And The Human Sciences Together,” Nature Reviews Genetics, Feb. 2010.

ANIMALS

1. Munger, Dave, “Some Animals Can Instinctively Solve Navigational Problems That have Baffled Humans For Centuries.  Now, Researchers Are Uncovering How.” SeedMagazine.com, Feb. 10, 2010.

based on: Zapka, M. et al, “Visual But Not Trigeminal Mediation Of Magnetic Compass Information In A Migratory Bird,” Nature, Nov. 2009.

2. “Interactions Between Species: Powerful Driving Force Behind Evolution?” ScienceDaily.com, Feb. 25, 2010.

based on: Paterson, S. et al., “Antagonistic Coevolution Accelerates Molecular Evolution,” Nature, Feb. 2010.

MACHINES

1. Dillow, Clay, “Artificial Intelligence Brings Musicians Back From The Dead, Allowing All-Stars Of All Time To Jam,” PopularScience.com, Mar. 3, 2010.

based on: Zenph Sound Innovations

2. “Walking Robot Switches Gaits Autonomously And Flexibly.” ScienceDaily.com, Jan. 18, 2010.

based on: Steingrube, S., et al., “Self-Organized Adaptation Of A Simple Neural Circuit Enables Complex Robot Behaviour,” Nature Physics, Jan. 2010

JANUARY 2010

HUMANS

ANIMALS

MACHINES

November 2009

HUMANS

1.  “The Young And The Neuro”

Source:  David Brooks, TheNewYorkTimes.com, Oct. 12, 2009.

Research:  Dr. Lieberman’s publications, Dr. Amodio’s publications, Dr. Phelps’ publications

2.  “Sight Unseen: People Blinded by Brain Damage Respond to Emotive Expressions”

Source:  Carina Storrs, ScientificAmerican.com, Oct. 14, 2009.

Research:  Tamietto, et al., “Unseen Facial and Bodily Expressions Trigger Fast Emotional Reactions”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Oct. 5, 2009.

ANIMALS

1.   “Flies Get Fright From False Memories”

Source:  David Cyranoski, Nature.com, Oct. 15, 2009.

Reasearch:  Claridge-Chang, et al., “Writing Memories with Light-Addressable Reinforcement Circuitry”, Cell, Oct. 16, 2009.

2.  “Tiny But Adaptable Wasp Brains Show Ability to Alter Their Architecture”

Source:  ScienceDaily.com, Oct. 15, 2009.

Research:  Jones, et al., “Growth and Pruning of Mushroom Body Kenyon Cell Dendrites During Worker Behavioral Development in the Paper Wasp, Polybia Aequatorialis”, Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Nov., 2009.

MACHINES

1.  “Brain-Computer Interface Allows Person-to-Person Communication Through Power of Thought”

Source:  ScienceDaily.com, Oct. 6, 2009.

Research:  Experiment Video, BCI Laboratory, University of Southampton.

2.  “Computer Helps Deaf Children To Learn Sign Language”

Source:  ScienceDaily.com, Oct. 14, 2009.

Research:  Lichtenauer, et al., “A Learning Environment for Sign Language”, Presented at the International Conference on Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition, 2008.
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October 2009

HUMANS

1. “Uncovering Ardi”

Source: John Hawks, SeedMagazine.com, Oct. 5, 2009.
Research: White, et al., “Ardipithecus ramidus and the Paleobiology of Early Hominids.”, Science, Oct. 2, 2009.

2. “‘Sorry I Haven’t Written’: A Scientific Explanation”

Source: Michael D. Lemonick, Time.com, Sep. 29, 2009.
Research: Malmgren, et al., “On Universality in Human Correspondence Activity”, Science, Sep. 25, 2009.

ANIMALS

1. “Small Mammals Have A ‘Celtic Fringe’ Too”

Source: ScienceDaily.com, Oct. 5, 2009.
Research: Searle, et al., “The Celtic Fringe of Britain: Insights from Small Mammal Phylogeography”, Proceedings from the Royal Society B, Sep. 30, 2009.

2. “Monkeys’ Grooming Habits Provide New Clues To How We Socialize”

Source: ScienceDaily.com, Oct. 1, 2009.
Research: Lehmann & Dunbar, “Network Cohesion, Group Size and Neocortex Size in Female-Bonded Old World primates.” , Proceedings from the Royal Society B, Sep 30, 2009.

MACHINES

1. “Science Is Reading Your Mind”

Source: Tory Shepherd, AdelaideNow.com, Oct. 6, 2009.

2. “‘Intelligent Car’ Able To Learn From Owner’s Driving and Warn In Case of Accident Hazard”

Source: ScienceDaily.com, Sep. 22, 2009.

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September 2009

HUMANS

1. “Why do we remember bad things? A single chemical may make all the difference”

Source: Laura Blue, Time.com, Aug. 20, 2009
Research: Rossato et al., “Dopamine Controls Persistence of Long-Term Memory Storage” Science 21 Aug. 2009

2. “The NIH aims to map the connectivity of the human brain in five years. But a definitive atlas of the brain will remain out of our grasp for a long time.”

Source: Moheb Costandi, SeedMagazine.com, Aug. 11, 2009
Research Announcement: National Institutes of Health , Jul. 16, 2009

ANIMALS

1. “Monkey see, monkey do: Why we flatter via imitation”

Media: John Cloud , Time.com, Aug. 17, 2009
Research: Paukner, et al., “Capuchin Monkeys Display Affiliation Toward Humans Who Imitate Them” Science 14 Aug. 2009

2. “Top 20 animal sleepers and why we sleep”

Media: Discovery News, Aug. 21, 2009
Research: Siegel, J. “Sleep Viewed as a State of Adaptive Inactivity” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 6 Aug. 2009

MACHINES

1. “Human-Robot Relationships”

Media: Christie Nicholson, Scientific American, Aug. 18, 2009
Research: Roese, N.J. & Amir, E. “Human-Android Interaction in the Near and Distant Future” Perspectives on Psychological Science 7 Jul. 2009

2. “IBM Gets Research Grant for Brain-On-Chip Project”

Media: Michael Cooney, Computerworld, Aug. 17, 2009

3. “Folding DNA Into Tiny Circuits”

Media: NPR , Aug. 21, 2009
Research: Kershner, et al., “Placement and Orientation of Individual DNA Shapes on Lithographically Patterned Surfaces” Nature Nanotechnology 16 Aug. 2009