evolution, neuroscience

April 2014's selection of notable quotes

First Ancient North American genome; cannabinoids connect hunger with olfaction and eating; biotechs explore crowdfunding; confronting creationism

Meet some of the people featured in the October 2013 issue of The Scientist.

May 2013's selection of notable quotes

Wired for Story, Dreamland, Homo Mysterious, and Vagina

Guppies with experimentally shrunken brains produced more offspring than guppies bred for larger noggins, confirming a long suspected tradeoff of bigger brains.

Evolving, The Moral Molecule, Aping Mankind, and Experiment Eleven

Studying the evolution of altruistic behaviors reveals how knee-jerk good intentions can backfire.

In Chapter 1, editors Barbara Oakley, Ariel Knafo, and Michael McGrath introduce the concept of well-intentioned behaviors that go awry.

Gene expression controlled from afar may have spurred the spurt in brain evolution that led to modern humans.

A bevy of genes known to be active during human fetal and infant development first appeared at the same time that the prefrontal cortex—the area of the brain associated with human intelligence and personality—took shape in primates.

This year’s winners research topics ranging from stem cell regulation to brain damage from football injuries.

When it comes to studying cephalopod brains and behavior, it helps to have a philosopher around.

Unlike human brains, chimpanzee brains don’t get smaller as they age, suggesting that pronounced neurological decline is a uniquely human byproduct of our oversized brains and extreme longevity.

Studying the earliest events in visual development, Carla Shatz has learned the importance of looking at one’s data with open eyes—and an open mind.