Beyond The Basic Five

Meet some of the people featured in the September 2016 issue of The Scientist

Forget what you learned about humans having five senses. That goes double for non-human animals.

Sensory discoveries, open-access publishing, and candidates on climate changes

Neuropsychologist Simon Thompson found a possible link between yawning and multiple sclerosis. So what better way to get under the skin of his research than volunteering to take part in one of his experiments?

Researchers develop a wearable technology that can detect magnetic fields and translate the signal into a visual display—a first step toward equipping humans with an entirely new sense.

An indigenous community in northeastern India is a crucial part of the effort to save these majestic forest birds from extinction.

The pollinators of a wild tobacco plant use the tip of their proboscis to determine whether they should stop for a drink.

It’s time to accelerate the conversation about why the research community is still not diverse.

Animals’ diverse sensory abilities will guide a technology-based revolution that gives humans perception beyond our natural senses.

Scientists generate new protein-protein interactions at an impressive PACE.

Knowing where our bodies are in space is critical for the control of our movements and for our sense of self.

The second visual field may aid in navigation.

Drosophila antennae let the insects seek out moisture levels they like best.

Neurons in the lamprey spinal cord can sense pH and counteract changes from the body’s optimal range.

The UCLA neurobiologist uses computational modeling, in vitro electrophysiology, and human psychophysics experiments to explore how neurons and the brain as a whole perceive and respond to time.

Acting Chief, Section on Sensory Cell Development and Function, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Age: 38

Choosing the right model, be it 3-D or 2-D, requires wading through varied cell sources, cell types, and cell culture conditions.

Tips on how to surmount the challenges of working with CRISPR to manipulate genes in human stems cells to study their function in specific diseases or to correct genetic defects in patient cells.

With few resources and hesitant investors, basic scientists must rely on clinicians, patient advocates, and their own keen eye for biological connections.

Reductionism may be the key to bridging the gap between the humanities and the sciences.

In the 1930s, parapsychologist Joseph Banks Rhine aimed to use scientific methods to confirm the existence of extrasensory perception, but faced criticisms of dubious analyses and irreproducible results.