(Left) The optic lobes are thought to be involved in visual processing. In this study, researchers found that guppies with larger optic lobes more quickly learned a visual discrimination task—identifying which color well contained food. (Right) The fish telencephalon is thought to be involved in spatial learning, memory, and inhibitory control. Here, the researchers found that a larger telencephalon might enhance the fish’s cognitive flexibility, allowing them to more quickly associate food with a new color after the researchers switched it.

| 1 min read

Infographic: Two Guppy Brain Regions May Help Them Learn Tasks

While guppies with larger optic lobes were champions at learning visual discrimination tasks, guppies with larger telencephalons fared better when researchers switched things up.

Photo of a Guppy fish

| 3 min read

Fish Brain Region Size Correlates with Cognitive Flexibility

bird perched next to a brick atop a trash can

| 1 min read

Science Snapshot: Fine Feathered Foes

animal intelligence

Brightly colored intersecting lines, creating a chaotic pattern that resembles a subway map.

Monkeys Look for Patterns that Aren’t There—Just Like Humans Do

Dan Robitzski | | 4 min read

Cover of When Animals Dream: A colourful illustration of an octopus.<br><br>

Book Excerpt from When Animals Dream

David M. Peña-Guzmán | | 3 min read

Cover of When Animals Dream: A colourful illustration of an octopus.<br><br>

Opinion: Animal Dreaming Should Give Us Ethical Pause

David M. Peña-Guzmán | | 6 min read

Octopus in tank lined with black dots

Do Invertebrates Have Emotions?

Natalia Mesa, PhD | | 10+ min read

a Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) resting on a reflective surface

Reshuffled Genomes May Explain Cephalopods’ Smarts

Sophie Fessl, PhD | | 4 min read

an Australian magpie stares down the camera

Altruism in Birds? Magpies Have Outwitted Scientists by Helping Each Other Remove Tracking Devices

Dominique Potvin | | 4 min read

Cuttlefish, cephalopod, mollusk, mollusca, animal behavior, marshmallow test, cognition, intelligence, evolution

Cuttlefish Delay Gratification, a Sign of Smarts

Asher Jones | | 8 min read

See Pigs Master a Joystick Video Game

Lisa Winter | | 1 min read

Cats recognize their names

Cats Perk Up at the Sound of Their Own Names

Carolyn Wilke | | 2 min read

The Mirror Test Peers Into the Workings of Animal Minds

Carolyn Wilke | | 5 min read

a parrot tearing a strip of cardboard with its beak

Image of the Day: Bird Brain

Shawna Williams | | 1 min read

Biologist Who Communicated With Dolphins Dies

Alison F. Takemura | | 2 min read

Page 1 of 1 - 15 Total Items

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Universe 25 Experiment

A series of rodent experiments showed that even with abundant food and water, personal space is essential to prevent societal collapse, but Universe 25's relevance to humans remains disputed.

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Bellybutton Bugs

Researchers take pictures and analyze bacterial cultures from the bellybuttons of hundreds of American volunteers.

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Aerobic Bacteria May Predate Earth’s Oxygen Boom

Artificial intelligence and phylogenetics helped scientists revise the evolutionary timeline of bacteria.

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How Tiny Organisms Control Minds, Create Zombies, and Shape Ecosystems

Mindy Weisberger’s book, Rise of the Zombie Bugs, explores the sophisticated—and macabre—relationships between zombifying parasites and their hosts.

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Faster Fluid Measurements for Formulation Development

Meet Honeybun and Breeze Through Viscometry in Formulation Development

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The Future of CRISPR

The Future of CRISPR

An expert panel will discuss the latest research on CRISPR and how to use it in biotechnology and disease research.

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April 1, 2025, Issue 1

Bunsen Burners and Bad Hair Days

Lab safety rules dictate that one must tie back long hair. Rosemarie Hansen learned the hard way when an open flame turned her locks into a lesson.

View this Issue

Research Resources

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Faster Fluid Measurements for Formulation Development

Meet Honeybun and Breeze Through Viscometry in Formulation Development

In this webinar, Andre Mueller will introduce you to Honeybun, the viscometer/rheometer that will get you all the viscosity data you need.

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Taking the Guesswork Out of Quality Control Standards

Learn how improving sampling, standardization, and calibration streamlines quality control processes.

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PFAS: The Forever Chemicals

Learn how to accurately test environmental samples for PFAS substances.

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