Pharmaceuticals
New Execution Method Touted as More ‘Humane,’ but Evidence Is Lacking
A legal battle over nitrogen hypoxia, a new potential method of execution, raises ethical questions
Stories by Dana G. Smith
Artificial Intelligence
AI Learns What an Infant Knows about the Physical World
A computer model simulating how objects react to physical forces approximates how babies understand their surroundings
Inequality
A 630-Billion-Word Internet Analysis Shows ‘People’ Is Interpreted as ‘Men’
Gender bias turns up in the way we think of the most neutral of words
Anatomy
Where Are Genitals Represented in the Brain?
The homunculus of textbook fame still does not take into account the relevant locations in the cerebral cortex that process touch for the sex organs
Cognition
Infants as Young as Two Months May Be Able to Detect Faces and Scenes
Baby-brain-scanning experiments fuel the debate over whether humans are born with these abilities
Neuroscience
No Bones about It: People Recognize Objects by Visualizing Their “Skeletons”
This basic ability gives humans a leg up on computers
Computing
An AI System Spontaneously Develops Baby-Like Ability to Gauge Big and Small
On its own, the neural network seems to recap a process experienced by human infants
Fitness
Anti-Aging Discovery Could Lead to Restorative Skin Treatments
Loss of collagen protein depletes renewal cells that serve as skin’s fountain of youth
Behavior
The Wisdom of Crowds Requires the Political Left and Right to Work Together
Collaborations between followers of opposing ideologies lead to less biased, higher quality Wikipedia pages
Evolution
Susceptibility to Mental Illness May Have Helped Humans Adapt over the Millennia
Psychiatrist Randolph Nesse, one of the founders of evolutionary medicine, explains why natural selection did not rid our species of onerous psychiatric disorders
Public Health
New App Uses Sonar to Detect Opioid Overdoses
The technology utilizes smartphone speakers and microphone to monitor breathing
Public Health
More Than a Third of Female Suicides Are Committed by Indian Women
The disturbingly high rate may arise from a disconnect between women’s ambitions and societal expectations, experts say
Neuroscience
Neuroscientists Make a Case against Solitary Confinement
Prolonged social isolation can do severe, long-lasting damage to the brain
Neurology
How Marijuana Harms a Developing Baby’s Brain
Three studies in rodents suggest prenatal exposure to the drug may pose risks for infants
Behavior
Big Data Gives the “Big 5” Personality Traits a Makeover
An analysis of 1.5 million people tries to more accurately categorize people’s character traits
Medicine
An Entirely New Type of Antidepressant Targets Postpartum Depression
A novel drug is intended to help women who suffer from depression after childbirth
Behavior
Global Warming Linked to Higher Suicide Rates across North America
A 1-degree Celsius rise corresponded to a 1.4 percent increase in suicides
Mental Health
The Placenta Is Now a Suspect In Heightening Schizophrenia Risk
Genes and pregnancy problems combine to increase significantly the likelihood of developing schizophrenia
Behavior
Daydreaming May Help You Become More Socially Adept
New research explains why relationships take up so much of our mental energy
Cognition
At What Age Does Our Ability to Learn a New Language Like a Native Speaker Disappear?
Despite the conventional wisdom, a new study shows picking up the subtleties of grammar in a second language does not fade until well into the teens
