No Tired Explanation: Yawning May Cool Brain

Move over Google Maps: New app all about anatomy

(NEWSER) - First, it took on land . Then it took on the oceans . Now Google has set its sights on a new target: the human body. Its " Body Browser " lets users explore the human body, layer by layer, with any WebGL-enabled browser (Chrome 9 beta or Firefox 4 beta). You can peel back skin, nerves, and muscle to reveal bones and viscera by sheer exploration, or one can search, in true Google fashion, for a specific body part. More»

Brain activity research could be applied to sleeping subjects

(NEWSER) - Sounds like something out of a movie, but it's real: Someday, scientists may be able to "record" your dreams. Research published in the journal Nature explains that it is already possible to record higher-level brain activity, and the same methods could be applied to dreams—though there is still a long way to go, the BBC reports. Scientists found that certain neurons are associated with objects or concepts in each of our brains—when you think about "Marilyn Monroe," a specific neuron lights up. More»

Latest research says greatness more due to sweat than brains

(NEWSER) - In today’s scientific age, research suggests that genius isn’t a “hard-wired” trait, writes David Brooks in the New York Times: instead, it suggests “a more prosaic, democratic, even puritanical” perspective. Greatness may start with “slightly above average” talent, but what counts is thousands of hours of hard work. “It’s not who you are, it’s what you do,” one expert observes in a recent book on the subject. More»

Laws should consider the suffering of crustaceans, scientist says

(NEWSER) - Before you drop another crab into a boiling pot of water, take note: Crabs feel pain. Scientists don’t fully understand pain in humans, but do now know that crustaceans respond to discomfort and keep a memory of it, LiveScience reports. Hermit crabs that were shocked fled their shells, “indicating that the experience is unpleasant for them,” said one researcher. More»

(NEWSER) - If you ended your holiday visit home with frayed nerves, blame your brain, not your brother's snoring, Discovery reports. Family members prompt activity in a different part of the brain from friends and strangers, a new study shows. Researchers used MRIs to look at subjects' brains while they viewed photos of biological relatives and people who liked like the subjects, as well as photos of friends and strangers who weren't lookalikes. More»