Octopuses sleep—and possibly dream—just like humans
The cephalopods experience an apparent sleep state with REM-like activity. Enlarge (credit: Imagen Rafael Cosme Daza ) Most creatures sleep, but until now, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the phase of sleep in which drea.....»»
Much of Neanderthal genetic diversity came from modern humans
Neanderthals' low diversity means their population was even smaller than we thought. Enlarge (credit: Halamka) The basic outline of the interactions between modern humans and Neanderthals is now well established. The two.....»»
A four-day week can work if staff and employers can deal with the challenges
It sounds like a dream for many people currently working five days a week: how about just doing four days and having a long weekend?.....»»
Social contagion research explores how ant colonies regulate group behaviors
In the world of social creatures, from humans to ants, the spread of behaviors through a group—known as social contagion—is a well-documented phenomenon. This process, driven by social imitation and pressure, causes individuals to adopt behaviors.....»»
History shows that humans are good for biodiversity… sometimes
Humans have been an important driver of vegetation change over thousands of years, and, in some places, had positive impacts on biodiversity, according to a new study......»»
"A history of contact": Geneticists are rewriting the narrative of Neanderthals and other ancient humans
Ever since the first Neanderthal bones were discovered in 1856, people have wondered about these ancient hominins. How are they different from us? How much are they like us? Did our ancestors get along with them? Fight them? Love them? The recent dis.....»»
Can you do better than top-level AI models on these basic vision tests?
Abstract analysis that is trivial for humans often stymies GPT-4o, Gemini, and Sonnet. Enlarge / Whatever you do, don't ask the AI how many horizontal lines are in this image. (credit: Getty Images) In the last couple of.....»»
Paris dream of swimming in the Seine part of its Olympics vision
Going for a dip in the Seine on a hot summer's day has been the pipedream of many a Parisian since swimming in the river was formally banned a century ago......»»
We Cannot Cede Control of Weapons to Artificial Intelligence
I watched United Nations delegates debate AI-based weapons that can fire without human initiation. Humans cannot be taken out of that decision-making.....»»
Wolves" return has had only small impact on deer populations in Washington state, study shows
Humans drove wolves to extinction in Washington state around the 1930s. Thanks to conservation efforts, by about 80 years later, wolves had returned—crossing first from the Canadian border into Washington around 2008 and later entering the state fr.....»»
Rice gone wild: How humans have inadvertently selected for "weedy" rice
University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have discovered that the anatomical adaptation helping weedy rice varieties to proliferate is not, as previously believed, confined only to these pest varieties. The research, published recently in the.....»»
It’s another bloody power struggle for Rome’s future in Gladiator II trailer
"What is the dream of Rome if our people are not free?" Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal star in director Ridley Scott's long-awaited sequel, Gladiator II. Ridley Scott's epic 2000 historical drama Gladiator was a blockbuster hit that h.....»»
Egg cell maintenance: Long-lived proteins may be essential for fertility
Female mammals—including humans—are born with all of their egg cells. Of a woman's one to two million egg cells, about 400 mature before menopause and can be fertilized. Some egg cells therefore survive for several decades—and need to remain fu.....»»
Ars Live: Join us TODAY for a lively discussion on time travel in the movies
Bill and Ted co-creator Ed Solomon joins physicists Sean Carroll and Jim Kakalios Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson/Getty Images) Since antiquity, humans have envisioned various means of time travel into the future or the p.....»»
Brain size riddle solved as humans exceed evolutionary trend
The largest animals do not have proportionally bigger brains—with humans bucking this trend—a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution has revealed......»»
Advanced Apple Watch health monitoring features are hitting some roadblocks
The long-rumored blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea features of the Apple Watch probably aren't going to arrive in Apple Watch Series 10, or Apple Watch Ultra 3.A render of the rear sensor of the Apple Watch Series 10Rumors over the years have.....»»
Evidence shows ancient Saudi Arabia had complex and thriving communities, not struggling people in a barren land
To date, little has been known about people living in north-western Saudi Arabia during the Neolithic—the period traditionally defined by the shift to humans controlling food production and settling into communities with agriculture and domesticate.....»»
Is the Motorola Razr 2024 waterproof?
Don't sleep on Motorola's latest flip phones, the Razr and Razr Plus 2024. But are either of them waterproof, and what extent? Here's the lowdown......»»
Sparrows as sentinels: Health study illustrates the interconnectedness of humans and wildlife
Why should a medical student develop an interest in conservation? According to a growing body of evidence, including a recent study co-authored by William & Mary biologist John Swaddle, the seemingly separate fields of health sciences and conservatio.....»»
Searching for dark matter with the coldest quantum detectors in the world
One of the greatest mysteries of science could be one step closer to being solved. Approximately 80% of the matter in the universe is dark, meaning that it cannot be seen. In fact, dark matter is passing through us constantly—possibly at a rate of.....»»
How studying bat viruses can help prevent zoonotic disease
Bats have become the poster child of emerging zoonotic disease. The creatures harbor a vast array of viruses—some of which cause deadly diseases in humans—yet they rarely get sick themselves......»»