Does being a mom make you lose brain cells? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. The queen is usually the only ant who gives birth in a colony. And most queens are born, not made. But Indian Jumping Ants are special! Some female worker ants
Continue readingTag: brains
Fresh Brains!
Besides zombies . . . who ELSE loves BRAINS?? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… Scientists! For research, they sometimes use brain tissue surgically removed to reduce seizures from epilepsy patients. Usually, the brain cells are tested more than twelve hours AFTER removal. But
Continue readingMind Over Robot
Mind over matter! And robots? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Advanced prosthetics hook up a robotic limb directly to your brain. Though still rudimentary, researchers hope to restore natural movement, and even touch, to amputees. But can brains really adapt and control this
Continue readingTangled Tongues
Polyglot your tongue? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Many people think they are too old to learn a new language. Supposedly, young kids pick up languages faster because their brains are still developing. But is any of that really true? Joshua Hartshorne, Joshua Tenenbaum, and
Continue readingNaptime For Jellies
Sleep is for the weak. Or is it? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. During sleep, the brain declutters, organizes memories, and rejuvenates. But what about animals without a brain? Do they ever need a snooze? Enter the Cassiopea jellyfish. With no heart, bones, or
Continue readingGut Feeling
Psst! Is your stomach playing telephone – with your brain? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Let me think… Is it dinner time yet? Your brain keeps tabs on your stomach. Whether it’s time to digest or eat up. But does your gut TALK BACK?!
Continue readingStressing Off Route
Stress got you going in circles…literally? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Left is right – right is wrong – right??!! Aaargh! Could it be stress that’s jamming up your brain’s navigation system? Thackery Brown from Georgia Tech and the team at Stanford memory lab
Continue readingBaby Eyes
How much can YOU remember from your baby days? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Babies watch constantly, taking in everything they’re exposed to. When you get home from work, your baby greets you with a big smile! But do they remember any of
Continue readingAging Brains
I’ve fallen — and my BRAIN can’t get up! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. It’s no secret that aging can cause mental decline. But sometimes our bodies feel older than our brains, and vice versa! What gives?! Manu Goyal and colleagues at Washington University
Continue readingBinge-Eating Mind
In the immortal words of Homer, “mmmm… donuts!” This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. What’s today’s most common eating disorder? Binge eating! And it’s a major health crisis—more prevalent than breast cancer and HIV. Scientists are hard at work trying to find a solution. Enter
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