All Stories by Nora Bradford
- Brain
Imagination is not just replaying what we’ve seen and heard
New brain scans are helping sort out how our brains process imagined thoughts versus real sensations.
- Humans
Some people use echolocation to get around. Here’s how it works
As expert echolocators make multiple clicking sounds, their brains process the echoes to help them perceive their surroundings.
- Space
Is the International Space Station too clean?
Testing surfaces on board the space station revealed low microbial diversity, something that’s been linked to health problems elsewhere.
- Brain
A single sniff is enough to detect slight odor changes
The speed of our ability to perceive odors is on par with that of color perception, a new sniff device shows.
- Health & Medicine
Cough! What happens when something goes down the wrong way
Certain cells can sense water and acid on the way to the lungs, prompting reactions such as coughing and swallowing, research in mice shows.
- Plants
Young corn leaves can ‘smell’ danger
As they mature, these leaves lose their ability to detect threatening scents.
