Brain

Brain

Gasp! At the movies, your breaths reveal your emotions

Researchers took air samples as they screened movies. What people exhaled were linked to film scenes’ emotional tone, they found.

Brain

Teen drinking may damage ability to cope with stress

Teens are often tempted to drink alcohol. Drinking too much — and repeatedly — can hurt their ability to manage stress, a study in rats indicates.

Brain

Mapping word meanings in the brain

A detailed new map shows that people comprehend words by using regions across the brain, not just in one dedicated language center.

Brain

Small region of brain recognizes facial expressions

Scientists identify the brain region responsible for recognizing facial expressions in others. It helps us know whether others are happy or sad.

Animals

Dragons sleep like mammals and birds

Lizards seem to alternate between two sleep states, just as mammals and birds do. This finding could change our understanding of how sleep evolved.

Brain

A ‘cocktail’ in the brain can trigger sleep

A new study finds that a ‘cocktail’ of chemicals in the brain can directly cause mice to fall asleep or waken.

Brain

Eyes offer new window into Alzheimer’s disease

The eye’s retina is distinctly different in people with Alzheimer’s disease compared to those with no signs of the malady, two teens now report finding. It could lead to earlier diagnosis of the brain disease.

Brain

Left brain stands guard during sleepovers

Part of the left half of the brain remains on alert while the rest of the brain and body snooze.

Brain

Headed to a concert this summer? Pack earplugs

Wearing earplugs at concerts and other loud events may prevent hearing loss and permanent ear damage, a new study suggests.

Brain

Explainer: When loud becomes dangerous

Many people don’t realize that sounds — even those of the music they love — can prove harmful when they get too loud.

Brain

Cool jobs: Brainy ways to battle obesity

Scientists from different fields are tapping into connections between food and the brain to help people fight obesity and overcome the urge to overeat.

Brain

‘Mindfulness’ defuses stress in classrooms and teaching

The science behind mindfulness shows that both teachers and students can benefit from a bit of focused attention.