For a long time, scientists have hypothesized that laughing is a chemical signal, a deeply rooted human process, rather than merely an emotional noise. That assumption has been confirmed by recent studies. During moments of social laughter, endorphins—our body’s endogenous opioids—overflow the brain and attach to the same receptors that morphine or heroin would. However, unlike synthetic medications, laughing is harmless, doesn’t require a prescription, has no dosage restrictions, and leaves no toxic trace. Researchers found a pattern that recurred remarkably frequently when they scanned the brain during group laughter. Laughter is more than a sign of amusement. It sets…
Author: errica
Imagine whispering to a robot, “Build me a crab that can walk sideways,” and watching as it obediently puts the pieces together to create an incredibly realistic-looking object. That scene, which was previously only seen in science fiction films, is now being acted out in university labs where self-designing machines are actively changing our conception of creation. These aren’t preprogrammed robots that adhere to specific guidelines. They hear you. They decipher. Then they build, which is amazing. Modular robots and sophisticated language models are at the heart of this change. Users are able to express their desired robot type in…
Ten years ago, the majority of colleges handled student wellbeing with little more than a few counseling offices, yoga mats, and a stress ball distribution in the middle of the semester. In order to address the student mental health epidemic with structure, permanency, and purpose, schools are now employing executive-level leaders, also referred to as wellness chiefs. These positions are radically changing how universities promote students’ well-being by including mental health into the fundamental design of campus life. Idealism wasn’t the only factor in the change. During the pandemic, organizations rushed to offer remote assistance, only to find that demand…
When you watch a cardboard robot dropped from a drone, find a human heartbeat beneath concrete, and crawl into a collapsed structure, it doesn’t exactly scream innovation. In this unexpectedly inexpensive and purposefully delicate shape, scientists are currently rethinking rescue instruments for some of the most perilous situations on Earth. Following earthquakes or explosions, emergency personnel have a short window of time—roughly 72 hours—to find survivors. That race is hard both physically and mentally. The risk to responders increases with each minute spent inside unstable material. Across countries, this has prompted scientists to pose the audacious question: What if we…
Before, it was easy. The promise was stability if you choose a major like computer science, business, or nursing. Not immediate wealth, but stability in employment, a good wage, and a foothold. However, it became clear to me while attending a recent college advising session that this formula is quickly falling apart. Enrollment trends have changed significantly during the last several years. Students at mid-sized public universities and even elite universities are quietly abandoning majors that were once thought to be surefire ways to succeed in the workplace. A degree that was previously thought to be “future-proof” now has an…
The most startling aspect of contemporary archaeology is how little soil is used these days. Signals, pulses, and vibrations are increasingly used to make discoveries; they travel through stone like rumors do in a crowded room, initially fractured and then suddenly cohesive. That is exactly what recent mapping of the Giza Plateau based on earthquakes has delivered, indicating enormous subterranean rooms whose scale feels unnervingly immense. Utilizing seismic vibrations produced by natural earth movements, scientists examined how waves passed through rock strata, reflecting and refracting in ways that were very similar to those used by sonar to image the ocean…
One of Jupiter’s most studied moons, Europa, may have volcanoes deep beneath its frozen ocean rather than on its surface. This ice moon is outside the bands of gas giants and radioactive belts, and it may be concealing a mystery beneath its surface. Planetary scientists have long been fascinated by Europa. It is thought to have a huge ocean beneath its frozen shell, one that is somewhat smaller than Earth’s moon and has more water than all of Earth combined. However, what’s at the bottom of that ocean has piqued experts’ interest. If the rocky bottom of Europa is geologically…
The script has been adhered to. Work hard in your studies. Enter a university. Get a degree. Apply for jobs. However, the reward is absent for a lot of Gen Z pupils. They are returning home, disillusioned and heavily indebted, instead of finding degrees-related jobs, and they frequently wait months or even years for the ideal opportunity to present themselves. They aren’t motionless, though. What if the degree path is too lengthy, too costly, and too disconnected from where employment actually exist? These are more pointed questions than their older peers had ventured to raise at that point. What if…
A map of human emotions wouldn’t typically start with rubidium atoms and a laser beam. However, scientists at the nexus of quantum physics and neuroscience have made that improbable connection remarkably fruitful. Researchers have begun to track how our emotional responses are physically encoded throughout the brain—and how they reflect what we observe in others—by utilizing the concepts of quantum sensing. Quantum sensors, especially those that use optically pumped magnetometers, have emerged as remarkably useful instruments for recording minute magnetic fluctuations generated by the brain. In contrast to conventional brain imaging methods, which frequently depend on heavy, cold superconductors, these…
It’s simple to consider bones to be silent—just a framework for movement. However, an increasing amount of evidence indicates that our bones may be remarkably expressive in how they affect our memories, emotions, and even fear, despite their hard appearance. By delivering strong biochemical signals to the brain, rather than directly storing memories. A protein known as osteocalcin lies at the heart of this tale. It is secreted by cells that make bones and functions more like a hormone with effects that extend well beyond the skeleton than a structural consequence. Dr. Gérard Karsenty was initially interested in bone density…