Articles tagged with Animal Learning
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
Scientists have identified distinct neural signatures for explicit and implicit learning, which could guide the development of training techniques to mitigate learning and memory deficits. The findings may also help diagnose Alzheimer's disease at an earlier stage.
Researchers found that birds learned about object properties through exploration before using them to solve tasks. The study suggested that playful exploration enables animals to gather information about their physical world, leading to creative problem-solving.
Scientists at RIKEN Brain Science Institute discovered that emotional and flexible learning rely on noradrenaline's division of labor in the brain. Two types of learning - fear learning and extinction - require distinct populations of neurons, with different projections to the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that brief memory reactivations can replace extensive practice and training as a basis of procedural learning. By leveraging this novel approach, individuals can improve their learning with just several brief but highly efficient reactivations of a learned memory.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a breakthrough algorithm called DeepLoco that enables computer characters to learn complex motor skills like walking and running through trial and error. The system uses deep reinforcement learning to allow characters to respond to their environment without hand-coding st...
A new study reveals that people are capable of controlling the exact timing of their blinking, a movement previously thought to be automated. This discovery challenges previous assumptions and highlights the importance of the cerebral cortex in controlling movements at will.
The Famula project has created a system that learns to recognize everyday objects through trial and error, mimicking human learning. The robot's language capabilities are also being developed to improve its interactions with humans.
Capuchin monkeys adopt most efficient technique for opening fruit quickly through social learning and individual experience. Older monkeys rely on their own experience, while younger ones pay more attention to watching others.
A study published in Nature Medicine found that immune reactions to viruses can disrupt brain connections, leading to learning problems. The research team identified CX3CR1highLY6Clow monocytes as the key players in this process, releasing inflammatory signaling protein TNFα which blocks nerve cell connection formation.
Researchers at Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience developed a photo-inducible CaMKII inhibitor to study intracellular signaling cascades. The tool revealed that CaMKII activation persists for approximately 1 minute, contradicting previous studies, and is necessary only for short periods of time for LTP and animal learning.
Researchers identify complementary roles played by mitral and tufted cells in processing olfactory information. Active learning enhances distinctiveness between similar smells through separate neural networks.
An international team of neuroscientists has discovered that neurons coordinate their activity to improve motor control, shedding light on the brain's mechanisms. The findings may lead to better brain-machine interfaces for paralyzed patients.
A team of scientists led by Anandasankar Ray have identified Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor 6 (HDAC6) as a regulator of learning in fruit flies. The enzyme acts like a 'dimmer switch' to increase or decrease signal across synapses, and its role in healthy neurons is less understood.
A recent study published in Science found that sleep deprivation impairs the brain's ability to consolidate new memories in mice. The researchers discovered that homeostatic scaling down, a process that weakens synapses, occurs during sleep and is essential for learning and memory formation.
Two studies reveal that dopaminergic neurons in the brain encode errors in singing performance, helping juvenile zebra finches learn to accurately imitate their tutor's song. Meanwhile, another study finds that songbirds adjust song cadence towards an innate template, rather than learning rhythm from other birds.
Researchers have developed an associative learning model that explains how animals create effective behaviors, such as self-control and tool use. The model suggests that genetic regulation of learning influences species-specific behavior and intelligence.
Researchers observed wild chimpanzee mothers teaching their offspring to use tools, including termite-fishing probes. By sharing tools and customizing the learning process for local conditions, these mothers help their young develop essential skill sets.
Researchers develop mathematical models to mimic bird navigation in turbulent thermals, revealing key environmental cues like vertical wind acceleration and torque. The study aims to guide the design of energy-efficient autonomous gliders.
A 15-year study reveals that Luzon Island, in the Philippines, is home to 56 non-flying mammal species, 52 of which are unique to the island. The research team discovered 28 new species, including four tree-mice with extremely long whiskers and five shrew-like mice that feed on earthworms.
New research reveals that newborn ducklings can learn to identify and follow abstract relational concepts, such as 'same' and 'different', without reinforcement training. This ability was previously known only in highly intelligent animals like apes and parrots.
A paralyzed chimpanzee, Reo, was rehabilitated through a dedicated programme using cognitive tasks on a touch screen. After 41 months of intensive physiotherapy, he learned to walk again, showing the potential of this method in improving animal welfare.
A study by Lisa Wallis and Friederike Range found that older Border Collies perform slower in tasks requiring learning, logical reasoning, and cognitive flexibility. However, the dogs' long-term memory for touchscreen stimuli remained unaffected by age.
A new study by the University of Exeter found that grey squirrels solve problems in the search for food through persistence and choosing effective behaviors. The research showed increased experience, higher persistence, and behavioral selectivity are directly related to improved problem-solving efficiency.
Researchers found joiner neurons that can be pre-positioned for rapid recruitment into memories, changing how brain networks adjust to build memories. This discovery has implications for understanding memory formation and developing new strategies for brain injury recovery.
Female black-capped chickadees produce acoustically distinct vocalizations from those of males, with birds able to tell apart the two sexes through different acoustic cues. The researchers found that females rely more on information in the second note of the song, while males focus on the first note.
The Society for Neuroscience has announced winners of its achievement awards, recognizing individuals who have promoted women's advancement in neuroscience and demonstrated excellence in mentoring and research. The award recipients include Julio Ramirez, Allison J. Doupe, Debra Bangasser, Mingshan Xue, Janice Naegele, and Paul Greengard.
A University of Washington biologist has spotted a rare nautilus species, Allonautilus scrobiculatus, for the first time in three decades. The sighting highlights the need for conservation efforts to protect this ancient lineage from illegal fishing practices and potential extinction.
Researchers studying marine snails found that aging impairs sensory and motor neurons' performance in short-term memory. This results in an inability of old animals to learn, providing insights into the underlying mechanisms of age-related memory loss.
Researchers at Australian National University trained fairy wrens to recognize unfamiliar alarm calls and flee when threatened, demonstrating birds' ability to eavesdrop on other species. This breakthrough could aid in training captive animals to detect danger signals before release.
Researchers found that songbirds rely on patterns in much the same way as people do when learning to recognize and categorize speech sounds. By training starlings to differentiate between complex auditory patterns, the study showed that birds can learn to categorize motifs into meaningful categories.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have made a breakthrough in understanding how the brain represents familiar concepts, such as houses and bananas. By teaching people new concepts and monitoring neural activity, they found that these representations occur in the same brain areas for everyone, using a shared 'filing system'.
A new algorithm allows robots to automatically adapt to injury, learning a compensatory behavior in under two minutes. The Intelligent Trial and Error algorithm enables robots to quickly discover a new way to walk or perform tasks despite damage.
Researchers have identified two brain circuits that play a crucial role in encoding positive and negative learned associations in mice. The study found that one circuit promotes reward-driven behaviors, while the other drives avoidance behavior.
Researchers used simulations of evolving computational brain models to show that more modular brains learn more and forget less. This finding could accelerate attempts to create artificial intelligence (AI) that can learn multiple skills over time, like humans and animals.
Researchers at the University of Iowa found that pigeons can categorize and name objects, similar to how children learn words. The study used a computerized task that allowed pigeons to learn 16 categories simultaneously, comparable to how humans learn categories.
In a study published in Nature, NYU researchers found that emotional learning can strengthen older memories by selectively preserving previously insignificant information. Participants were shown images of animals and tools, with some receiving shocks to make certain categories emotionally meaningful. Memory for these images was better...
A Concordia University study found that bilingual children are more likely to believe that traits arise from experience, while monolinguals tend to think they're innate. This discovery has important social implications, as it suggests early second language education could promote acceptance of human diversity.
Researchers discovered that neurons in the amygdala, responsible for processing fearful experiences, lose their ability to discriminate between safe and dangerous stimuli when an individual exhibits generalized fear. This loss of discrimination leads to a state of hyperarousal and intense anxiety.
A new study at Brown University found that reward overcomes retrieval-induced forgetting, a phenomenon where practicing certain facts suppresses recall of others. Volunteers who earned rewards during practice had improved recall of unpracticed fish category facts.
Researchers at Lund University have discovered a new learning mechanism in individual nerve cells, which enables the brain to time its reactions and control complex processes like blinking and intelligible speech. This discovery has significant implications for rehabilitation following stroke, autism, ADHD, and language problems.
Researchers used brain-computer interfaces and machine learning to study neural patterns in monkey brains as they learned to move a computer cursor. The study found that learning was easier when nerve cells rearranged existing patterns of activity, rather than generating new ones.
Researchers found that increased safety signaling is associated with improved REM sleep consolidation and better management of fear conditioning in individuals with PTSD. This suggests that addressing sleep disturbances before treating daytime symptoms may lead to more beneficial outcomes for exposure-based treatments.
Researchers discovered that the Notch signaling pathway is involved in adult fear memory formation. MicroRNAs, specifically miRNA-34a, regulate the pathway and are increased after fear learning occurs. This study provides a starting point for developing new treatments against PTSD.
Researchers uncover the evolutionary roots of animals' ability to quickly absorb critical life lessons, a phenomenon known as the Garcia Effect. The study found that statistical reliability across generations determines what animals can learn and what they can't, with different environments favoring specific associations.
A recent Rutgers University study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that young rats who mastered a learning task had newborn brain cells survive for longer periods. The study suggests that learning helps keep brain cells alive and could impact how the brain functions after puberty.
Researchers discovered that motor cortex actively participates in learning new motor movements, revealing a more complex process than previously thought. The study found that different patterns of activity in the motor cortex accompany similar movements after learning, suggesting a crucial role in adapting to new actions.
A new study published in PeerJ reveals that bold baboons are more likely to learn and demonstrate new skills to others, while shy individuals watch but do not participate. Personality differences play a significant role in social learning among animals, challenging previous assumptions about animal cognition.
A new study by University of British Columbia researchers found that dairy calves learn better when housed together, adapting faster to complex farm technologies. The 'pairing calves' approach reduces learning difficulties and improves task completion rates compared to individual housing.
A new UBC study identifies a molecular change in the brain that occurs when we learn and remember. This biochemical modification is essential for producing changes in brain cell connectivity associated with learning and memory formation.
A new study from MIT suggests that dopamine signaling plays a crucial role in maintaining focus on long-term goals. The research reveals that the level of dopamine increases steadily throughout each trial, peaking as the animal approaches its goal, reflecting its distance from the reward.
Researchers from Drexel University present findings on Northern Pine Snake population decline due to road mortality in New Jersey. Climate change may impact their behavior, while baby snake mazes and counting tongue flicks shed light on early life stages.
Scientists at the University of Lincoln aim to develop generic training approaches for explosive detection dogs, enabling them to recognize specific group odors and learn from experience. The study's goal is to create a proof-of-principle method for teaching dogs to detect explosives more efficiently.
Researchers found dogs can reproduce familiar and novel actions after different delays, even when distracted. The ability to imitate human actions suggests the presence of a specific type of long-term memory in dogs.
Researchers found that fine emotional learning tasks produce greater learning specificity in mice, improving pitch discrimination abilities. The study established a link between emotions and perception of the world, with effects mediated by brain regions including the amygdala and auditory cortex.
Researchers at the University of Iowa found that pigeons can learn and solve complex string tasks using computerized touch screens. The birds demonstrated accuracy rates of up to 90% in solving various string configurations.
Bees copy each other when looking for nectar by watching colour patterns and learning from others' behaviour. This simple logic helps them avoid bitter-tasting flowers and optimise their search for energy-rich nectar.
Researchers reveal that inhibitory interneuron circuits change their firing rates during map formation and flickering, playing a crucial role in learning. The study also shows that these changes are due to map-specific connections between pyramidal cells and interneurons.
Harvard researchers show that insulin-like peptides play a crucial role in regulating learning and memory by fine-tuning neuronal activity. The study reveals a bidirectional regulation of learning, with some peptides inhibiting learning while others facilitate it.
Research reveals that fly larvae fed alcohol-spiked food exhibit lasting changes in brain function, even after abstinence. This study provides insights into the neural mechanisms underlying ethanol dependence and its evolutionary roots.
A new study suggests that chronic exposure to bright light at night can lead to depression-like behaviors, including decreased interest in sugar and pleasure seeking, and impaired cognitive function. Treatment with Prozac restored the mice's healthy moods and learning abilities.