Articles tagged with Ethology
Researchers discovered zebrafish neurons that monitor prediction errors to efficiently avoid danger, creating a 'hazard map' in the brain. This study sheds light on brain circuits shared across vertebrates, including humans.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University discovered that dogs exhibit attachment behaviors similar to human infants, responding positively to their owner's speech. The study found that the reward center of a dog's brain is more sensitive to its owner's voice compared to a familiar person's praise.
Scientists have discovered that geckos use their tails to recover from head-first crashes into rainforest trees, with implications for the design of agile robots. This versatile behavior allows geckos to stabilize themselves after impact and maintain control during gliding maneuvers.
Research found a strong correlation between Aβ42 peptide levels in companion dog brains and cognitive decline, supporting the use of dogs as models for Alzheimer's disease. The study's results demonstrate the potential of canine cognitive dysfunction as a tool for understanding human aging and age-related diseases.
Researchers captured footage of a tortoise attacking and killing a tern chick on Frégate Island. The tortoise approached the chick with its jaws open, suggesting it was an experienced hunter. This unusual behavior challenges previous assumptions about tortoises' diets and hunting habits.
A study on red junglefowl chicks found that early experiences can affect impulsivity, contradicting initial expectations. The researchers also discovered a link between gene expression and impulsivity, suggesting that genetic factors contribute to individual differences in impulsive behavior.
Researchers studied insect olfactory system to improve repellent design and drug screening. They found that chemoreceptor tuning depends on ligand-binding subunit identity, revealing diverse molecular mechanisms. These findings have potential applications in 'mammalian' chemogenetics and insect-based research.
A University of Houston researcher is using cutting-edge techniques to study how testosterone affects the brain and social behavior. Using genetically modified African cichlid fish, Beau Alward aims to identify the specific genes and neurons involved in these processes.
A new study from the University of California - Davis found that domestic cats overwhelmingly choose freely available food over food puzzles, contrary to expected contrafreeloading behavior. Cats spent more time at the tray and made more first choices to eat from it than the puzzle, suggesting a preference for easy access to food.
The study suggests that COVID-19 eradication is technically possible due to the availability of safe vaccines, lifelong immunity, and effective government management. However, securing high vaccine coverage and responding quickly to variants are major challenges.
Researchers from Chapman University discover that non-reproductive birds' brains mimic changes in female mice post-partum when induced to become parents. This finding opens new avenues for understanding the regulation of parental care across vertebrates.
A study by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior found that declining rainfall in the Congo Basin has lengthened bonobo sleeping nest decay times by 17 days over 15 years. This could lead to overestimating population density and jeopardizing conservation efforts.
A new study using drone footage reveals that killer whales have complex social structures, favoring interactions with specific individuals of the same sex and similar age. Younger whales and females play a central role in these groups, while older whales become less socially connected.
A new study reveals that both tame and aggressive silver fox breeds have larger brains and more grey matter than their control group counterparts. This finding contradicts previous studies on other domesticated animals, which showed smaller brain sizes with less grey matter.
Researchers found that HVC neurons increase activity during solo syllable production and decrease when the partner sings, suggesting inhibition of motor circuits. This neural mechanism enables rapid turn-taking in duet singing, where males and females rapidly take turns singing at a rate of 2 to 5 Hz.
A small Japanese fishing community recovered from the 2011 Tohoku tsunami through cooperative activity, including joint operations and fixed-net fishing. This phenomenon challenges the 'disaster utopia' concept, which suggests temporary collaborative behavior after emergencies.
Wild African elephants highly attend to scent trails of dung and urine left by other elephants. Artificial elephant trails could divert them away from farms and villages, reducing conflicts with humans. The study's findings suggest an important role of smell in long-distance navigation for these animals.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a machine learning platform that can identify activated neurons in videos faster and more accurately than current techniques. The technology enables researchers to watch an animal's brain activity in real-time as they behave, allowing for new insights into how the brain works.
Scientists from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have discovered a new brain circuit underlying curiosity and novelty seeking behavior. By studying mice with freedom to choose, they found that specific neurons were more active during deep investigation compared to shallow investigation.
A subpopulation of neurons in the zona incerta drives investigatory and novelty-seeking behavior in mice. The discovery sheds light on a previously unknown brain circuit underlying innate curiosity.
Research found that captive pelicans bred successfully on repeated occasions when they were free to choose their own friendships. The flock formed a social structure, with sub-adults spending more time with each other than adults.
A comprehensive review suggests COVID-19 infects both upper and lower respiratory tracts, causing a uniquely aggressive immune response that leads to severe health issues months after infection. This dysregulation of the immune response contributes to long-COVID and severe lung damage in some individuals.
A new study by Hungarian ethologists found that shorter-headed dog breeds, such as boxers and bulldogs, are more likely to form eye contact with humans due to their unique retina structure. Younger and playfully dogs also exhibited faster eye contact formation in a behavior test.
A study by Brandi Wren found that monkeys carrying whipworm parasites exhibit reduced social grooming and cuddling, implying a link between infections and behavioral changes. This research opens new avenues for understanding animal behavior and human health, particularly in the context of social distancing and contagion.
Researchers developed DANNCE, a 3D deep-neural network that can capture behavior and track movement in freely behaving animals from single video cameras. The tool has broad impact on animal behavioral studies, enabling standardized definitions of behaviors and tracing emergence of behavior over time.
Recent wildlife documentaries have been found to create problems for public understanding of wider conservation by spreading significant misinformation through personification of animals. The researchers emphasize the importance of factually correct information in these documentaries.
Researchers found that fostered flamingo chicks formed stable social ties and behaved like parent-reared birds after rejoining their species. The study provides valuable insights into the success of fostering for conservation breeding programs.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that dogs display jealous behaviors when their owners interact with a potential rival, including forcefully attempting to reach the owner. The researchers tested 18 dogs using realistic artificial dogs and fleece cylinders, demonstrating three human-like signatures of jealous behavior.
Researchers identified a single personality component related to Confidence/Aggressiveness in red deer, which is also linked to dominance behavior. The study's findings suggest that understanding individual differences in animal behavior can improve welfare management decisions.
Researchers found that fruit flies use decision-making, learning and memory to escape heat, a process that challenges traditional thinking on self-driving cars. The study's findings suggest that simple navigation can contain complex behavior, paving the way for future work in this area.
A study by Indiana University researchers found that competition among free-living female songbirds changes gene activity in the brain, even after the interaction has ended. The effects can last up to two days and are related to epigenetic marks, which chemically modify DNA to link past experience with future behavior.
A research group at Osaka City University has shown that convict cichlid fish display prosocial choice tasks, choosing to share food with a partner rather than an unknown or rival fish. This behavior suggests that these small fish have an altruistic nature and can distinguish between paired females, unknown females, and rival males.
Shattuck finds that innate social distancing can prevent infection spread within social groups, echoing public health directives. His research explores the biological and cultural factors influencing human behavior during illness.
Researchers aim to understand how physical health affects mental health in senior cats, with potential implications for early detection and monitoring of chronic inflammation. The study may also provide insights into the relationships between physical and cognitive health in feline patients.
Researchers found that graphene flakes can temporarily inhibit excitatory synapses, reducing anxiety-related responses in rats. The nanomaterial was injected into the lateral amygdala, a region of the brain associated with stress response, and successfully reversed long-lasting anxiety behaviors.
Animal responses to infectious disease exhibit pathogen-induced behavioral changes, including sickness behaviors and self-isolation. Nonhuman animals alter social interactions in response to infection, offering insights into underlying epidemiological mechanisms.
A new study found that dominant male wide-horned hissing cockroaches have larger respiratory systems, allowing them to dominate physical mating battles. This adaptation may enhance their fighting ability and play a crucial role in sexual selection.
Recent studies highlight the need to incorporate behavioral and social science alongside biological mechanisms in aging research. Behavioral and social factors are causal drivers of biological aging, with influences on healthspan and longevity being large and meaningful. Researchers emphasize the importance of including these factors i...
Longfin damselfish aggressively defend algal farms, providing a protective refuge for planktonic mysid shrimps. In return, the shrimps excrete nutrients that enrich the algae, benefiting the damselfish's body condition and diet.
A study by Jesús Bas and Núria Sebastián found that children recognize power and social hierarchies at a young age, with older children (18 months) exhibiting surprise when the person who yielded control sat in the chair. This suggests that children can infer social status without witnessing physical dominance.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development argue that neural variability is a key dimension for understanding brain-behavior relationships. Studies have shown that neural variability has a direct influence on behavior, with individuals who can adapt their neural variability performing better on tasks.
Researchers found that four pigs demonstrated conceptual understanding by playing a joystick-enabled video game, moving a cursor toward target walls on the screen. The pigs' ability to grasp cause-and-effect relationships is 'remarkable', with implications for their cognitive abilities and interactions with humans.
Captive marmosets recognized and evaluated conversations between monkeys, displaying stronger emotional responses to negative interactions. The study suggests that marmosets tend to prefer cooperative individuals, but their behavioral expression is context-dependent.
Researchers developed a wireless, rechargeable soft brain implant that can be controlled wirelessly by a smartphone, allowing seamless chronic neuromodulation. The device uses micrometer-sized LEDs to manipulate target neurons in the deep brain, enabling real-time brain control and reducing the burden on patients for long-term use.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati studied monk parakeets' behaviors, distinguishing between 'displacements' and 'crowding'. Their computational analysis supported pooling these behaviors, providing a framework for informed decisions in animal behavior research.
A new study from Kyoto University found that oxytocin influences eye contact in bonobos and chimpanzees differently, promoting species-specific behaviors. The hormone shifted attention more to eyes in images for bonobos, while chimps focused on mouths.
Researchers found guppies showed higher inhibitory control when swimming towards food in a cylinder and resisted the urge to bump into it. The study revealed consistent differences between individual guppies and a population-level difference in self-control ability compared to another strain of guppies.
A new study published by the University of Portsmouth has found that robotic animals, such as the MiRo-E robot, can be just as effective as real therapy dogs in providing calming interactions for children.
DeepLabCut-Live! is a real-time marker-less motion capture system for animals, allowing researchers to study posture and movement in real-time. This technology enables low-latency feedback and interfaces with hardware for optimal experimental control.
Researchers found a brain molecule called Pth2 that changes expression levels in response to social conditions. When zebrafish are isolated, Pth2 disappears, but its levels rapidly rise when they're added back into a group, indicating a 'thermometer' effect.
Researchers found that both pigs and dogs stay close to their owners if alone, but only dogs stay near humans with a stranger present. Pigs prefer physical contact with their owners, often touching or climbing onto them.
A team of researchers developed an AI model that estimates thoughts by evaluating behavior, then tested it on a trained artificial brain. The study found neural activity associated with those estimates, providing new insights into the brain's computations involved in complex behavior.
A recent review of published studies found that male behavior causing harm to females during mating is a common issue in several mammalian orders. The most common response from females was grouping around a dominant male, suggesting that sexual aggression may not be as widespread as previously thought.
Researchers found that dogs' looking times were influenced by the owner's expressed preference, but not their fetching behavior. The study suggests that dogs can perceive and respond to human displays of preference, but may not fully understand the subjective nature of desire.
Researchers developed a new method for designing spontaneous behaviors in robots, inspired by complex temporal patterns in animal brains. The approach uses high-dimensional chaos and reservoir computing to implement humanlike cognitive functions.
Researchers at the University of Exeter and Plymouth found that animal groups consider various factors, such as group cohesion, individual strength, and prize importance, before deciding to fight. This study highlights complexity in group conflicts and provides insights into conflict resolution in humans.
Researchers observed 21 male chimpanzees for 78,000 hours to see if they too prefer small circles of meaningful friendships. The study shows that older chimps have more mutual friendships and spend more time grooming those individuals, similar to humans.
Researchers studied male chimps over two decades and found that aging males value more positive friendships than younger males. They also socialized more with important partners, despite being more likely to be alone.
Researchers at University of Münster developed a new experimental design to improve reproducibility in animal experiments. The study found that this design resulted in better reproducible results compared to the conventional standardized design.
A marmoset monkey study found a link between friendly behavior and physical domestication traits, such as a white fur patch on their forehead. The research shows that increased parental vocal responses can accelerate the development of both vocalizations and facial fur coloration in infants.