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Exploring why some people may tend to persistently make bad choices

Researchers found individuals with stronger cue sensitivity tend to have harder time updating beliefs, leading to persistent poor decision-making. This association can lead to biased avoidance or favoritism of cues in people with compulsive disorders, addictions, or anxiety.

SourceSociety for Neuroscience·JournalJNeurosci·DateDec 22, 2025

How the brain learns to care

Researchers at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences found that empathy can be trained by associating someone's happiness with personal reward. This effect was subtle but meaningful and lasted even when no rewards were involved.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalPsychological Science·DateJul 31, 2025
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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Pavlov’s dogs were conditioned to go to their treat. Why do some animals learn to interact with the bell instead?

Researchers discovered that sign trackers, which prioritize interacting with cues over waiting for rewards, rely on dopamine in specific brain regions. The study found that inhibiting dopamine prevented rats from learning to sign track, while increasing dopamine did not speed up the process.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalNeuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 15, 2025

Fluorescent dope

Researchers from Kyoto University and Cambridge University developed a fluorescent dopamine sensor to monitor dopamine signals in primate brains. The study found that dopamine signals varied depending on the location in the striatum, with distinct patterns observed in the anterior putamen and caudate head.

SourceKyoto University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 11, 2025
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

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As the worm turns: New twists in behavioral association theories

A team of researchers developed a dynamical model that explains how animals learn over time, contradicting previous theories. The multi-dimensional model shows that learned associations are not mediated solely by strength but by multiple nearly independent pathways.

SourceEmory University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 23, 2023
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Novel neurofeedback technique enhances awareness of mind-wandering

A novel neurofeedback technique was developed to enhance awareness of mind-wandering, allowing individuals to manage this state more effectively. The study demonstrated significant enhancement in awareness after 20 minutes of neurofeedback, with no rewards or punishments used.

SourceATR Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group·JournalNeural Networks·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 16, 2023

Synapse-related genes in microglia are changed by contextual fear conditioning

Research by Tohoku University scientists found that contextual fear conditioning alters genes associated with the synapse in microglia, indicating a new mechanism linking microglia and neuronal activity related to fear conditioning. This non-immune communication may play a key role in fear memory consolidation and extinction.

SourceTohoku University·JournalBrain Research Bulletin·DateSep 12, 2022
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Conditioned allergen response

A study of 25 people found that Pavlovian conditioning to an allergen can lead to a placebo allergic reaction in the environment where the allergen was encountered. Sleep consolidation is thought to play a role in this response, according to the authors.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 4, 2020

Modern technology and old-fashioned legwork solve science mystery

Researchers at Dartmouth College and Harvard Medical School have confirmed that single-cell eukaryote Stentor roeseli can make complex decisions, demonstrating avoidance behavior and a hierarchy of responses to stimulus. The study uses modern technology to recreate an early experiment that was debunked decades ago.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalCurrent Biology·DateDec 5, 2019
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

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Measuring the brain's 'rich switch'

Neurobiologists found that richer individuals are slower to learn associating a stimulus with financial reward, leading to slower brain responses in reward areas. The study also measured marginal utility of money, finding greater wealth reduces the likelihood of picking up coins on the street.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateApr 4, 2007