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To Teach Scientists About Chronic Feline Pain, Cats Wear Adorable Crocheted Hats

Google “cats in hats” and you’ll be met with a surfeit of long-suffering kitties donning baseball caps, bonnets, bowlers, tiaras, you name it. And now, adorable woolen beanies that can measure the animals’ brain waves are also in the mix.  A first-of-its-kind study out of the University of Montreal fitted cats with a specially crocheted, […]

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Where Does the Brain Feel Love? Study Evaluates 6 Types and Reveals Which Is Strongest

Where is love? Turns out Oliver Twist isn’t the only one asking — the question has been on scientists’ minds as well (though they likely don’t express it in quite as pretty a soprano). Now, a new study out of Finland’s Aalto University has identified where six types of love reside in the brain.  The

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Can “Button Dogs” Really Understand Words Recorded Onto Soundboards? New Study Says Yes

Canine communication devices have been around for decades (check out this one from 1997), but in the last few years, updated versions of the tech have gained popularity. Videos of pups pressing colorful tiles or buttons to ask for a “walk” or “treat” — and sometimes even seeming to string together words into the semblance

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Why Are Some People Left-Handed? Study Sheds Light on Possible Genetic Origins

In addition to their fame, Babe Ruth, Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga, and David Bowie have something else in common: left-handedness. The characteristic is quite a rare one, as only about 10% of the population are southpaws, according to one meta-analysis.  Left-handedness lore abounds, and if you know (or are) a lefty, you’re likely familiar with

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New DNA Test Could Eliminate a Genetic Disease That Causes Blindness in Dogs

Progressive retinal atrophy, or PRA, is a group of inherited diseases that lead to blindness in dogs, affecting over 100 different breeds. The progressive condition causes canines to lose their vision by age 4 or 5 and currently has no cure, but a new genetic test may be a step forward in eliminating it entirely. 

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“Too Cute to Handle”: Why We Want to Squish Adorable Things

We’ve all experienced it: Faced with an infant’s chubby cheeks or a puppy’s wagging tail, we feel the powerful urge to pinch, squish, or even bite the adorable subject. “Cute aggression” is a seemingly bizarre phenomenon, but one that science suggests serves a very real purpose.  According to research published within the last decade, the

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What Rats Can Teach Us About the Importance of Play — And How to Incorporate More Into Your Life

Science has long shown that play is beneficial to humans: In children, the behavior aids in emotional and cognitive development, and in adults, playfulness has been linked to an increased ability to cope with stress. Now, a recent study has added to that body of research by investigating which neural circuits are involved in play

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From Astronomy to Neurology: 9 Extraordinary Examples of the Power of Music

Anyone who listens to music — which is around 90% of the population — has likely experienced its power to soothe, stir up emotion, connect, and jog memories. Whatever the mood or moment, the soundtrack possibilities are endless. But the power of music stretches far beyond merely comforting or entertaining its listener — studies show

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Chemical Imaging Reveals “Hidden Mysteries” of 3,000-Year-Old Egyptian Tomb Paintings

Archaeological secrets from thousands of years ago in northeast Africa have been unearthed thanks to modern-day scientific innovations. A process known as chemical imaging recently revealed “hidden mysteries” about ancient Egyptian paintings located in tomb chapels close to the Nile River — and portable devices made it possible to analyze the 3,000-year-old art on-site in

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