Twenty-five years ago, the burgeoning science of consciousness studies was rife with promise. With cutting-edge neuroimaging tools leading to new research programmes, the neuroscientist Christof Koch was so optimistic, he bet a case of wine that we’d uncover its secrets by now. The philosopher David Chalmers had serious doubts, because consciousness research is, to put…

Javier Milei celebrates becoming Argentina’s next president alongside his sister Karina Milei on 19 November.Credit: Tomas Cuesta/Getty Argentina could be entering a new age. After a second-round election yesterday, libertarian candidate Javier Milei became president, winning 56% of the votes. Ever since the country became a democracy in 1983, it has been ruled predominantly by…

Newswise — OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – A study published today in the scientific journal Diversity provides new insight into how toothed whales and dolphins came to navigate the underwater world using sound waves. Whales and dolphins, which lack external ears, rely on a technique called echolocation to navigate and hunt in the dark. Much like shouting…

Abstract In recent phylogenetic studies, bat Polychromophilus and ungulate Plasmodium, two relatively understudied haemosporidian parasites within the Apicomplexa phylum, have often been overlooked. Instead, the focus has been primarily on haemosporidian parasites in primates, rodents, and birds. Several phylogenetic analyses of bat Polychromophilus have relied on limited datasets and short informative DNA sequences. As a…

Large language models can be construed as ‘cognitive models’, scientific artefacts that help us to understand the human mind. If made openly accessible, they may provide a valuable model system for studying the emergence of language, reasoning and other uniquely human behaviours. Scientists routinely use models that are simpler than the system being studied. Models…

Newswise — New research led by Griffith University on Australia’s Gold Coast and Andrés Bello University in Chile, has shown that surfing contributes about US$1 trillion a year to the global economy, by improving the mental health of surfers.    For the Gold Coast alone, the research team estimated the benefits to be valued at ~US$1.0–3.3…

Although artificial intelligence (AI) was already ubiquitous, the recent arrival of generative AI has ushered in a new era of possibilities as well as risks. This Focus explores the wide-ranging impacts of AI tools on science and society, examining both their potential and their pitfalls. No AI tool was used to write this editorial. Twelve…

Abstract Understanding how systemic biases influence local ecological communities is essential for developing just and equitable environmental practices that prioritize both human and wildlife well-being. With over 270 million residents inhabiting urban areas in the United States, the socioecological consequences of racially targeted zoning, such as redlining, need to be considered in urban planning. There is…

The world produces more than 450 million tonnes of plastic each year. Here, a worker sorts plastic bottles at a recycling plant in Nakuru, Kenya.Credit: James Wakibia/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Scientists rallied last week to support delegates working on a global treaty to eliminate plastic pollution at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in…

Thirteen researchers at the Doherty Institute have been named on the prestigious Clarivate’s list of Highly Cited Researchers in 2023, for having produced multiple highly-cited papers that rank in the top 1 per cent by citations for field and year over the past decade.   The Institute has been home to highly recognised scientific researchers for…