Senses

A University of Otago study revealed that sensory cues from the opposite sex, such as smells, can affect aging and health in animals, showing reduced fertility and increased mortality in male mice exposed to female odors. This underscores the significant impact of sensory experiences on long-term health and aging processes.A study led by the University of Otago has discovered that sensory signals from the opposite sex can influence how animals age. Lead author Associate Professor Mike Garratt, of the Department of…

A new study reveals that our perception of time is intertwined with the sense of touch, supported by the dual functionality of the somatosensory cortex. Utilizing optogenetics, the research demonstrated that the somatosensory cortex’s neurons contribute to both tactile sensations and the perception of time, suggesting that time perception is rooted in a widespread network of brain areas. Credit: SciTechDaily.comSensory experiences and the perception of time are intricately linked within the somatosensory cortex of the…

February 21, 20244min readA new technique to make electronic fibers could help solve wearable technology’s flexibility problemBy Payal DharHundreds of metres long high-performance flexible semiconductor fibres collected on a cylindrical bobbin, together with some preforms after the manufacturing process. A team of electrical engineers and fabrics scientists has invented a hat that tells its wearer when it’s safe to cross the road. The researchers’ proof-of-concept beanie is knitted with germanium fibers that can sense…

Born tail first, bottlenose dolphin calves are initially adorned with two delicate rows of whiskers along their snout, resembling the tactile whiskers of seals. However, these whiskers are shed shortly after birth, leaving behind a pattern of indentations called vibrissal pits. Recently, Tim Hüttner and Guido Dehnhardt, researchers from the University of Rostock in Germany, began to suspect that these pits might serve a purpose beyond being mere remnants.Could they allow adult bottlenose dolphins to sense weak electric…

A dinosaur that has been derided as plain and boring has had its reputation upended, with new technology revealing that it was in possession of some serious Late Cretaceous-era sensory superpowers that suggest it could have been thriving below the ground and "living under the feet of T. rex and Triceratops ."It’s the first time that research has linked specific sensory development to a set of subterranean behaviors in any dinosaur.“The irony is that paleontologists generally think of these animals as pretty boring,” says…

Leaking sutures following abdominal surgery presents a potentially life-threatening complication that surgeons might not pick up immediately. Researchers have now developed a hydrogel patch that not only assists with wound closure but rapidly detects leaks at suture sites inside the abdomen.When a surgeon removes a section of the intestine, say, and sutures the ends together in what’s called anastomosis, there’s a chance that it can leak. The problem is that once the skin is closed, a surgeon may be blind to whether or…

Long before we knew birds could 'see' Earth's magnetic field, Albert Einstein discussed the possibility of animals with super senses in his fan mail to other researchers.A long-lost letter from the scientist to an inquiring engineer in 1949 turned out to be extraordinarily prescient in the fields of biology and physics.The original inquiry from engineer Glyn Davys, which started the correspondence, has since been lost, but judging from Einstein's reply, Davys's question had something to do with animal perception and what…

While Nothing has mostly focused its efforts thus far on creating devices that stand out from the competition through distinctive designs, the Ear (2) are proof that the young company is maturing and won’t always be relying on eye candy to sell its hardware. The follow-up to Nothing’s very first product brings some welcome under-the-hood improvements that make an excellent and affordable pair of wireless earbuds even better, even with a price bump.When I reviewed the original Nothing Ear (1) wireless earbuds back in 2021,…

No two ears are the same, and headphones that sound amazing to one user may completely disappoint another. That’s why it’s always important to try before you buy. But headphones or earbuds with customizable sound profiles allow you to tune your listening experience even after purchase. It’s an increasingly popular feature, so it makes sense that Nothing’s including it on its Ear (2) wireless earbuds.Although Nothing is a relatively young company, it’s finally old enough to sellan updated version of one of its existing…

The findings shed light on the mechanism by which drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin alleviate flu symptoms and suggest that the drugs may even improve survival rates.The researchers made a breakthrough discovery of specific airway neurons in mice that alert the brain about the flu virus.A recent study in mice has revealed that a small population of airway neurons is responsible for alerting the brain about a flu infectionThe results help explain how drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin reduce flu symptomsThe findings could…