University of Konstanz

Researchers found that when groups of people watch the same health promotion videos, their brain activity syncs up, indicating that the message has gone beyond being seen and heard. This approach could lead to more effective health campaigns.

Scientists have sequenced the genome of a “living fossil” from the time our ancestors first crawled out of the oceans. The Australian lungfish genome is the largest of any animal sequenced so far, revealing it to be our closest living fish relative.

The idea alone of a massage might do wonders for some people’s stress levels, but a new study has delved into the physiological details of how these short and sweet treatments can kick the body’s relaxation systems into gear.

Humans can recognize their own face in the mirror, and so can apes, monkeys, dolphins, elephants, and some birds. Now a fish species has passed the mirror test for the first time, which may suggest that the animals are smarter than we give them credit for.

Scientists from the University of Konstanz, Germany, are the first to demonstrate that fruit flies can distinguish cancerous cells from healthy ones via their sense of smell. The team has genetically modified fruit flies so that their antennae glow when they detect a cancerous odor.