I’m excited to announce the publication of another educational children’s book! Teen Guide: Depression is a Hi-Lo nonfiction title (reading level: grades 3-4, interest level grades 6-12) published by BrightPoint Press.

To learn more and order from the publisher, click here.

To order on Amazon, click here.

My new educational children’s book is out! The Essential Library of Countries: Thailand provides young readers with an overview of the geography, wildlife, history, people, and economy of Thailand. It is published by Abdo and written at an 8th grade reading level.

To learn more and order from the publisher, click here.

To order on Amazon, click here.

Many animals use deception to get what they want, but only a few creatures engage in tactical deception: They adapt their tricks depending on their goal or audience. Tactical deception involves some sophisticated cognition, and research on the phenomenon often focuses on primates or brainy birds like corvids. Recently, scientists suggested that a different group of animals may be ideal for the study of tactical deception: cephalopods like octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish.

Read more at my Animal Minds blog: Do Octopuses Mean to Deceive?

Some captive apes have more experience participating in research than others. Could this prior experience affect how they think and behave, biasing results from cognitive studies?

Check out my latest Animal Minds blog post: Are Research-Savvy Chimpanzees Skewing Study Results?

Numerous companies sell neurofeedback devices directly to consumers. The idea is that by measuring a person’s brain activity and showing it to them in real time, the individual can learn to self-regulate their brainwaves and, in turn, change their behavior. Proponents of neurofeedback say it can improve attention, mood, sleeping habits, meditation, and even athletic performance. Yet, there are still outstanding questions about the effectiveness of neurofeedback.

Read more at IEEE Pulse: Why Consumer Neurofeedback Devices Are More Than Hype for Brain Health.