It was not known whether dolphins could use signature whistles the way that humans use names; that is, as a representational label (a call that can stand in for an object the way a noun can in our language). So, in a new cross-modal experiment, researchers tested if dolphins could recognize familiar individuals from their signature whistle and the taste of their urine.

Read more at my Animal Minds blog: Dolphins Label Their Friends with Names.

New Zealand’s mountain parrot, the kea, is known for its curiosity and intelligence. Can an understanding of kea behavior and cognition be applied to their conservation in the wild?

Read the story at Animal Minds: How Can a Species’ Behavior Inform Its Conservation?

Electrical status epilepticus in sleep (ESES) is an electrographic pattern in which epileptiform activity is dramatically activated by sleep. The classic measure used to identify ESES is the spike-wave index expressed as a percentage. However, there is disagreement on the best way to quantify the sleep-activated epileptiform activity and the portion of sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) used for spike-wave index calculations. In a recent study, researchers from Nationwide Children’s demonstrated that the spike-wave index of the first 100 seconds of sleep can be a reliable tool for the diagnosis of ESES.

Read more about the study at Pediatrics Nationwide: A More Efficient Method for Diagnosing Electrical Status Epilepticus in Sleep?

How does one's social life impact their brain? A study of free-ranging monkeys points to links between sociality and the size of specific brain areas.

Read more at my Animal Minds blog: The Social Brains of Primates.

Tardigrades are miniscule aquatic animals, only about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. Yet they are renowned for their ability to survive a number of punishing physical extremes.

Now, scientists studying tardigrades are beginning to uncover the secrets of their super survival skills. In the process, they are discovering unique biological mechanisms that may help solve real-world, human health problems. 

Read my latest story for IEEE Pulse: Clues for Health and Longevity Lie in Tiny Tardigrades.