Are humans the only animals with a mischievous sense of humor? Where did our ability to joke with one another come from? In a new study, a team of scientists report evidence of playful teasing in four great ape species: orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas. These findings suggest that the cognitive building blocks of humor were likely inherited by apes and humans from our last common ancestor at least 13 million years ago.

Read more at my Animal Minds blog: Teasing Apes Suggest Humor Has Deep Evolutionary Roots.

Chickens are experiencing a surge in popularity. In the U.S. alone, there are an estimated 85 million backyard chickens, making them the third most common pet in the country. A new survey of chicken owners reveals the rising—yet still in-between—status of chickens in households.

Read the whole story at my Animal Minds blog: Backyard Chickens: Poultry, Pets, or Something In-Between?

Clinicians have long used ultrasound to image inside the body, but it may prove even more useful as a therapeutic tool. Already approved for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor, researchers are exploring focused ultrasound for a variety of other neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Read my latest article for IEEE Pulse: Treating the Brain with Focused Ultrasound.

Noise pollution is widespread, encroaching into more wild places and impacting animals in myriad ways. Research shows that human-made noise can affect how animals communicate, forage, protect themselves from predators, and use space within a habitat. Now, a new study suggests that such noise may also disturb social networks, with unknown ecological consequences.

Read the whole story at my Animal Minds blog: Noise Pollution Makes Birds Flock Together.

Data sharing has been common practice in genetics and genomics research for decades, accelerating biomedical discoveries and improving human health. Sustained funding to the National Institutes of Health will ensure that genetic and genomic data remain accessible to researchers in ways that also protect the privacy of participants and minimize the stigmatization of groups of people.

Read more in my fact sheet for the American Society of Human Genetics: Data Sharing to Advance Genetic and Genomic Knowledge.