MI weekly selection #317
Reef fish may know it’s seeing its reflection in mirror
A coral reef fish may be able to recognize itself in a mirror. After researchers injected a colored dye on the throats of bluestreak cleaner wrasses and placed them in a mirrored tank, the fish appeared to try to scrape the mark off after seeing themselves in the mirror, potentially a sign of self-awareness.
Tiny devices in capsules can deliver medicine from the inside
Capsules that contain tiny medical devices can help administer medication from inside a person’s digestive tract. The capsules, which hold devices the size of a pea with needle tips that deliver injections of medicines, such as insulin, were tested on pigs.
A fabric that adjusts to the wearer’s body temperature
The yarn that makes up the fabric expands or contracts depending on the level of heat or humidity
Brain scans reveal varied levels of consciousness
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), scans show what’s taking place in the brain during various levels of consciousness, according to a new study. The findings may help better determine what state of consciousness a person is in and assist with decisions about life support for patients in a vegetative state.
Sex differences in brain aging
Researchers who applied a machine learning algorithm to PET scans from 205 individuals ages 20 to 82 found that women had brains that were 3.8 years younger on average and men had brains that were 2.4 years older, compared with their actual ages. The findings suggest that the lower prevalence of cognitive decline among older women may be due to their younger brains.