MI weekly selection #585

Mathematical model suggests third particle type

Physicists have proposed the mathematical possibility of a third type of particle, paraparticles, which could exist alongside fermions and bosons. This discovery suggests that these particles might behave like anyons in a three-dimensional universe, challenging the current understanding of the Standard Model.

Full Story: ScienceAlert

Neurotransmitter response to emotional language

A study has demonstrated that neurotransmitters are released in response to emotional words, providing insights into human language processing. The research highlights distinct patterns of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine activity across brain regions, including the thalamus, which was not previously associated with language or emotion.

Full Story: Neuroscience News

Neolithic skulls reveal ancient Italian ancestor rituals

Archaeologists have uncovered a cache of Neolithic skulls at Masseria Candelaro in Puglia, Italy, suggesting a long-standing practice of ancestor veneration. The study reveals that these skulls, dating from 5618 to 5336 BCE, were likely used in rituals over 200 years.

Full Story: PhysOrg

Factors influencing bird communication

Research into bird acoustics has uncovered how various factors, including habitat, geography, and physical characteristics, influence the sounds birds produce. The study, which analyzed recordings from 77% of known bird species, found that birds modify their calls to suit their environments, such as singing at higher frequencies in noisy habitats.

Full Story: Earth

Sugar-sweetened drinks linked to diabetes cases

Research linked sugar-sweetened beverage consumption to the development of more than 2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new heart disease cases globally per year. “We need urgent, evidence-based interventions to curb consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages globally, before even more lives are shortened by their effects on diabetes and heart disease,” said researcher Laura Lara-Castor.

Full Story: HealthDay News