Article archives

How perceptions are influenced by expectations

How perceptions are influenced by expectations

NeurobiologyNeurolinguisticsNeurosciencePsychology

By Mapping Ignorance

Past neuroscience and psychology studies have shown that people’s expectations of the world can influence their perceptions, either by directing their attention to expected stimuli or by reducing their sensitivity (i.e., perceptual acuity) to variations within the categories of stimuli we expect to be exposed to. While the effects of expectations on perceptions are now […]

MI weekly selection #596

MI weekly selection #596

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Genetic erosion poses hidden threat to species survival Research on the regent honeyeater, a critically endangered bird from southeastern Australia, reveals that despite severe population decline, the species retains high genetic diversity. Through whole-genome sequencing and ecological modeling, the study underscores the delayed impact of genetic erosion and the importance of integrating genetic data over […]

How substrates influence superconductivity through moiré phonons

How substrates influence superconductivity through moiré phonons

DIPC Advanced materials

By DIPC

The interplay between the electron and phonon dynamics in 2D materials is a complex and fascinating subject. By examining the behaviour of NbSe₂ on graphene, a new study has provided new insights into how substrates influence superconductivity through moiré phonons. In recent years, the study of two-dimensional (2D) materials has transformed the field of condensed […]

The paradox of democracy’s success

The paradox of democracy’s success

PsychologySociology

By Invited Researcher

Authors: Ralph Hertwig, Director, Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Stephan Lewandowsky, Chair of Cognitive Psychology, University of Bristol The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 paved the way for the democratisation of many eastern European countries and triumphantly ushered in the era of global liberal democracy that some […]

Direct liquid cooling, a game-changer in battery thermal management

Direct liquid cooling, a game-changer in battery thermal management

ChemistryEnergy

By Invited Researcher

The electrification of road transport is no longer just a trend—it is a key step in reducing carbon emissions and addressing climate change. Beyond environmental benefits, it also carries strategic and geopolitical importance, prompting major automotive manufacturers to invest heavily in electric mobility . The success of this transformation depends on a crucial element: the […]

Closer to the truth (5):  Reconstructing ‘the scientific method’

Closer to the truth (5): Reconstructing ‘the scientific method’

EpistemologyPhilosophy of science

By Jesús Zamora Bonilla

I shall end this series on the problem of verisimilitude by sketching the main methodological norms that can be derived from our favorite definition of “empirical truthlikeness” –remember: the verisimilitude of a hypothesis H on the light of the empirical data E, or Vs(H,E ), would be equivalent to p(H,E)/p(HvE). Remember as well that by […]

MI weekly selection #595

MI weekly selection #595

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Geographic split of humans linked to emerging language A genomic analysis suggests that human language ability was present at least 135,000 years ago, coinciding with the first geographic split of Homo sapiens. The research suggests that humans developed the cognitive capacity for complex language before it entered social use. This capacity for symbolic thinking and […]

X-ray fluorescence imaging, a pivotal tool in modern biological research

X-ray fluorescence imaging, a pivotal tool in modern biological research

DIPC Biochemistry

By DIPC

X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI) is a powerful technique that enables scientists to visualize and map the distribution of elements within various samples, including biological tissues. By detecting the unique fluorescent signals emitted by elements when they are excited by X-rays, XFI provides detailed information about the elemental composition and spatial distribution in a non-destructive manner […]

Western Europe’s oldest human face discovered in Spain

Western Europe’s oldest human face discovered in Spain

AnthropologyEvolution

By Invited Researcher

Author: María Martinón-Torres, CENIEH Director, Atapuerca Research Team and author of “Homo imperfectus” (Ed. Destino), Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) The research team at the Atapuerca archaeological sites in Burgos, Spain, has just broken its own record by discovering, for the third time, the oldest human in Western Europe. The team […]