A Magnetic Trick to Define Consciousness

Consciousness isn't easy to define, but we know it when we experience it. It’s not so simple to decide when someone else is conscious, however, as doctors must sometimes do with patients who have suffered traumatic brain injury. Now, researchers have come up with an approach that uses the brain’s response to magnetic stimulation to judge a person’s awareness,

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Universal Dengue Vaccine Closer to Reality

A new strategy has been developed that cripples the ability of the dengue virus to escape the host immune system.

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Hot chocolate can improve memory, study finds

Hot chocolate can help older people keep their brains healthy, research has shown.

Two cups of cocoa a day boosted blood flow to the brain and improved the memories of volunteers with narrowed arteries

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PRESIDENT OF IRELAND YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD (PIYRA)

The President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (PIYRA) is Science Foundation Ireland's most prestigious award to recruit and retain early career researchers to carry out their research in Ireland. This programme emphasises the importance that Science Foundation Ireland places on the early development of academic careers.

Read more at the website of the Science Foundation

Carry on camping - can a week under canvas reset our body clocks?

Researchers say that camping for a week can reset the biological clock that governs our sleeping patterns.

The scientists argue that modern life disrupts our sleep through exposure to electric light and reduced access to sunlight.

But after spending time in the great outdoors, the researchers say the body clocks of eight volunteers synchronised with sunrise and sunset.

The research has been published in the journal Current Biology....

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How the brain keeps eyes focused on long-term goals

As anyone who has travelled with young children knows, maintaining focus on distant goals can be a challenge. A new study from MIT suggests how the brain achieves this task, and indicates that the neurotransmitter dopamine may signal the value of long-term rewards. The findings may also explain why patients with Parkinson’s disease — in which dopamine signalling is impaired — often have difficulty in sustaining motivation to finish tasks.
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