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By uncovering the blinking communication of river birds, scientists have shed new light on the mechanisms and evolution of animal interactions Switching senses: Instead of just singing louder when the river roars, white-throated dippers lower their volume and start blinking their bright white eyelids more - using sight instead of sound to get their message across when other birds are nearby.

Insights into the structural and cognitive dimensions that make metaphors more than rhetorical devices. Beyond Rhetoric: Metaphors are not just stylistic devices but stable linguistic and cognitive structures. Mapping Meaning : Two key metaphorical processes link concrete and abstract concepts in a structured network.

Weaver ants increase their individual strength as teams grow larger and by cracking the secret to superefficient teamwork, they offer insights that could transform robot design.

To the point Role of livestock in spreading the plague: Yersinia pestis has been identified in a 4,000-year-old sheep, indicating that livestock played a role in spreading an early form of plague that once circulated throughout Eurasia during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age (LNBA) periods. Spillover from unknown reservoir: Genetic analysis reveals that humans and sheep were infected by nearly identical plague strains.

Astronomers find signs of complex organic molecules - precursors to sugars and amino acids - in a planet-forming disc. To the point First tentative detection of prebiotic molecules in a planet-forming disc: In the young V883 Orionis system, ALMA observations have revealed signatures of complex organic compounds such as ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile - potential precursors to sugars and amino acids.

A cross-cultural study reveals how the consumption of wine and beer facilitated the evolution of human societies To the point: Drunk hypothesis. Scholars have long suggested that alcohol played a significant role in promoting large-scale cooperation and the development of complex hierarchical societies.

New study shows that a genetic variant inherited from Neandertals impairs the function of a key enzyme involved in muscle performance   To the point Reduced enzyme activity: The Neandertal variant in AMPD1 decreases its enzymatic activity by 25 percent in laboratory-produced proteins and by up to 80 percent in the muscles of genetically engineered mice.

To the point Power relationships between males and females are less clear-cut than expected: In most species, neither sex clearly dominates over the other. Evolutionary factors shape intersexual power: Males have power when they can physically outcompete females, while females rely on different pathways to achieve power over males.

Study with data from four countries shows: Accelerated demographic change is creating significant differences in the number of relatives Growing differences: A study based on data from Thailand, Indonesia, Ghana, and Nigeria shows that two people of almost the same age can have completely different family structures-due to demographic change.

Multisensory vs.

A new study has reconstructed two 4000-year-old genomes from the rare pathogen Mycobacterium lepromatosis To the point Hansen-s Disease (leprosy) is thought to have originated in Eurasia : previous studies on Mycobacterium leprae , the dominant form of leprosy, suggest the disease originated in Eurasia.

An study uncovers how benign borderline ovarian tumors develop into invasive low-grade serous carcinoma To the point Low-grade serous ovarian cancer: a form of ovarian cancer that occurs mainly in younger women and is largely resistant to standard chemotherapy Interdisciplinary study: shows how benign borderline ovarian tumors develop into invasive low-grade serous carcinomas Methods: Combination of the recently developed, groundbreaking Deep Vi

New study reveals that wild orangutans recover from sleep loss with daytime naps To the point Sleep study: Researchers studied the sleeping habits of 53 orangutans in Indonesia over a period of 14 years.

Due to global warming, the North Atlantic Oscillation, an atmospheric circulation pattern that strongly influences European weather, is becoming more extreme in summer To the point North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO): Fluctuations in the air pressure difference between the Azores and Iceland influence the weather in Europe Increasing variability: Climate change will lead to more frequent and more severe NAO extremes in summer by the end of the cent

Researchers show that even large silverback gorillas spend a substantial amount of time in trees To the point Gorilla arboreality varies: The study shows that Bwindi mountain gorillas in Uganda and western lowland gorillas in Gabon spend significantly more time in the trees than the highly terrestrial Virunga mountain gorillas.

While humans concentrate on the meaning of objects, artificial intelligence focuses on visual characteristics To the point Different strategies: Humans focus on the meaning of objects, while AI focuses on visual characteristics such as shape and color. Results: AI captures dimensions, but these differ from those chosen by humans.

Evolution has provided birds with a clever strategy to eat extremely acidic fruit  To the point Birds like sour tastes : Sour foods are often avoided by mammals, but many birds regularly feed on highly acidic fruits. Evolution of sour tolerance : A new study shows that birds' sour receptors shut down when exposed to acidic food, reducing the transmission of sour signals and thus influencing their perception and tolerance.

Before the -Out of Africamigration that led humans into Eurasia and beyond, new research shows that humans expanded their niche to include African forests and deserts To the Point: Human Migrations: Homo sapiens left Africa multiple times in prehistory, mainly during periods of increased rainfall. But eventually these populations died out.

To the point: Cognitive states: Facial expressions provide insight into internal thought processes. Prognostic value: Cognitive facial cues can accurately predict task performance and problem-solving success. Research implications: The findings hold significant potential for advancing research in ADHD, autism, and dementia.

Hot summers in Europe can be better predicted if an increase of the heat content in the North Atlantic is taken into account To the point Heat indicator in the ocean: European heat waves are often preceded by an increase in the North Atlantic heat content Better predictions: Model simulations that take into account the connection with the heat content in the Northern Atlantic predict past European heat waves more reliably than calculations which omit this mechanism.