Stories by Rachel Nuwer

Counting crows proclaim “caw, caw, caw, caw” when staring at the number four

What the neuroscience of near-death experiences tells us about human consciousness

By cutting trees in response to international demand for tobacco, farmers induced wildlife to start eating virus-laden bat guano

Researchers used tinned fish to reconstruct parasitic population change, giving new meaning to the phrase “opening a can of worms”

A new study corrects a biased assumption promoted by Charles Darwin 150 years ago and repeated ever since

New studies in bees and chimps challenge the long-held assumption that only humans can learn from innovative peers

Contrary to popular lore, insects do not confuse artificial light for the moon

Russia makes up nearly half the terrestrial Arctic, but global collaboration with researchers there has ground to a halt since the invasion of Ukraine

These projected findings about depopulation in U.S. cities are shaped by a multitude of factors, including the decline of industry, lower birth rates and the impacts of climate change

In combat veterans, a single dose of ibogaine improved symptoms of TBI, PTSD, depression and anxiety

A new thermal transistor can control heat as precisely as an electrical transistor can control electricity

For the first time, researchers have used behavioral measures, brain imaging and molecular biology to test how odorless chemicals from human tears affect people

A subset of exceptional pooches can identify by name more than 100 different objects, mostly toys

As interest and support for psychedelic research grows, scientists share their hopes for the future.

Psychedelic researchers are engaged in heated debate over whether the mind-altering effects of the drugs are necessary for realizing their therapeutic potential.

As companies join the hunt, can the field of mind-altering synthetic substances stay true to its original pioneering spirit of wonder, curiosity and connection?

In some cardiac arrest patients, a flurry of brain activity during life-saving CPR may be a sign of a “near-death experience”

A hogfish may provide the first example of a vertebrate with specialized light-detecting cells that reside outside the central nervous system

Hyperintelligent octopuses just got weirder: scientists have found the cephalopods can recode their brain when temperatures change

It turns out there are two species of mysterious, venomous pygmy lorises

A young mountain gorilla who is able to survive the tough early years may live as long or longer than peers who coasted through their youth without incident

An unusual semiconductor is making physicists rethink the science of extreme conditions

Like chimpanzees, bees can learn specific strategies for opening a puzzle box and accessing a reward inside by mimicking the behavior of their trained mates

A call for help sounds to ensure survival of a 140-year-old fishing partnership pairing cetaceans and humans