Understanding how species survive environmental upheavals is central to evolutionary and conservation science. Southeast Asia, one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, has repeatedly swung between forests and grasslands over the last 150,000 years. Until now, however, little was known about how ancient mammals in these tropical landscapes adapted—or failed to adapt—to these dramatic shifts.

Two new research papers from the landmark Living Brain Project at Mount Sinai present what is, by several metrics, the largest investigation ever performed of the biology of the living human brain. The papers present unequivocal evidence that brain tissue from living people has a distinct molecular character, an observation that until now was missed because brain tissue from living people is rarely studied.

Stem cells in most organisms typically take cues from adjacent cells. But new research from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research reveals planarian stem cells ignore their nearest neighbors and instead respond to signals further away in the body. This discovery may help explain the flatworm’s extraordinary ability to regenerate — and could offer clues for developing new ways to replace or repair tissues in humans.

Why are we able to recall only some of our past experiences? A new study at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan has an answer. Spoiler Alert! The brain cells responsible for stabilizing memories aren’t neurons. Rather, they are astrocytes, a type of glial cell that is usually thought of as a role player in the game of learning and memory. Published in Nature, the study shows how emotionally intense experiences like fear biologically tag small groups of astrocytes for several days so that they can re-engage when a mouse recalls the experience. It is this repeated astrocytic engagement that stabilizes memories.

Facial self-touching — particularly around the nose, chin and cheeks — strongly correlates with elevated stress during cognitive tasks, new University of Houston research showed.

ChromSolutions Ltd and Wiley have announced an agreement to distribute Wiley’s KnowItAll spectral software and databases, expanding access to advanced untargeted analysis technologies for scientists working in chromatography and spectroscopy.