![Hallucinations – a brain glitch – apparently could occur in animals, too. At least, according to a recent experiment on lab mice using optogenetics technique. [Img credit: Rick Harris (Flickr), by CC BY-SA 2.0]](https://www.biologyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/hallucination.jpg)
Hallucination is defined as perceiving something that seems real but in fact, it is not. Some references take it as a synonym for delusion. Both hallucinations and delusions are perceptions or beliefs that something seems real. However, the individual that experiences hallucination senses a vision, sound, or other perceptions, later on, denies it to be..
How did life start as we know it? In the scientific community, the “RNA World Hypothesis“ has many adherents. Many believed that life came about as a result of the existence of the simplest molecule, such as RNA. Perceptibly, RNA shows signs of somewhat being “alive” — at least in the sense that it carries..
Regeneration in humans is much more limited compared in other animals. Say for instance when one lost a limb, much as well say goodbye to it for the rest of one’s life. Perhaps, it would be nice if we have a higher capacity to regenerate many of our indispensable body parts, like head, limbs, and..
A study published in Science on January 11 seems to be the first to lay empirical evidence that concur with Charles Darwin’s hypothesis: … that mate selection might have contributed to the evolution of intelligence or cognitive abilities. Scientists from China and the Netherlands collaborated in a study on budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus. Based on what..
The recent Netflix’s hit flick, Bird Box, surely startled the viewers with the thrilling scenarios revolving around the precept that once seen, expect an abrupt ferocious death. Given that, Malorie (the protagonist portrayed by Sandra Bullock) blindfolded herself and the two children, and embarked down the perilous river to seek a safer refuge. (N.B. If..
If one wants to trace down lineage, that person could turn to the cell’s powerhouse, the mitochondrion. This organelle contains its own special set of DNA believed as inherited solely from mothers across generations. Thus, looking at the mitochondrial DNA (by mtDNA genealogical DNA testing) could help track down lineage, and for this reason, help..
When allergy season looms, some people with serious hypersensitivity to allergens tend to be apprehensive of what may come. Some would rather stay indoors than risking the odds of sucking up triggers that could instigate severe allergic reactions. Apart from triggers from the environment, other common factors for allergy include food, medication, certain toxins, venom..
In essence, our body consists of two major types of cells – one group involved directly in reproducing sexually (called sex cells) and another group that are not (called somatic cells). In particular, the female sex cell is referred to as the ovum (also called egg cell) whereas the male sex cell, the sperm cell…
When sadness reeks in and you feel as if you are all by yourself, think again. That is because you are never alone. As a matter of fact, millions of microorganisms reside in our body day in and out. They are the normal flora. Our body is a world of microscopic living entities that inhabit..