Humans news stories

UK government can never accept idea nature has rights, delegate tells UN
23rd February 2024 | theguardian.com | Animal Life, Earth, Humans

The dismissal of a concept that has already been recognised in UN declarations and is a fundamental belief of many Indigenous communities was described by critics as shameful, contradictory and undemocratic.

New study reveals how common ayahuasca-induced death experiences are and their link to personal transformation
23rd February 2024 | psypost.org | Earth, Humans, Misc.

Two studies of ayahuasca ceremony participants found that at least 50% of these individuals had an ayahuasca-induced personal death experience. These experiences were associated with an increased sense that consciousness will continue after death and increased concerns for the environment. The paper was published in the Frontiers in Psychiatry.

Strange Metal From Beyond Our World Found in Ancient Treasure Stash
23rd February 2024 | sciencealert.com | Ancient, Humans

The discovery, led by now-retired head of conservation at the National Archeological Museum Spain, Salvador Rovira-Llorens, suggests that metalworking technology and techniques were far more advanced than we thought in Iberia more than 3,000 years ago.

The Fourth World: An Encounter with Hopi Prophecy
22nd February 2024 | youtube.com | Ancient, Humans

Words of wisdom from Hopi elder Paul Sifki.

Neanderthals’ usage of complex adhesives reveals higher cognitive abilities, scientists discover
22nd February 2024 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

Neanderthals created stone tools held together by a multi-component adhesive, a team of scientists has discovered. Its findings, which are the earliest evidence of a complex adhesive in Europe, suggest these predecessors to modern humans had a higher level of cognition and cultural development than previously thought. See the study here.

ADHD may have been an evolutionary advantage, research suggests
21st February 2024 | theguardian.com | Ancient, Humans

Traits common to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as distractibility or impulsivity, might have been an evolutionary advantage for our ancestors by improving their tactics when foraging for food. See the study here. 

Ancient language found on 2,100-year-old bronze hand may be related to Basque
21st February 2024 | livescience.com | Ancient, Humans

In a new study published Tuesday (Feb. 20) in the journal Antiquity, researchers revealed that the inscription is the oldest and longest ever found in a Vasconic language, a group of languages that includes modern Basque.

Use of decimal point is 1.5 centuries older than historians thought
21st February 2024 phys.org | Humans

A mathematical historian at Trinity Wester University in Canada, has found use of a decimal point by a Venetian merchant 150 years before its first known use by German mathematician Christopher Clavius. In his paper published in the journal Historia Mathematica, Glen Van Brummelen describes how he found the evidence of decimal use in a volume called “Tabulae,” and its significance to the history of mathematics.

New neuroscience research uncovers the brain’s unique musical processing pathways
20th February 2024 | psypost.org | Humans, Misc.

A new study by researchers at UC San Francisco provides new insight into how the brain processes musical melodies. Through precise mapping of the cerebral cortex, the study uncovered that our brains process music by not only discerning pitch and the direction of pitch changes but also by predicting the sequence of upcoming notes, each task managed by distinct sets of neurons.

Mike Tyson urges Biden to free thousands locked up over cannabis: ‘Right these wrongs’
20th February 2024 | theguardian.com | Humans, Misc.

The former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has urged Joe Biden to follow through on his commitment to “correct our country’s failed approach to marijuana” and give clemency to the thousands of nonviolent cannabis offenders still languishing in federal lockups.

Cannabis may be the gateway out of drug addiction
19th February 2024 newatlas.com | Humans, Misc.

There are dissenting opinions among researchers about whether cannabis is a ‘gateway drug’ that leads people to use other, more dangerous drugs. New research by the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada, examined whether using cannabis to manage cravings changed a person’s use of illicit stimulants. The study was published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

Image by: elsaolofsson (Wiki Commons)

Unlocking the mysteries of psychedelics: The remarkable dual effect of psilocybin revealed in new study
19th February 2024 | psypost.org | Humans, Misc.

New research published in Molecular Psychiatry provides insight into how psilocybin, a compound found in psychedelic “magic” mushrooms, influences the brain and behavior. By observing the effects of psilocybin on larval zebrafish, scientists uncovered that it not only stimulates exploratory behavior but also buffers against stress-induced changes in activity patterns.

There may be a ‘dark mirror’ universe within ours where atoms failed to form, new study suggests
19th February 2024 | livescience.com | Ancient, Humans

The invisible substance called dark matter remains one of the biggest mysteries in cosmology. Perhaps, a new study suggests, this strange substance arises from a ‘dark mirror universe’ that’s been linked to ours since the dawn of time.

Stone Age ‘megastructure’ under Baltic Sea sheds light on strategy used by Paleolithic hunters over 10,000 years ago
19th February 2024 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

The evidence suggests it was constructed by Paleolithic people between 11,700 and 9,900 years ago, probably as an aid for hunting reindeer…The archaeologists investigating the Bay of Mecklenburg used a range of submarine equipment, sampling methods and modeling techniques to reconstruct the ancient lake bed and its surrounding landscape.

An ancient life revealed: Forager-turned-farmer crossed seas
18th February 2024 cosmosmagazine.com | Ancient, Humans

A Stone Age skeleton found in a peat bog in northwest Denmark has been analysed to flesh out in stunning detail the ancient person’s life and death. New analysis of the remains is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Cave art in Patagonia found to be oldest pigment-based cave art in South America
18th February 2024 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

An international team of scientists reports that cave art at a site in Patagonia is the oldest of its type ever found in South America. In their study, published in the journal Science Advances, the group conducted radiocarbon dating of the material used to create the art thousands of years ago.

News stories covering humans, psychology and health.