Tag: pkar

The explainer: hormones

THE EXPLAINER: HORMONES The chemical regulators that keep bodily processes in balance What are hormones? Hormones are chemical messengers that travel throughout the body, telling our cells and organs what to do. They regulate nearly all bodily processes and affect every aspect of our daily lives, influencing how we feel, what we look like and […]

Could we make robotic companions for kids?

COULD WE MAKE ROBOTIC COMPANIONS FOR KIDS? January sees the release of M3GAN, a movie about a doll with artificial intelligence and killer dance moves by STEPHEN KELLY N ew horror movie M3GAN is essentially Chucky meets the Terminator. Its titular star is posited as the future of mass-market robots: a lifelike doll that has […]

How do parrots say human words without lips?

How do parrots say human words without lips? SARAH PHELPS, VIA EMAIL My friend’s African Grey parrot speaks so convincingly, she can order herself treats via the family’s smart assistant. No lips, no vocal cords, just sheer opportunism. She does this by using her syrinx, a hollow, Y-shaped structure unique to birds, that sits between […]

Why do we never forget how to ride a bike?

Why do we never forget how to ride a bike? LUCY HANNIGAN, SUNDERLAND Life experiences and facts are one type of memory. Riding a bike is another: it’s a skill, or a learned pattern of movement that neurologists refer to as ‘procedural memory’, more commonly known as ‘muscle memory’. There are, of course, lots of […]

Why is my brain buzzing at 3am but comatose at 3pm?

Why is my brain buzzing at 3am but comatose at 3pm? HENRY PARR, FROME You’re not alone if you spend much of the night ruminating about daily stressors, checking the time and worrying about how tired you’ll be in the morning. Then spending the next day struggling to think straight and keep your eyes open. […]

Could anything really make Rudolph’s nose glow red?

Could anything really make Rudolph’s nose glow red? BONNIE GREEN, VIA EMAIL Scientists have already transferred bioluminescent genes from jellyfish and corals into many other organisms, including bacteria, fungi, fish and mammals. The setup can be designed so the genes are only active in certain tissue types, such as the epithelial cells that line the […]