A new study by neuroscientists at the University of Oxford shows that mobile genetic elements that were active in the genomes of our ancestors could be closely linked to important functions in our brain and might help diversify our behaviour, cognition and emotions.

The origin of endothermy in synapsids, including the ancestors of mammals. The diagram shows the evolution of main groups through the Triassic, and the scale from blue to red is a measure of the degree of warm-bloodedness reconstructed based on different indicators of bone structure and anatomy.

Despite being championed by a host of celebrity chefs, crayfish 'trapping' is not helping to control invasive American signal crayfish, according to new research by UCL and King's College London. There have been grave concerns within the science community and amongst conservationists that American signal crayfish are wiping out other species of crayfish across Europe - including Britain's only native crayfish, the endangered white-clawed crayfish.

Study reveals brain mechanisms underlying irrational decision-making "If we can't control our in-built attraction to happy endings, then we can't trust our choices to serve our best interests." Martin Vestergaard Humans are hard-wired to prefer experiences that end well, and the influence of previous experience declines the longer ago it happened.

SCAMP-5d vision system The University of Manchester, 2020 SCAMP-5d's hardware architecture.

The neurochemicals dopamine and serotonin are involved in perception, working at sub-second speeds to shape how people perceive the world and take action, finds a new study co-led by UCL researchers.