How believing can be seeing: Study shows how context dictates what we believe we see

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Scientists at UCL (University College London) have found the link between what we expect to see, and what our brain tells us we actually saw. The study, published in this week’s PLoS Journal of Computational Biology, reveals that the context surrounding what we see is all important – sometimes overriding the evidence gathered by our eyes and even causing us to imagine things which aren’t really there.


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All News summaries for February 15, 2008

Economists: Tough measures needed to cure economic ills

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(PhysOrg.com) -- An ailing financial industry is going to need strong medicine to pull out of a deepening credit crunch brought on by risky loans and deregulation, Purdue University economists said Monday.

Koalas calling

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With the help of mobile phone technology, UQ researchers are set to decipher the distinctive grunting noises made by male koalas during the spring mating season.

The Color of Evolution: How One Fish Became Two Fish

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(PhysOrg.com) -- Ever since Darwin discovered that species can evolve, scientists have wondered how new species form. Answering this question is the key to understanding the diversity of all of life. A group ...

New research may help to design better gene therapy vectors

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(PhysOrg.com) -- Research published by scientists from the University of Reading may offer an insight into ways of making safer and more specific gene therapy vectors. The research, published in the journal Nature Structural ...

Olive oil ingredient ups the time between meals

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A fatty acid found in abundance in olive oil and other "healthy" unsaturated fats has yet another benefit: it helps keep the body satisfied to prolong the time between meals.