Fear

Recent articles

Mice playing, engaged in learning and memory: some of their brains are yellow, and some are red, matching a red and yellow legend that runs through the image to underscore both memory and learning.

This paper changed my life: A technical breakthrough for memory studies

In a 2007 Science paper, Mark Mayford and his colleagues found that some neurons activated during learning are also recruited during memory retrieval. Noelia Weisstaub shares how this study and others drove an era of great progress in tool development.

By Noelia Weisstaub
14 August 2026 | 5 min read
Mice playing, engaged in learning and memory: some of their brains are yellow, and some are red, matching a red and yellow legend that runs through the image to underscore both memory and learning.

Este artículo cambió mi vida: Un descubrimiento técnico para estudios de la memoria

En un artículo de Science del 2007, Mark Mayford y sus compañeros encontraron neuronas activadas durante el aprendizaje son reclutadas durante la recuperación de la memoria. Noela Weisstaub comparte como este estudio y otros impulsaron una era de gran progreso en el desarrollo de herramientas

By Noelia Weisstaub
14 August 2026 | 5 min read
Mice playing, engaged in learning and memory: some of their brains are yellow, and some are red, matching a red and yellow legend that runs through the image to underscore both memory and learning.

Este artigo mudou minha vida: um avanço técnico para os estudos da memória

Em um artigo publicado na revista Science em 2007, Mark Mayford e seus colegas descobriram que alguns neurônios ativados durante a aprendizagem também são reativados durante a recuperação da memória. Noelia Weisstaub conta como esse e outros estudos impulsionaram uma era de grande progresso no desenvolvimento de ferramentas.

By Noelia Weisstaub
14 August 2026 | 6 min read
Overlapping speech bubbles.

Memory study sparks debate over statistical methods

Critics of a 2024 Nature paper suggest the authors failed to address the risk of false-positive findings. The authors argue more rigorous methods can result in missed leads.

By Katie Moisse
2 July 2025 | 5 min read
Research image of altered neural connections induced by norepinephrine.

Astrocytes sense neuromodulators to orchestrate neuronal activity and shape behavior

Astrocytes serve as crucial mediators of neuromodulatory processes previously attributed to direct communication between neurons, four new studies show.

By Claudia López Lloreda
27 June 2025 | 8 min read
Research image of a portion of mouse brain.

Stress warps fear memories in multiple ways

Expanding the bounds of a fear memory or linking it to a neutral memory can shape a mouse’s fear response, two new studies show.

By Claudia López Lloreda
15 November 2024 | 5 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Piggy bank with blindfold.

Future remains uncertain for U.S. federal funding of behavioral, cognitive science

The National Science Foundation did not include any solicitations for its social, behavioral and economic sciences directorate in its latest round of funding opportunities, nor replace any outgoing program officers—which poses an existential threat for the program, says nonprofit executive Wendy Naus.

By Calli McMurray
26 August 2026 | 5 min read

How energy determines where proteins are produced in neurons

Tatjana Tchumatchenko explains how mathematical modeling elucidates whether ion-channel proteins are produced locally in the soma or in the dendrites.

By Gaute Einevoll
26 August 2026 | 104 min listen
A brown mouse between a red cube and blue cylinder looks curiously at the top of the cylinder, standing on hind legs.

Wouldn’t you like to know? A mouse would

Mice seek information for curiosity’s sake—and their desire for knowledge versus a payout is represented distinctly in the brain, new findings suggest.

By Sarah Thau
26 August 2026 | 5 min read