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https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/10-mind-blowing-brain-discoveries-from-2025/

1. Brain across the lifespan
Recent research suggests that the human brain does not function the same way throughout life.
Question: What does it mean to describe the brain as having different “eras” across the lifespan?

The different “eras” the brain experiences represent the five turning points in which it is organized throughout someone’s lifespan.

2. Infant memory
Studies show that babies may begin forming memories earlier than scientists once believed.
Question: Why do adults usually fail to recall memories from infancy, even if those memories were once formed?

The infant hippocampus can store memories once babies are around one year old, but the reason why adults fail to recall them is unclear. 

3. Adult neurogenesis
Some 2025 studies revisited the idea that new neurons can form in the adult brain.
Question: What is adult neurogenesis, and why is it important for understanding learning and memory?

Adult neurogenesis is in which new neurons are formed in the adult brain. Evidence suggesting adult neurogenesis is important because it could change the long-believed notion that humans are born with all the neurons they’ll ever have. 

4. Reality monitoring
Researchers identified brain mechanisms that help distinguish imagination from reality.
Question: What is a “reality signal,” and why is it important for healthy cognition?

A reality signal is a reaction generated by a region of the brain called the fusiform gyrus when registering a new variable. The signal is important for healthy cognition because the evaluation that follows the signal determines whether something is real or imagined. Malfunctions in the system could lead to hallucinations. 

5. Human vs. primate cognition
New findings show unexpected similarities between humans and other primates.
Question: What is one example of rational or flexible thinking observed in non-human primates?Chimpanzees can weigh evidence to update previous beliefs when they are proven wrong
→ rational thinking