http://cache.io9.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/io9.com.png http://io9.com/tag/research http://io9.com/tag/research

The United States has long been recognized as one of the most scientifically productive countries on Earth. But when you're discussing progress, where you've been is not nearly as important as More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5878503&view=rss&microfeed=true

The United Kingdom's science minister, David Willetts, thinks that private and international investments can help establish the UK as a world leader in scientific and technological research. But is Willett's plan really feasible? And if it is, is it one the United States could utilize as well? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5873020&view=rss&microfeed=true

The battle over the future of chimpanzees in research has reached a critical point. Chimps are humans' closest extant relatives — and as such, they are arguably one of the best animal models available for biomedical investigations that have the potential to save countless human lives. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5859712&view=rss&microfeed=true

Psychologists in the Netherlands have documented the case of a 58-year-old woman who was misdiagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Her condition deteriorated to the point where she became permanently confused, and at one point suicidal — before another doctor realized the diagnosis was incorrect. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5833719&view=rss&microfeed=true

So you want to be a mad scientist, and dedicate yourself to a life of the mind? It's not just a matter of finding mind-controlled minions and a bottle of Plutonium. Academic scientific research is a very pricey undertaking, with millions of person hours and billions of your tax dollars spent in an effort to bring the future a little closer to the present every year. To give you an idea of how your tax dollars are spent, here is a breakdown of a typical faculty member's financial situation, and how they stay afloat. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5827381&view=rss&microfeed=true

Nothing breaks the ice like a good joke, right? Sadly, that isn't the case with scientific papers, as those with the funniest titles get swept aside in favor of dry, technical titles. When did science become so hopelessly square? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5811105&view=rss&microfeed=true

Alex the parrot died in 2007, after learning more words than any bird before him. He changed the way people think about animal intelligence. But his education wouldn't have been possible without an unsung research assistant who pretended to be a parrot. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5805263&view=rss&microfeed=true

Scientists need to study every assumption, gathering data to back up what most people think of as 'common sense'. Sometimes this data upsets conventional wisdom. Other times? Not so much. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5801384&view=rss&microfeed=true

When it comes to animals and research, it's best to stay away from the subject since most of the time it's incredibly depressing. However, animal research has given us some fantastic breakthroughs and cool stories. Let's take the time to honor ten of our furry, feathery, and slimy lab assistants. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5783178&view=rss&microfeed=true So you want to get into the research business, and publish long papers full of footnotes, charts, and formulae in nice academic journals? Then get ready for rejection. Luckily there's one journal that can give you that satisfaction the very first time you submit a paper: It's the Journal of Universal Rejection, whose entire reason for existing is to spurn you. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5769799&view=rss&microfeed=true

Smells make a vivid impression, but are nearly impossible to describe. Scientists have just created 'perfumery radar' - a classification system of smells that may pin down the elusive phenomenon. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5704511&view=rss&microfeed=true

An infamous concept in psychology is the 'Other Race Effect.' People are able to differentiate between faces of their own race better than between the faces of other races. A new study probes the mechanics of the phenomenon. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5679623&view=rss&microfeed=true

This is the most relaxed dog you're ever likely to see, because it's listening to the perfect canine mix-tape. Teikyo University of Science's Department of Animal Science spent 18 months researching the ultimate music for dogs to chill out to. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5575127&view=rss&microfeed=true

In order to weed out inherited disease, British scientists have combined the DNA from one man and two women to create singular embryos. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5518924&view=rss&microfeed=true

Looking for something you're sure you won't find? Even if the item you seek is close by, a doubtful attitude reduces your chances of finding it, claims a new study funded by the US Department of Homeland Security. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5448495&view=rss&microfeed=true

Recent experiments at Dartmouth using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on a dead fish may cast a lot of doubt on conclusions drawn from using fMRI as a tool for research. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5430042&view=rss&microfeed=true

Computer geeks: Tear down those science-fiction posters! Get rid of those Tron lightcycle toys! Your science-fiction bric-a-brac is scaring women away from IT, says a new study. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5427094&view=rss&microfeed=true

Last month, a group of mathematicians grabbed headlines with their mathematical model of the zombie apocalypse. But as one science journalist notes, such studies are more than amusing academic anecdotes; they can actually serve a very legitimate social interest. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5359537&view=rss&microfeed=true

Lung cancer diagnosis can be an invasive process, involving CT scans and tissue biopsies. But a new nanotechnological process for cancer detection could make diagnosis lung cancer as simple as breathing into a tube. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5349969&view=rss&microfeed=true

When fans say a TV series has jumped the shark, do the masses really notice? We did some research on Battlestar Galactica's audience numbers to see if bad moments in the show drove audiences away. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5176061&view=rss&microfeed=true

The most irksome aspect of writing a science fiction story is often the research. Sometimes you have the perfect story, but it's based on junk science. Here's how Caitlin Kiernan and Nicola Griffith handled it. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5150356&view=rss&microfeed=true

Megan at Teen Ink magazine is teaching teenagers how to research real science before writing science fiction stories. I wonder how many real science fiction authors actually follow her methods? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5114557&view=rss&microfeed=true

Panbanisha is a prolific painter whose works have sold for hundreds of dollars. She also happens to be a bonobo, one of many apes learning language skills at the Great Ape Trust. To raise money for ape conservation work, the Trust is auctioning off paintings created by Panbanisha and the other ape artists-in-residence. Click through to see a gallery of primate paintings and watch the bonobo’s creative process. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5095426&view=rss&microfeed=true

Japan thinks the real world should be more like Gundam. Next year, a team of experts from all walks of life will join together to form the Gundam Academy, an academic institution dedicated to bringing humanity into the age of mecha suits, helper robots, and space colonization. It’s time for the Universal Century. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5073073&view=rss&microfeed=true

There's been a huge spike in the production of zombie movies lately, and many of them seem to be inspired by war. Everything from 28 Days Later to Zombie Strippers make explicit reference to wartime, as did seminal 1968 zombie flick Night of the Living Dead. Is there really a connection between zombie movies and social unrest? We decided to do some research and find out. The result? We've got a line graph showing the number of zombie movies coming out in the West each year since 1910 — and there are definite spikes during certain years, which always seem to happen eerily close to historical events involving war or social upheaval. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5070243&view=rss&microfeed=true

Anosmiacs, rejoice. MIT’s biological engineers, moving us ever closer to our transhuman future, have mass-produced lab-grown smell receptors — a breakthrough that will greatly increase their ability to study the way these proteins react to odor. Their goal is not only to unlock the secrets of olfaction, but also to create artificial devices with a real sense of smell. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5057232&view=rss&microfeed=true

A few weeks ago, we asked you to take a survey about whether Star Trek or Doctor Who had molded your brain. We wanted to know whether there was any connection between being a fan of one of these shows and what your career aspirations might be - as well as what career you wind up having. Over 1600 people responded, and it turns out Doctor Who and Star Trek fans aren't very differently-brained. Both shows inspire fans to have similar dream jobs, though not all of them manage to get those jobs when they grow up. We also learned what fans want most from the shows. Find out more, and check out our amazing data charts, below. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=391110&view=rss&microfeed=true About a week ago I asked you to share your thoughts on Star Trek and Doctor Who for a special io9 research project — and you responded with overwhelming insight! I'm here to thank you for your thoughts and remind you that there are only two days left to take my survey if you haven't yet done so. Thanks so much, again, and don't forget to enjoy the brain-molding powers of your scifi television. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=384898&view=rss&microfeed=true

I am a devoted Doctor Who fan in a family of Trekkies — and I'm also the only creative writer in a family of electrical engineers. Are those two facts related? What kinds of minds do science fiction shows attract — and, more importantly, what kinds of minds do they create? My first independent research project as an io9 intern will attempt to answer those questions. And it all starts with you. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=381274&view=rss&microfeed=true

The multi-spiked item in the artwork above may be some sort of high-tech craft touching down for directions, or it could be a very advanced research station set up over a crevasse in Antarctica. Probably outfitted with scads of sensors, heated seats, and a fancy beverage dispenser as well. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=338195&view=rss&microfeed=true