ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Gene discovered that activates stem cells for organ regeneration in Planarians
• Biological basis for magic mushroom 'mind expansion' discovered
• Harnessing personal rivalry can boost individual's athletic performance

Gene discovered that activates stem cells for organ regeneration in Planarians Posted: 03 Jul 2014 11:23 AM PDT Researchers announced the discovery of a gene zic-1 that enables stem cells to regrow a head after decapitation in flatworm planarians. Many species across the animal kingdom have the ability to regenerate, but the mechanisms that connect injuries to stem cell activation and the production of new tissues are not fully understood.

Biological basis for magic mushroom 'mind expansion' discovered Posted: 03 Jul 2014 07:26 AM PDT New research shows that our brain displays a similar pattern of activity during dreams as it does during a mind-expanding drug trip. The study found that under psilocybin, activity in the more primitive brain network linked to emotional thinking became more pronounced, with several different areas in this network -- such as the hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex -- active at the same time. This pattern of activity is similar to the pattern observed in people who are dreaming.

Harnessing personal rivalry can boost individual's athletic performance Posted: 02 Jul 2014 09:24 AM PDT We can all think of great sports rivals: tennis players Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, or basketball players Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. These fierce, personal rivalries seem worlds apart from a hometown 5K race. Yet even local races often produce rivals who push each other to higher levels of performance, according to new research that surveyed runners and used data from 184 races.

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