evolutionary psychology

A young man records a voice note. A new dating app called Waving lets you swipe right on someone based only off short voice profiles.

Science

Can You Choose A Romantic Partner Just By Their Voice? A Dating App Thinks So

9:26pm March 18, 2018

by Emily Sullivan

Waving is a Tinder-like app that lets users judge potential partners by their voice. An evolutionary psychologist provides some tips on sounding attractive.

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For a rat, "metamemory" is about knowing whether you remember that predator in the distance, researchers say. For people, knowing what we don't know can be especially useful in navigating social interactions.

From Rats To Humans, A Brain Knows When It Can't Remember

4:40pm July 28, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

When we see a familiar face, we know instantly if we can remember that person's name. That's because the human brain has an ability called metamemory. Looks like rats may have that higher power, too.

A promotional image from Skunk Bear's video on Ape Language.

What Are The Planet's Real 'Talking' Chimps And Gorillas Saying?

12:50pm July 25, 2017

Movies are full of loquacious chimps, but could nonhuman apes really use language? NPR's Skunk Bear sorts through the disturbing history of research on ape language to sort fact from wishful thinking.

Lily chases sheep for the first time in her shepherd-mix life, at Raspberry Ridge Sheep Farm in eastern Pennsylvania. Several times a year the farm invites dogs for "herding instinct tests."

Do City Dogs Dream Of Chasing Country Sheep?

6:49pm September 16, 2015

by Fred Mogul

Many people spend summertime in the great outdoors, enjoying simpler living. Reporter Fred Mogul took his city dog to a farm in Pennsylvania to see if she might enjoy exploring her shepherding roots.

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How Sound Shaped The Evolution Of Your Brain

4:06pm September 10, 2015

by Bill McQuay

Sound gets into our brains and processed so quickly that it shapes all other perceptions, says neuroscientist Seth Horowitz. "You hear anywhere from 20 to 100 times faster than you see."

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Froggy Went A-Courtin', But Lady Frogs Chose Second-Best Guy Instead

6:23pm August 27, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Given two choices of attractive mates, female frogs pick the top vocalist. But add a third, inferior male to the mix, and females go for No. 2. The "decoy effect" shapes some human choices, too.

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