Finding a better route to treating social anxiety disorder may lie in another part of the brain, researchers suggest. The findings of the study show that oxytocin produced in the BNST increases stress-induced social anxiety behaviors in mice. This may provide an explanation as to why oxytocin can sometimes have antisocial effects.

Studies have long suggested that oxytocin – a hormone that can also act as a neurotransmitter – regulates prosocial behavior such as empathy, trust and bonding, which led to its popular labeling as the “love hormone...

Designing solar panels in checkerboard lines increases their ability to absorb light by 125%, a new study says. Researchers say the breakthrough could lead to the production of thinner, lighter and more flexible solar panels that could be used to power more homes and be used in a wider range of products.

The study — led by researchers from the University of York and conducted in partnership with NOVA University of Lisbon (CENIMAT-i3N) — investigated how different surface designs impacted on the absorption of sunlight in solar cells, which put together form solar panels.

Scientists found that the checkerboard design improved diffraction, which enhanced the probability of light being absorbed which is then used to create el...

Transportable radio telescopes could provide global high-precision comparisons of the best atomic clocks. Using radio telescopes observing distant stars, scientists have connected optical atomic clocks on different continents...

Injuries to peripheral nerves – tissues that transmit bioelectrical signals from the brain to the rest of the body – often result in chronic pain, neurologic disorders, paralysis or disability. Now, researchers have developed a stretchable conductive hydrogel that could someday be used to repair these types of nerves when there’s damage. They report their results in ACS Nano.

Injuries in which a peripheral nerve has been completely severed, such as a deep cut from an accident, are difficult to treat...