Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences Archives - News Center

Two side-by-side portraits of Michelle Carr against a beige backdrop — eyes closed on the left, eyes open on the right.

From the Magazine

The making of a dream engineer

Michelle Carr ’10, ’22 (Flw) had her first lucid dream as an undergraduate. She’s been unraveling the science of the sleeping mind ever since.

Dora Bora against a white background near text that reads "ever wonder" and then in a thought bubble "how animals think" to illustrate the concept of collective intelligence in animals.

Science & Technology

How animals make group decisions—without a leader

From pigeons to chimpanzees, cognitive biologist Dora Biro shows how individual minds scale into collective intelligence—and what that reveals about us.

Ralf Haefner, Adam Snyder, and Shizhao Liu stand in front of a whiteboard covered in writing.

Science & Technology

Learning makes brain cells work together, not apart

A new study overturns a long-standing theory in neuroscience.

Two male researchers sit in a dimly lit office and look at a large computer screen displaying red and green chevrons in motion. One researcher is wearing an eye-tracking device.

Science & Technology

The brain uses eye movements to see in 3D

February 4, 2026

Contrary to long-standing beliefs, motion from eye movements helps the brain perceive depth—a finding that could enhance virtual reality.

A young woman with pigtails wearing headphones and a blue sweatshirt is listening to music against the sky from a low wide angle.

Science & Technology

Are humans predisposed to understand the complexities of music?

January 6, 2026

Listeners—regardless of formal musical training—can track complex tonal structures, offering a unique look at how the brain processes context.

Health & Medicine

Can lost vision be restored?

December 8, 2025

URochester researchers are at the forefront of improving eyesight while discovering how our visual system works.

The exterior game park at the Strong Museum of Play.

University News

Let’s play! URochester and The Strong Museum partner to advance research and innovation

December 3, 2025

The collaboration expands opportunities for education, innovation, and community engagement through the power of play.

A student sits in an oak tree.

Campus & Community

October 2025 in photos

October 30, 2025

Pumpkin spice season is in full effect. Take a walk back through how we spent October at the University of Rochester.

Three wild chimpanzees of varying ages gather and use rocks to crack nuts.

Science & Technology

Wild chimpanzees show human-like cognitive decline with age

October 28, 2025

Research into changing tool use by chimps in the wild suggests evolutionary origins of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

Group of fire ants surround a larger queen fire ant.

Science & Technology

How the genetic few can sway the many

A study of fire ants reveals the surprising power of genetics in shaping social organization and group behavior.