Humans favor speech as the primary means of linguistic communication. Spoken languages are so common many think language and speech are one and the same. But the prevalence of sign languages suggests otherwise. Not only can Deaf communities generate language using manual gestures, but their languages share some of their design and neural mechanisms with spoken languages. New research by Northeastern University’s Prof. Iris Berent further underscores the flexibility of human language and its robustness across both spoken and signed channels of communication.
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What makes human language special?
Many species on the planet employ a unique form of communication.
Can Meditation Make You a More Compassionate Person?
Scientists have mostly focused on the benefits of meditation for the brain and the body, but a recent study by Northeastern University’s David DeSteno, published in Psychological Science, takes a look at what impacts meditation has on interpersonal harmony and compassion. Several religious traditions have suggested that mediation does just that, but there has been no scientific proof—until now.
Under the hood of the ribosome
We all know—generally speaking—how a car works: The gas pedal makes it go, the break pedal makes it stop, and the steering wheel determines its course.
Why invader species may be taking dinner off your table
The species that live on our coasts provide benefits that most of us are unaware of.
Invasive Species: Understanding the Threat Before It’s Too Late
Catching rides on cargo ships and fishing boats, many invasive species are now covering our shorelines and compromising the existence of our native marine life. In a study published in Ecology Letters, Northeastern University Prof. David Kimbro and his team examine what factors allow some invasive species to survive in their new environments and others to fail.
The Art Of the Higgs Boson
Toyoko Orimoto, an assistant professor of physics, recently gave a TEDx talk titled, “The Art of the Higgs Boson.”
Meet Dan Blustein, A College of Science Twitter Ambassador
Dan Blustein is a marine biologist working on his PhD at Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center in Nahant. He is also a College of Science Twitter Ambassador.
A bright future for infectious disease research
Every year, nearly a million people die from one of three infectious diseases that few of us have ever heard of.
Meet Emily Blackwell, a College of Science Twitter Ambassador
Emily Blackwell is a freshman psychology major, who plans to minor in art or American Sign Language. She is also a College of Science Twitter Ambassador.