University News and Communications publishes VUToday, a compilation of Vanderbilt mentions in the media, each weekday. Read a selection of Vanderbilt news stories for the week of Aug. 8. To subscribe to the daily VUToday newsletter, visit news.vanderbilt.edu/vutoday.
UPI: Number of neurons makes human brain powerful, not structure
There’s a surprisingly simple reason why human brains grew so large, even larger than the brains of gorillas and orangutans, whose bodies are larger than ours. Those bigger brains were possible thanks to cooking, according to work by Suzana Herculano-Houzel, associate professor of psychology. The article quotes Herculano-Houzel and features video produced by Vanderbilt Video. She also is quoted in a related article in Futurity.
ABC News: What science says about the best time of day to break an Olympic record
Multiple studies have found that circadian rhythm—a kind of biological clock that governs mood, appetite and sleepiness—can affect athletic performance. As a result, at certain points of the day, athletes will biologically be at their peak for competition. Alex Diamond, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation, is quoted.
The Atlantic: The never-ending struggle to improve Head Start
Head Start is nearing the end of a decade of big reforms, meant to improve quality and get closer to meeting the goals that President Lyndon Johnson laid out for it when he announced this new front in his War on Poverty. If all continues apace, the largest public program in the country could be just one step ahead of the locals, creating a roadmap for how to operate a public preschool program big enough to serve more than 1 million children without sacrificing quality. The article quotes Mark Lipsey, research professor and director of the Peabody Research Institute, and mentions his research of large public preschool programs. The article also appeared in The Hechinger Report.
ABC News: When a Zika virus outbreak is considered ‘over’
An outbreak of the Zika virus in Florida has led to a large response by state and local health authorities. But despite all their work to kill the mosquitoes that spread the virus and identify those who are infected, it will likely take time before they can declare the outbreak “over.” William Schaffner, professor of preventive medicine and health policy, is quoted.
Associated Press: Experts say white supremacists see Trump as ‘last stand’
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his campaign are expressing ideas similar to those espoused by white supremacists, said legal, media and civil rights experts on a conference call with reporters Wednesday. In addition, the experts said white supremacists are using the 2016 presidential elections to attempt to control the culture of politics. Sophie Bjork-James, a postdoctoral scholar in anthropology and expert in white supremacist social movements, is quoted. A related article in El País (Spain) also quotes Bjork-James.
Time: 7 scientific effects of marijuana that experts want to study
On Thursday, the U.S. government announced that marijuana would continue to be classified as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it has a high potential for abuse. However, the feds are allowing more research on marijuana’s medicinal uses by making it easier for researchers to grow it. Sachin Patel, associate professor of psychiatry, is quoted.