Chris Mortensen: It’s much healthier for people to work with horses, rather than playing video games

Chris Mortensen

Equine physiologist Chris Mortensen studies the influence of exercise and stress on mare fertility. His laboratory at University of Florida conducts research on reproductive function in horses and other mammals. Dr. Mortensen also teaches marvelous The Horse Course at Coursera, which is absolutely essential for anyone interested in equids. In his interview for metkere.com Chris Mortensen explained why horses are man’s and woman’s best friends and talked about their role in modern economy. Read More

Michael Kuhar: We’re only beginning to understand how the brain works

Michael J Kuhar

Neuroscientist Michael J. Kuhar has been studying brain for decades. He focused his research on analysis of the work of brain through chemical signaling and the effect of drugs on the brain through receptors. In 2012 Kuhar published The Addicted Brain book and now teaches online course at Coursera of the same name. We spoke with professor Kuhar about his studies, addiction treatment and the future of online education. Read More

Foxes, stress and evolution

Лисы, стресс и эволюция
Photo by Alexander Dubynin.

metkere.com is launching a joint project with Eureka magazine dedicated to the scientific ideas born in Siberia. The first issue is devoted to the destabilizing selection and domestication of foxes. The idea of destabilizing selection was initially proposed by Dmitry Belyaev, first director of Institute of Cytology and Genetics of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Science (from 1959). Thanks to him we now have a better understanding of the domestication process in terms of biology, primarily for the ancestors of the dogs. And that seems to be universally recognized. Read More