Study suggests teamwork boosts intelligence

Cooperation leads to intelligence.

In fact, researchers believe that intelligence in our species and others ? correlated with the size of a brain?s neural network ? may have been an adaptation for tool use, for social learning, and for the accumulation of culture. Intelligence might also be the result of sexual selection.

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The findings, published in the latest Proceedings of the Royal Society B, could help to explain why humans, dolphins, elephants and other clever animals are so brainy.

The idea that complex social interactions drive the evolution of intelligence has been around since the 1970?s. The problem with related studies has been how to disentangle what factors actually fuel intelligence and what were subsequent consequences of it.

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"Because experimental evolution of vertebrate brains is obviously impossible, we thought artificial intelligence would be the best way to evaluate the plausibility of the hypothesis," lead author Luke McNally told Discovery News.

The process might even be fueling the evolution of ever more intelligent individuals.

?It is conceivable that, with the rise of global networking, the demands of keeping track of an ever-growing number of social interactions may select for greater social intellect, but we?ll have to wait and see!? McNally said.

McNally, a member of Trinity College Dublin?s Theoretical Ecology Research Group, conducted the study with colleagues Sam Brown and Andrew Jackson. They created digital organisms that electronically evolved "brains" in order to succeed in social games where they could either cooperate or cheat on their opponent.

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Each individual?s fitness, based on the game outcomes, was calculated per round, with certain individuals selected to reproduce. Newly produced "offspring" underwent mutations, similar to what happens in real life. Generations also died. The researchers ran this genetic algorithm until 50,000 generations were reached.

The researchers found that the digital organisms typically started to evolve more complex brains when their societies began to develop cooperation. The results therefore support the idea that cooperation helped to drive the evolution of intelligence in at least certain species.

"The transitions to cooperative societies from uncooperative ones select for intelligence because of the constant risk of being exploited by uncooperative individuals," McNally explained. "This requires memory of past interactions and use of this memory to make decisions."

He added, however, that the process creates opportunities for "na?ve individuals who always cooperate to invade the population. This can further create opportunities both for 'mean' individuals to invade and individuals that recognize and exploit the na?ve competitors."

He is also quick to add that intelligence facilitates cooperation, but does not inevitably lead to it. Some of the most cooperative species are bacteria and certain social insects such as wasps, bees and ants. While these organisms are very successful, they are small and not exactly known for their big brains.

A Machiavellian arms race, where greater intelligence and complex strategies select for further intelligence and complexity, evolved in humans and other animals which may have also been affected by other factors, the researchers concluded.

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Sarah Brosnan, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Georgia State University, told Discovery News that the new study ?is a really interesting addition to the literature? on what helps to explain the evolution of intelligence.

?This is one of the first models showing that selection for efficient cooperative decision making alone can influence the evolution of intelligence, so it provides a really nice proof of concept for the social intelligence hypothesis,? she said. ?This could potentially explain the large brain sizes seen in several highly cooperative species, including humans.?

Robin Dunbar, director of the RSA?s Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology in the School of Anthropology, said that it appears ?mutualism as opposed to simple altruism is critical to primate, including human, sociality,? suggesting ?that it is this kind of social cooperation that has been critical in terms of selection for large brains.?

? 2012 Discovery Channel

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What?s Your Walk Score?

Ideally, Walk Score would track infrastructural and environmental issues: Does a street have good (or any) sidewalks? How long do you have to wait for the light? What?s the traffic volume? How many pedestrians have been struck in the crosswalk by turning cars? What?s the street level temperature? The company would also do well to recognize that proximity does not always equal walkability. Scott Bricker, the director of America Walks, says, ?If you do a Walk Score search on Beaverton Transit Center, in suburban Portland, it has a Walk Score of 96, off the charts,? he says. ?If you look at a Google Map, you see you can?t walk anywhere. It?s all strip mall stuff, five lane streets.? Indeed, Walk Score (guided by an advisory board) has been trying to refine its metric, and an ongoing beta service, called ?Street Smart Walk Score,? factors in actual walking routes, including an amoeba-like ?zone? of everything that can be walked to in 15 minutes. It also features variables like shorter block lengths and frequency of intersections?two factors urbanists associate with more walkable places. But here, too, data is lacking. ?There isn?t a good national dataset of crosswalks,? Hersh says.

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Type II Diabetes, San Antonio Review

Hereditary temperament to diabetes issues may be examined by performing an Immuno Genomic Profile. This examination can identify the gene that places us in danger of creating diabetic issues, metabolic dysglycemia (blood glucose levels instability) and also a high-risk of heart disease. If this type of examination is affirmative, stop worrying. The system changes this gene on and will turn it off.

There are actually four aspects of problem and remedy in true alternative proper care.

The very first aspect is healthy eating plan, together with a blood hormone balance, Hgb-A1c, CBC with differential and thyroid gland profile with TSH. This will allow your doctor to recognize any kind of inadequate vitamins and minerals such as zinc, magnesium mineral or various digestive enzymes.

It also ensures there won't be any some other involvements on the thyroid gland, liver organ, etc. Hormonal inspections can show an asymmetry of progesterone, male growth hormone, excess estrogen, DHEA and cortisol, which may change blood glucose levels. Lastly, food allergic reactions may cause blood glucose levels swing motion, and so they do!

Structural issues are extremely important especially for San Antonio Nutritionist. Every diabetic person has subluxations at C5 (from the neck) and also at T5, 6 and 7 (between your shoulder muscles), the nerve provide to the pancreas. There tend to be a lot more, but by changing these aspects, possibly even blood insulin reliant diabetic patients usually can reduce their dosage.

This is known as somatovisceral (vertebral/spinal to body organ nerve supply) relationship. Physical exercise is really important at the same time. For a newbie, the method, 170 minus the years of age, happens when one should attempt to acquire one?s heart beat, maintained for twenty minutes, a minimum of three times each week.

Electromagnetically, you will need drinking water - certainly not a cup of coffee, herbal tea, tequila or even soft drinks - normal water! In the event that a person doesn?t have plenty of normal water, a person can?t eat well. In addition to that, diabetic patients have a heavy risk of renal system difficulties. These kind of difficulties could be made worse by high levels of caffeine, that can cause the discharge of more blood insulin. Traditional Chinese medicine will also help control blood sugar levels. Abdomen, kidney as well as spleen areas are needed in persistent instances.

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?Infinity Blade II: ClashMob? Uses the Cloud, Crowd-Sourcing for Group-Based Gaming

The Infinity Blade series has always been on the cutting edge of mobile gaming. Now ChAIR Entertainment and Epic Games are adding a new feature to their latest, Infinity Blade II, which harnesses the innate social component of mobile devices.

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Christina Aguilera Crushes Tony Lucca on The Voice

"Mickey Mouse Club" connections only get you so far apparently.

Last night on The Voice, Christina Aguilera offered some less-than-glowing words for the falsetto-singing Tony Lucca, one of Adam Levine's proteges.

After a rendition of "In Your Eyes," Christina called him "one-dimensional," said she thinks there are better voices on the show, and hopes The Voice doesn't become about "celebrity sway" that keeps fan favorites like Tony in the competition.

Adam's response: "Wow. That was honest."

The Voice: Christina Aguilera Shreds Tony Lucca

Popular with fans and celebrities alike, Lucca got the support of Justin Timberlake, a MMC alum along with Aguilera and Britney Spears, on Twitter Monday.

Will he survive? He'll have to be one of the top three vote-getters among Adam Levine's six team members - or get Levine to save him with the fourth spot.

Think it'll happen? Tune in tonight to find out.

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Tips and Tricks to Effective Parenting: Family Time - The Glue That ...

By Aurelia Williams, author of Finding More Family Time

With our busy life styles, finding family time can be hard. Most homes these days are two income homes. Kids are booked with activities from school to church to sports. The older the children are, the harder it seems to schedule family time with everyone in one place.

Family time is an important bonding time. It helps parents stay in touch with what is going on in their kid?s lives. It helps the children bond with each other and their parents. It is a significant element in families that is often pushed off to another time.

What qualifies as family time is up to your family (and I have plenty of tips for you in my Finding More Family Time guide). Not every family can enjoy a trip to Disney or fancy resort. While these are great getaways for the family, they are not the only way to enjoy time with your family. Look for opportunities for everyday family times.

Something as simple as a family dinner is great family time. Though it is often hard to schedule, do this as often as possible. If only a few times a week, it is a great time to gather your children around the table and talk about their day, what is on their minds or things that are happening in their lives or yours.

Even if only one parent can be present, show the children that you care enough to share a meal with them. A bucket of chicken with the fixings, shared together at the picnic table in the backyard, is a great family time.

Find a hobby that parents and children all enjoy. It can be stamp collect or roller hockey, just something that you all enjoy doing. You can find a new activity or enjoy an older love that you haven?t found the time to enjoy lately. The point is to share that time with family. It can be a hobby that is done at home or one that gets you all out of the house together.

Start walking or working out together with your kids. Most parents have goals of getting fitter. This may include walking, running or working out at the gym. Make this a family activity. Walking and hiking are great activities for the family to enjoy together. It is a great time to talk to your children while you are hiking along. It has the side benefit of sharing and teaching the kids about living healthy as well.

Institute a family fun night. A night at home watching movies, solving puzzles or playing board games is a great time for all family members. Let the kids take turns picking out the games or movies each week. Kids really enjoy these activities and doing them with Mom and Dad is even more fun.

You can turn any activity into family time, if it involves family members. Make a shopping trip a fun family time adventure. Get the kids involved. These can be bonding experiences for everyone. Show kids that you are interested in them and who they are becoming.

Need More Help?

Find even more family ideas in the Real Life Guidance to Finding More Family Time Guide. This practical guide will show you how to set reasonable expectations for all family members, balance work and life, get organized and more. Click here for more info.

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'Battleship' leads attack of game-based movies

In this film publicity image released by Universal Pictures, from left, John Tui, Taylor Kitsch and Rihanna are shown in a scene from "Battleship." The Hasbro Inc. game using plastic pegs and ships was once a way for kids to while away lazy summer afternoons. But as it debuts in Europe on April 11, ?Battleship? the movie has become a potential franchise sporting Michael Bay-inspired special effects, aliens invading Earth, a bikini-model actress, superstar Rihanna and, of course, lots of guns. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures)

In this film publicity image released by Universal Pictures, from left, John Tui, Taylor Kitsch and Rihanna are shown in a scene from "Battleship." The Hasbro Inc. game using plastic pegs and ships was once a way for kids to while away lazy summer afternoons. But as it debuts in Europe on April 11, ?Battleship? the movie has become a potential franchise sporting Michael Bay-inspired special effects, aliens invading Earth, a bikini-model actress, superstar Rihanna and, of course, lots of guns. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? "Battleship" steams into movie theaters overseas this week, giving international audiences the first chance to decide whether a board game-based movie is sea-worthy.

The Hasbro Inc. search-and-destroy game was once a way for kids to while away summer afternoons. But as it debuts in Europe on Wednesday, "Battleship" the movie has become a potential franchise, sporting Michael Bay-inspired special effects, aliens invading Earth, a bikini-model actress, superstar Rihanna and, of course, lots of guns.

Whether the movie symbolizes Hollywood's lack of new ideas or its brilliance in adapting old ones, Comcast Corp.'s Universal Pictures is betting big that it's the latter. With a reported production budget of $200 million, observers say it will need to reap at least $500 million at box offices worldwide to pay off.

Hollywood's love of the sequel, the prequel, the reboot and the adapted novel all originate from the same premise: Moviegoers are more likely to buy a ticket if they are already familiar with the story.

But not since "Clue" bombed in 1985 has Tinseltown gambled on adapting a popular board game with no apparent storyline.

The idea of turning board games into movies has gained new traction in part because of the huge success of "Transformers," and to a lesser extent "G.I. Joe," which are both based on toys from toymaker Hasbro Inc. The three "Transformers" movies have grossed more than $2.6 billion worldwide, helping lift "Transformers" toys to become Hasbro's top-selling brand last year, exceeding 11 percent of its $4.3 billion in annual revenue.

For Hasbro, the movie is a way to get a globally marketed boost for its games business, which Sterne Agee analyst Margaret Whitfield called "stagnant" and lacking innovation. Turning that stagnation around is a goal of Brian Goldner, Hasbro's CEO since 2008. He told investors in February "we're going to reignite our games business."

If it succeeds, "Battleship" will be the advance guard of a whole fleet of planned adaptations of Hasbro games including "Ouija," also being developed by Universal for release in 2013, as well as "Risk" and "Candy Land," which are both in the works at Sony Corp. "Stretch Armstrong," a movie based on the glutinous-armed toy from Hasbro, is set for 2014 release by Relativity Media.

On paper, "Battleship" scores high on the checklist for blockbuster success: a hero in a life-or-death struggle against incomparable odds, a steamy love interest, a star-studded cast that includes Liam Neeson, and a whole lot of destruction and mayhem.

Marketing of the film borrows heavily on its successful predecessor, and trailers proclaim that the movie is "From Hasbro the company that brought you Transformers." Churning metal weaponry and explosions are unmistakably reminiscent of the special effects used in "Transformers," which was directed by Michael Bay.

"It reeks of 'Transformers,' which is all a good thing," says Gene Del Vecchio, an entertainment research consultant and author of "Creating Blockbusters: How to Generate and Market Hit Entertainment for TV, Movies, Video Games and Books."

The movie also has "built-in appeal" with parents who feel nostalgic about the game and want to pass it on to their children, he says.

That formula of appealing to parents with young kids has served Hollywood well, and this summer's line-up of popcorn fare includes everything from decades-old comic book superheroes "The Avengers," ''The Dark Knight Rises," and "The Amazing Spider-Man" to two dueling versions of Snow White.

Every year, about a dozen movies have toy-related tie-ins and this year is no different. Success really depends on word of mouth, not what got the first wave of filmgoers in the door.

While decrying Hollywood's lack of original ideas, UCLA screenwriting professor Richard Walter says the only chance for "Battleship" to succeed is if "they threw away everything but the title and made a good movie."

On the surface, little about "Battleship" the movie resembles the board game.

In the game, players call out letters and numbers that correspond to their opponents' grid, hoping to hit and sink a set of ships hidden there.

In the movie, alien ships burst out of their hiding place in the ocean and trap some battleships under a giant force field inside which the two sides must duke it out. The aliens appear to have weapons with distinctly peg-like shapes, along with some spinning metal balls of death known as "shredders," which were not part of the board game.

Hasbro has that little wrinkle covered.

The company is releasing a new version of the game using cards that enable the wielder to wipe out a whole row or column of their opponents' pieces, offering kids a way to relive the experience of the movie at home.

The mind-numbing array of toy-related movies might have some people groaning. That doesn't mean the trend will end any time soon.

"The parents can get fatigued, but children don't," says Jim Silver, editor in chief of toy-reviewing website TimetoPlayMag.com, who says parents usually succumb to their children's demands for movie-related toys.

"If you take three kids to the movies and they love it, and they want to have that play experience at home ... chances are parents are going to buy it. However, if they never see the movie, then that's a different story." Battleship debuts in the U.S. on May 18.

Associated Press

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