News

A groundbreaking new study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience has revealed that our experience of music goes far beyond mere listening — the human brain and body physically resonate with musical rhythms in a way that shapes everything from emotional states to bodily movement. The discovery is poised to transform fields as diverse as neurological therapy, music education, and even artificial intelligence, with implications that reach right into daily life and the vibrant cultural landscape of Thailand.

A recent story from India has ignited regional discussion around adolescent sexuality, as an acclaimed television actress publicly shared her thoughts on gifting her 16-year-old daughter a sex toy. The striking admission has challenged entrenched taboos and inspired experts and parents across Asia, including Thailand, to reflect on the importance of open, judgment-free conversations with teenagers regarding sexual health, pleasure, and safety.

The original interview with the actress, published in The Indian Express, detailed her readiness to support her daughter’s curiosity in a healthy, honest manner. She stressed that if her daughter wished to discuss topics such as masturbation or ask for a sex toy, it would be met with openness, not shame. This approach, the actress argues, reduces stigma and is an act of responsible, modern parenting.

A recent opinion piece from The Oregonian by columnist Lizzy Acker has sparked renewed discussion regarding family priorities in parenting, analyzing whether “compulsory family time” should trump traditional childhood activities—specifically, attending kids’ birthday parties. The debate, drawn into public view by a parenting influencer’s declaration of a family policy against weekend party attendance, holds wide-ranging implications for Thai parents and families navigating cultural, social, and emotional priorities for their children.

A growing body of research has drawn attention to a little-known yet crucial muscle deep within the human body—the psoas. Often overshadowed by more well-known muscles, the psoas is now being recognized by medical professionals and physical therapists as instrumental to core stability, movement, and even mental well-being, according to recent coverage by Literary Hub. Understanding its role may change long-standing approaches to rehabilitation, exercise, and health maintenance, with potential benefits for millions, including those in Thailand where sedentary lifestyles and chronic back pain are increasingly common.

Meta Chief Executive Officer’s latest sweeping vision imagines a near-future where most people’s friends—and even therapists or business aides—are artificial intelligence (AI) bots available through familiar platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Mark Zuckerberg’s comments, which came in a May 2025 podcast, have ignited a wide-ranging debate about the promises and perils of AI companions as a solution to the world’s loneliness epidemic, while raising searching questions for Thailand’s digitally savvy population.

As parents in Thailand prepare their children for adulthood, new international research highlights a crucial question: Beyond academic exams, what life skills should an 18-year-old truly possess to thrive independently? This issue has gained fresh urgency with the publication of a recent essay in The Globe and Mail, inspired by psychologist Martin Seligman’s findings on youth development and a practical checklist developed by a former Stanford University dean. The message is clear: Modern youth, whether in Canada or Thailand, risk missing key lessons in self-sufficiency if parents continue to do everything for them.

A new study has uncovered a surprising trend: employees who openly acknowledge using artificial intelligence (AI) at work are often trusted less by colleagues and clients than those who keep silent. This finding, featured in a recent report on The Conversation, challenges widely held assumptions that transparency around technology use breeds confidence and goodwill in professional settings.

This insight is particularly significant for Thai professionals and organizations as businesses across the kingdom increasingly embrace AI-powered solutions—from customer service chatbots and automated translation tools to advanced data analytics. In many workplaces, staff are encouraged to adopt AI as part of digital transformation agendas and the nation’s push toward Thailand 4.0, where technology and innovation drive economic growth. Yet, according to the latest findings, revealing reliance on such tools could undermine interpersonal trust, an essential element in many Thai office cultures that value harmony, respect, and personal relationships.

Prompt engineering, a specialized field that soared to prominence alongside the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT, is already facing an existential threat—one ushered in by the very technology it helped enable. According to recent analysis from Fast Company and commentary from industry leaders, prompt engineering is quickly being subsumed by the rapid evolution of AI models themselves, transforming from a discrete job to a skill that is quietly embedded in many traditional roles across a variety of industries.

Recent research published in Quanta Magazine reveals a growing consensus among computational neuroscientists and artificial intelligence (AI) researchers: AI, despite its name and inspiration, is fundamentally unlike the human brain—but that’s not a flaw, it’s an opportunity for new frontiers in both technology and neuroscience. This divergence, explored in the article “AI Is Nothing Like a Brain, and That’s OK” (Quanta Magazine, 2025), is now informing efforts to both make AI more efficient and gain deeper understanding of our own minds.

Asia has once again cemented its position as a global leader in computer science education, according to the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, released in March by the renowned higher education research agency, Quacquarelli Symonds. Thirteen Asian universities have secured places among the top 50 worldwide for computer science, with institutions in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan dominating the leaderboard. For Thai students and educators, these results offer important insights into both regional competition and opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Aspartame, the popular calorie-free artificial sweetener featured in thousands of food and drink products across Thailand and the globe, is under renewed scrutiny after recent research highlighted its potential health risks despite decades of widespread use. While aspartame has long been promoted as a guilt-free alternative to sugar—especially for those managing weight or diabetes—nutrition experts caution that its effects may not be entirely benign, prompting Thai consumers to reconsider their dietary choices in light of emerging evidence.

In a rapidly changing tech landscape, a new generation of researchers is merging creative design and advanced computer science to revolutionize the way people interact with their environments. Recent breakthroughs at MIT, highlighted in an in-depth article published on April 28, 2025, showcase how this merger is yielding tools and concepts with practical impact on both daily life and global challenges such as sustainability and humanitarian support (news.mit.edu).

The significance for Thai readers lies in the growing intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and sustainable design—a trend that is reshaping education, business, and even humanitarian work in Southeast Asia. As Thailand aims to become an innovation hub in the region, these global examples offer a roadmap for integrating digital thinking and traditional craft in areas ranging from commerce to disaster management.

A significant breakthrough in chronic pain management has arrived, as new research reveals that learning to control emotions can bring meaningful, sustained relief to those suffering from persistent pain. A recently published clinical trial, led by a team at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and reported by Neuroscience News, found that focusing on emotional regulation—not just physical symptoms—can significantly improve quality of life for chronic pain sufferers. This development is particularly significant for countries like Thailand, where chronic pain is a widespread but often poorly addressed health concern.

A seasoned prenatal and postpartum fitness expert is bringing fresh guidance to new mothers, sharing practical techniques to help those recovering from childbirth safely repair their core muscles and regain strength. With so many mothers in Thailand experiencing similar challenges during the postpartum period, the expert advice uncovered in this recent report holds wide-ranging significance for women and families nationwide.

In the weeks and months following childbirth, many women face not just the immense responsibility of caring for a newborn but also a daunting array of physical and emotional changes. Among the pressing health concerns is the recovery of core muscles, which are stretched, weakened, or even partially separated during pregnancy and delivery. In the article, a personal trainer with over a decade of experience in postpartum fitness emphasizes that exercise is not merely about appearance but about healing, empowerment, and well-being. “Movement is not just to look a certain way, it’s to feel, it is healing, it is medicine,” she explains, echoing a philosophy that resonates with growing research on the holistic benefits of physical activity for postpartum women (local10.com).

Fears of humanity’s extinction may sound far-fetched, but scientists are warning that global birth rates are falling so fast, some populations could eventually disappear unless women have more children. According to recent research synthesized by experts and highlighted in a much-discussed feature on population trends, the world could see dozens of countries’ populations shrinking by 2100 due to persistently low fertility rates—a phenomenon with profound implications for economies, societies, and the future of human civilization itself (Daily Mail).

As Thailand’s wet season transitions into the hot months, many residents find themselves reaching for tissues—uncertain whether their persistent sneezes, sniffles, and scratchy throats are signs of a lingering cold or responses to the rising pollen count. With research indicating that allergy seasons globally are starting earlier and lasting longer due to climate change, understanding the difference between allergies and the common cold has never been more important—especially for those living in Bangkok and other urban centres prone to increasingly severe air pollution and dense greenery (theguardian.com).

In a scientific breakthrough decades in the making, researchers have finally confirmed a “crazy” theory dating back to 1958 involving vitamin B1, or thiamine. By successfully stabilizing an extremely reactive molecule known as a carbene in water—something scientists long believed to be impossible—this team has not only resolved a long-standing biochemical debate but also unlocked new possibilities for sustainable chemical manufacturing around the world, including Thailand. Their results, published in Science Advances on April 11, 2025, have sparked fresh excitement in both academic and industrial laboratories worldwide (SciTechDaily).

A new wave of powerful artificial intelligence systems—from leading global tech companies like OpenAI, Google, and DeepSeek—are increasingly generating factual errors despite their advanced capabilities, sparking growing concerns among users, researchers, and businesses worldwide. As these A.I. bots become more capable at tasks like complex reasoning and mathematics, their tendency to produce incorrect or entirely fabricated information—known as “hallucinations”—is not only persisting but actually worsening, as revealed in a recent investigative report by The New York Times (nytimes.com).

A new wave of medical research and expert consensus is dispelling age-old myths about muscle soreness following exercise and highlighting what it really means for health and fitness enthusiasts, including Thai readers exploring their own fitness journeys. Contrary to the popular adage “No pain, no gain,” the latest findings suggest that post-exercise soreness, known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), is neither a requirement for progress nor an indicator of workout success, challenging beliefs that have been glorified in both international pop culture and Thai fitness circles for decades (The Guardian).

A growing body of research is sounding an alarm about an everyday food found in countless Thai and international dishes: processed meats. According to the latest analyses, including a fresh report published in May 2025, regularly eating foods like bacon, sausages, ham, hot dogs, and certain deli meats can significantly increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer—particularly when consumed daily. This comes at a time when doctors are witnessing a shocking trend: younger patients, some as young as 16, now being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, a disease once considered exclusive to older populations. The implications of these findings could shift how Thais approach their diets and long-standing culinary traditions reliant on processed meats.

A groundbreaking health assessment tool has emerged from the University of Washington School of Medicine, introducing a more precise method for calculating a person’s biological age—one that could ultimately help predict an individual’s risk of disability and death with greater accuracy than existing techniques. Dubbed the “Health Octo Tool,” this innovative approach utilizes eight key health metrics derived from standard physical exams and routine laboratory tests, offering fresh potential for both personal and public health interventions (MedicalXpress).

In a significant leap forward for neuroscience, researchers have unveiled a revolutionary imaging technique that allows high-resolution, minimally invasive observation of the brainstem’s critical hub for processing bodily signals—a discovery with the potential to transform treatment for depression and other mental health disorders. The new approach, called D-PSCAN, opens an unprecedented window onto the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS), a deep-brain structure that integrates signals from the body and helps regulate emotions and overall mental health (Neuroscience News).

A wave of new neuroscience research is challenging centuries-old stereotypes about the fundamental differences between male and female brains, revealing a far more nuanced and overlapping landscape than previously assumed. This comes as modern brain imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) analyses provide the most detailed look yet at the structure and function of human brains—questioning deeply rooted ideas about gender and intellect. The findings carry real implications for how Thai society understands intelligence, gender, and health, as well as for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric conditions.

A landmark bill that would allow North Carolina high school students to substitute advanced mathematics with computer science for graduation and university admissions requirements has cleared a major legislative hurdle, sparking debate about the future direction of education in the digital age. House Bill 415, which passed the North Carolina House Education committee on Tuesday, is now moving on to the House Rules committee, bringing the state a step closer to overhauling its math curriculum requirements and aligning education with the needs of a modern workforce (WRAL).