Researchers at Swansea University have made an intriguing discovery about the behavior of wild chacma baboons on South Africa’s Cape Peninsula. By using high-resolution GPS tracking, they found that these intelligent primates walk in lines not for safety or strategy, but simply to stay close to their friends.

For a long time, scientists believed that baboons structured their travel patterns, known as “progressions,” to reduce risk and optimize access to food and water. However, the new study published in Behavioral Ecology reveals that this behavior is actually driven by social bonds rather than survival strategies.

The researchers analyzed 78 travel progressions over 36 days and found that the order in which individual baboons traveled was not random. They tested four potential explanations for this phenomenon, including strategic positioning to avoid danger or gain access to resources. However, their findings show that the consistent order of baboon movement patterns is solely driven by social relationships.

According to Dr. Andrew King, Associate Professor at Swansea University, “The baboons’ consistent order isn’t about avoiding danger like we see in prey animals or for better access to food or water. Instead, it’s driven by who they’re socially bonded with. They simply move with their friends, and this produces a consistent order.”
This discovery introduces the concept of a “social spandrel.” In biology, a spandrel refers to a trait that arises not because it was directly selected for but as a side effect of something else. The researchers found that the consistent travel patterns among baboons emerge naturally from their social affiliations with each other and not as an evolved strategy for safety or success.

The study highlights the importance of strong social bonds in baboon society, which are linked to longer lives and greater reproductive success. However, this research also shows that these bonds can lead to unintended consequences, such as consistent travel patterns, which serve no specific purpose but rather as a by-product of those relationships. The findings have implications for our understanding of collective animal behavior and the potential for social spandrels in other species.

Standardizing Psychedelic Research: A Breakthrough in Understanding the True Potential of Mind-Altering Drugs

The use of psychedelics as potential treatments for mental health disorders has gained significant traction in recent years. However, a critical flaw in psychedelic clinical trials has hindered their progress – the failure to properly account for how a person’s mindset and surroundings influence the effects of these substances.

A group of international researchers from McGill University, Imperial College London, and the University of Exeter have tackled this issue by developing a set of guidelines to standardize psychedelic clinical trials. The Reporting of Setting in Psychedelic Clinical Trials (ReSPCT) guidelines are a 30-item checklist that represents the first global agreement on which psychosocial factors have the greatest impact on a psychedelic experience.

“For decades, we’ve known that psychedelics don’t work in isolation,” said co-lead author Chloé Pronovost-Morgan. “The person’s mindset, the therapy room, even the music playing all influence outcomes.” This approach challenges the traditional way psychoactive drugs are typically studied, where scientists try to control or eliminate outside variables to isolate a drug’s effects.

These guidelines recognize that context is crucial and should be studied directly. By offering a standard framework for evaluating and reporting these variables, the ReSPCT guidelines aim to make trial outcomes more consistent and comparable across studies.

Having clear guidelines for contextual considerations is essential to understand the effects of psychedelics and how they work differently from other psychiatric medications,” said co-senior author Leor Roseman. “Our guidelines will also help in replicating results and understanding the true therapeutic potential of psychedelics.”

The lack of standards has had consequences beyond the research lab, Pronovost-Morgan explained. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently rejected MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder, citing inconsistent reporting across trials as a key reason for the decision.

“There is immense public interest in psychedelic therapies, particularly for individuals suffering from debilitating mental health conditions like PTSD, depression and anxiety, which have not responded to existing treatments,” said co-senior author Kyle Greenway. “Our guidelines offer a new gold standard for psychedelic research, helping bring these treatments to those who need them most.”

The research team is organizing a three-day workshop in October, funded by McGill’s Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives initiative, where leading experts in psychedelics and neuroscience will discuss how the guidelines can be integrated into research and clinical practice.

The article you provided highlights a significant study that explores the connection between being in nature and managing chronic back pain. The research, conducted by experts in pain management and environmental psychology, sheds light on the potential benefits of incorporating natural spaces into the lives of individuals with chronic lower back pain.

The study’s findings are striking, as people who were able to get out into nature reported a range of benefits that helped them cope with their physical discomfort. These included:

* Connection with others: Being outdoors enabled participants to connect with others on a social level, which was particularly important for those who might otherwise spend most of their time indoors and isolated.
* Distraction from pain: Nature provided a degree of distraction from the pain itself, allowing participants to focus on something other than their physical discomfort.
* Escapism: Being outdoors gave participants a sense of escapism from their daily lives, which was particularly important for those who were struggling with chronic back pain.
* Exercise opportunities: Participants enjoyed exercising in pleasant surroundings, preferring it to gyms or similar settings.

The study also highlighted some concerns regarding the accessibility of natural spaces. Factors such as unsteady or uneven terrain and a lack of seating had the potential to reduce participants’ enjoyment of – and making them less inclined to visit – certain places.

Based on their findings, the researchers have recommended that people with chronic lower back pain – and the clinicians treating them – give greater consideration to the role nature can play in their health and wellbeing. They also suggested natural spaces could be adapted to incorporate more accessible design features.

The study’s lead author, Alexander Smith, emphasized the importance of exploring how nature can be accessed by everyone, particularly those with chronic pain. He noted that simple changes, such as better paths and seating, and technological innovations including virtual reality may help make those benefits accessible to everyone.

Dr. Sam Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Pain Neuroscience at the University of Exeter, added that the study addresses important questions about health equity and the significant physical barriers faced by people living with chronic pain in accessing natural spaces. He suggested that future research could use immersive technologies, such as virtual reality, to help overcome these barriers which would enable individuals to experience the benefits of nature without needing to physically navigate inaccessible environments.

Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of being in nature for managing chronic back pain and highlights the need for greater consideration of how natural spaces can be made more accessible to everyone.