Social interactions synchronize brain activity within individuals and between individuals. In a new study, researchers compared brain synchronization between pairs of people with relatively strong social ties (acquaintance pairs) and pairs with almost no social ties (stranger pairs). The study found that during a cooperative task, the stranger pairs exhibited more closely connected brain networks compared to the acquaintance pairs. These findings challenge the conventional understanding that stronger social bonds lead to greater brain synchronization.

Researchers have identified the types of E.coli responsible for neonatal meningitis -- around 50 per cent of infections are caused by two types of E. coli. The study was the largest to date, examining genomes of E. coli bacteria across four continents. The research also revealed why some infections recur despite being treated with antibiotics -- it's most likely that bacteria hide out in the intestinal microbiome. This information tells us that we need to keep monitoring these babies after their first infection, as they are at a high risk of subsequent infections.