How we focus our attention before we even see an object matters. For example, when we look for something moving in the sky, our expectation would be very different if the object is a bird flying past or a baseball coming straight at us. But it’s unclear whether our brain’s attention focuses first on a broad characteristic of the anticipated object, such as movement, or a specific feature — such as the direction of movement up or down. Researchers from the Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis, addressed this by analyzing electrical brain activity with machine-learning methods. 

As the war in Gaza continues, new research highlights a strikingly unconventional practice: a Jewish Israeli military spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, extensively employing Islamic religious messaging to address Arab and Muslim audiences. At first glance, this communication strategy may appear surprising, even contradictory. Yet, as the study reveals, it is part of a calculated effort to shape perceptions in the Arab world during times of conflict.