Behavior
Emotions, perception and the biological processes of living organisms
Images on Cigarette Packs Are Scarier to Smokers Than Text Warnings
A new study shows that nothing scares a smoker away from taking another puff more than a picture of how a body will look like after a lifetime of doing so
November 14, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Last Letters From Scott’s South Pole Team Are Heart Breaking
To mark the 100 year anniversary of their deaths, the letters of Scott's team have been published in a book
November 13, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
In Study, iPads and Readers Help Those With Vision Loss Read Faster
Researchers say that the larger fonts and backlights available on tablets help improve reading speeds
November 12, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Watch These Beetles Tear the Feathers off a Parrot
Sometimes you just want a skeleton
November 08, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
In Experiments, Caffeine Accelerates the Brain’s Verbal Processing
A new study shows that the equivalent of a few cups of coffee can help us process words more quickly and accurately
November 07, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
How Does the Brain Process Art?
New imaging techniques are mapping the locations of our aesthetic response
November 2012 |
By Abigail Tucker
Even in Healthy Adults, High-Fat Fast Foods Affect Arteries Almost Immediately
In a new study, people who ate a pair of fatty sausage and egg sandwiches for breakfast showed reduced blood vessel health by the afternoon
October 31, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
While the East Coast Focused on Sandy, Typhoon Son-tinh Battered East Asia
Sandy was not the only tropical cyclone this week
October 30, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Scientists Use Cadaver Hands to Study the Dangers of Pumpkin Carving
A rigorous experiment compared pumpkin-carving tools to determine the safest way to carve a pumpkin
October 26, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Two Pillars of Skepticism—Leon Jaroff and Paul Kurtz—Died This Weekend
Leon Jaroff and Paul Kurtz both died this weekend. Together, the two men represent some of the founding ideas of the modern skeptic community
October 22, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Carbon Dioxide in a Crowded Room Can Make You Dumber
A new experiment shows that the collective carbon dioxide exhaled by people around you might cause you to think more slowly
October 22, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
What Is the Most Annoying Sound in the World?
A new study examines the neurological basis for unpleasant noises—and finds exactly which sounds are the most irritating
October 16, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Marshmallow Test Gets More Complicated
A new study finds that in a study of self control, the perception of trustworthiness matters
October 15, 2012 |
By Sarah Zielinski
The Man Who Deserved ’66 Percent of the Credit’ for Cloning Dolly Has Died
Earlier this week Keith Campbell, one of the scientists responsible for Dolly, died at the age of 58
October 12, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Kenai the Sea Otter, Rescued From Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, Has Died
One of the last two otters rescued from the Exxon Valdez oil spill has just passed away
October 11, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Can You Give the Flu To Your Dog or Cat?
New research indicates that the influenza virus can jump from humans to pet animals, raising the possibility of dangerous mutations
October 05, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Isaac Newton’s Death Mask: Now Available in Digital 3D
Using a mask made upon the great physicist's death, scientists created a 3D scan of Newton's visage
October 01, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
DNA Pulled From Maggots’ Guts Used to Identify Deceased Woman
Maggots that resided at the crime scene gave investigators a clue to the deceased's identiy
September 28, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
The Latest Cure for Acne: A Virus
Researchers are looking into a naturally-occuring virus which preys upon the skin bacteria that trigger outbreaks of acne
September 25, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Does This Cat Know When You’re Going to Die?
Oscar the cat seems to know who will die and when - or perhaps he's just looking for someone to pet him
September 20, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
