Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
SpaceX Traces Third Rocket Failure to Timing Error
A timing error doomed the third Falcon 1 rocket test for SpaceX.
FBI says evidence points uniquely to Bruce Ivins in anthrax case
The deceased government researcher was the only scientist who had regular access to the unique anthrax spores linked to deadly mailings in 2001, according to FBI documents released today. ...
Paradox Of Higher Education, Crime: Male College Students More Likely Than Less-educated Peers To Commit Property Crimes, Study Finds
Men who attend college are more likely to commit property crimes during their college years than their non-college-attending peers, according to research to be presented at the annual meeting of...
Verizon, unions for 65,000 workers continue talks
(AP) -- Verizon Communications Inc. is back in talks with two unions about new labor contracts for 65,000 workers.
Anthrax Case Renews Questions on Bioterror
Some people say a boom in biodefense research has actually increased access to dangerous germs.
Doctors Must Be Held Accountable For Complying With Torture, Experts Argue
Doctors who assist in torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment should face prosecution and licensing punishments, says a new editorial.
Watching Too Much TV Is Causing Some University Students To Pack On The Pounds
What's causing some university students to pack on the pounds? University of Alberta researchers say the culprit could be television commercials. Researchers discovered students who reported medium or high television...
Free Academic Articles Get Read But Don't Generate More Citations
When academic articles are "open access" or free online, they get read more often, but they don't -- going against conventional wisdom -- get cited more often in academic literature,...
Study: To sleep better, perchance to live longer
(AP) -- Shakespeare once called sleep the "balm of hurt minds." Bodies, too, apparently. People with the severe form of apnea, which interferes with sleep, are several times more...
Once common on skin, anthrax is deadly in lungs
(AP) -- Seven years ago, Americans learned to fear anthrax as a white powder in the mail that claimed lives, forced the post office to change the way it...
Biophysicist J. Murdock Ritchie dies
HAMDEN, Conn., Aug. 1 (UPI) -- J. Murdoch Ritchie, the biophysicist who asked U.S. intelligence officials to share the poison saxitoxin with scientists, has died in Connecticut. He...
If only healthcare weren't all about money
Then in a universal system, consumers wouldn't have to be the losers (or be broke either). ...
British children deaf to call of the wild
LONDON, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- A poll finds that many British school children are unable to identify common animals or plants, including bluebells, oaks and daddy-long-legs.
Outdoor Activity And Nearsightedness In Children
A growing number of the world's children are mildly to severely nearsighted (myopic), with rates especially high among urbanized East Asians. In addition to coping with poor distance vision, children...
Anthrax suspect suicide: Burden on the Feds
The news today that anthrax researcher Bruce E. Ivins had committed suicide gave me a sick feeling, and brought to mind the Tom Wolfe novel Bonfire of the Vanities. For...
Not quite a teen, not fully an adult
Fueled by hormone fluctuations, the teenage years can be a time of huge emotional upheaval. But, as an initiative by MIT's Young Adult Development Project finds, the roller coaster may...
Many 'failing' schools aren't failing when measured on impact rather than achievement
Up to three-quarters of U.S. schools deemed failing based on achievement test scores would receive passing grades if evaluated using a less biased measure, a new study suggests. read more
Brain tweak lets sleep-deprived flies stay sharp
Staying awake slows down our brains, scientists have long recognized. Mental performance is at its peak after sleep but inevitably trends downward throughout the day, and sleep deprivation only worsens...
Ties to war-dead are a predictor of likely presidential disapproval
Those who know someone who died in the Iraq War or 9/11 terrorist attacks are less likely to approve of President Bush's performance in office than people who have no...
Long work hours widen the gender gap
Working overtime has a disproportionate impact on women in dual-earner households, exacerbating gender inequality and supporting the "separate sphere" phenomenon in which men are the breadwinners while women tend to...
China opens first very high-speed rail line
China's first very high-speed rail line went into operation Friday, linking Beijing to neighbouring Tianjin, where sporting events will be held during the Olympic Games.
Estradiol exposure may impair cognition
CHAMPAIGN, Ill., July 31 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've discovered chronic exposure to estradiol, the main estrogen in the body, diminishes some cognitive functions.
Mothers not asked to stop drinking
One in two pregnant Australian woman drink alcohol during despite risks for the baby, and many obstetricians do not ask or inform, according to research.
New division of labour by gender
Analysis of the working patterns of Australian families shows women are doing proportionally less housework than before in some households, but not others.
U.S. Pols Wary Of In-Flight Cell Phone Use
Members of Congress are making the case that cell phone calls on airplanes can be both unsafe and annoying and should be permanently banned.
More cities move aggressively to stop heat deaths
(AP) -- The homeless woman was nauseated, dizzy, drenched with sweat, dehydrated and sobbing with fear. She had heat exhaustion and was on the verge of heat stroke. But...
Olympic Games: Have we reached a plateau in terms of speed?
The world-record pace for the marathon continues to improve for both men and women. For men, the record pace for the marathon is now about as fast as the record...
Keeping Hands Where You Can See 'Em Alters Perception
Psychologists have shown that to see objects better, you should take them into your own hands. Humans are compelled to closely analyze objects near our hands, they say, because we...