Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Brains 'listen' to speech through skin: researchers
Our brains can be fooled into perceiving one speech sound as a completely different one if the sound is accompanied by an inaudible puff of air, Canadian researchers have found.
Kenyans draw weapons over shrinking resources
Experts fear the conflicts involving cattle, water and land may be just the beginning of climate-driven violence in Africa. At least 400 people have died in northern Kenya this year,...
When good companies do bad things
The more prominent and financially successful a corporation becomes, the more likely it is to break the law, according to a new study that challenges previous research.
An end to sleep problems? Researchers discover enzyme behind effects of sleep deprivation
There is hope for those who miss one night too many or whose children keep them up at night. The unwelcome effects of a bad night's sleep - forgetfulness, impaired...
Money crisis didn’t cut hours
The global financial crisis didn’t make people cut working hours, according to a recent study – except for those who changed jobs.
Tips to keep iPhone battery going strong
In talking with my iPhone-using friends, we often seem to bring up how to squeeze the most life from the iPhone's "nonreplaceable" battery.
Early relationships influence teen pain and depression
Angst could be more than a rite of passage for insecure teenagers, according to a study published in the Journal of Pain. Researchers from the Universite de Montreal, Sainte-Justine University...
In Defense Of Dissection
An opinion piece in the Boston Herald criticizes the squid dissection component of an overnight family education event at the New England Aquarium: The barbaric highlight of the night was when...
Memo From Alexandria: Harnessing Darwin to Push an Ancient Intellectual Center to Evolve
An international conference on Darwin in Egypt helped lead to a public discussion of ideas that challenge religious thinking and the national curriculum, and promote critical thinking.
World Briefing | Middle East: Flu Fears May Curtail Pilgrimage
The number of pilgrims to Mecca this year may be down substantially because of fears of swine flu, the BBC and CNN reported Wednesday, citing remarks by government officials.
Brains Benefit From Multilingualism
For a considerable time already there has been discussion within scientific circles about whether knowing and using multiple languages could possibly have positive effects on the human brain and thinking....
Scientists Discover Why Suffocation Causes Fear
Around 5% of people are claustrophobic, fearing tight spaces and restricted movements. One of the major sources of fear by claustrophobics is the fear of suffocating. As it turns out,...
The Robin Hood Banker: Does 'helper syndrome' exist?
£7m theft could be down to 'martyrdom feeling'In Germany, she is known only as the Robin Hood Banker, a 62-year-old woman who has been convicted of stealing €7.6m (£6.9m) from the accounts...
Top 5 surprising turkey facts
In the years since President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a regular holiday, the turkeys we eat have changed dramatically, and so has scientific knowledge of them. ...
Study: Race, class and gender shape religion's effect on American voters
(PhysOrg.com) -- How Americans vote is strongly linked to their religious identities, but it is not an independent influence that transcends race, socio-economic class and gender, reports a new Cornell...
Homeopathy on the NHS is unethical, doctors tell MPs
Giving homeopathic remedies to patients on the NHS is unethical and a dubious use of public money, scientists and doctors told MPs today.The treatments, which are licensed by the government and offered through...
A timely touch transforms speech perception
Air puffs on the hand or neck influence people’s ability to hear certain spoken sounds.
Startled flies may provide insight into ADHD
It seems obvious that naturally waking up from sleep and being startled by something in the environment are two very different emotional states. However, the neuroscience that underlies these different...
Expert Answers on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Dr. Nancy Klimas answers readers' questions on the diagnosis chronic fatigue syndrome, its possible link to vaccines, and more.
Linguist: 'Most' means 80 to 95 percent
TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- An Israeli linguist says she has conducted a study that quantifies the meaning of the word "most."
Johnson & Johnson Focus Funding Grant for Parkinson's Research
Dr. Sarit Larisch of the University of Haifa received the prestigious Johnson & Johnson Focus Funding grant for her breakthrough research exploring the cause of brain cell damage in Parkinson's...
Intelligence poorly related to brain size
LONDON, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- British scientists say they've found brain size is much less related to the complexity of an organism's thought and behavior than is currently assumed.
Computerized order entry/decision support systems: Effective solution to managing imaging utilization
Providing physicians with a computerized order entry/decision support system that provides immediate feedback regarding imaging appropriateness at the time of ordering may be an effective solution to managing imaging utilization,...
On-call radiology residents accurately interpret off-hours neuro CT exams, study suggests
On-call radiology residents generally provide accurate preliminary interpretation of emergency neuroradiology CT scans after hours when attending neuroradiologist unavailable, according to results of a large study performed at a level...
British creationists: some numbers | Andrew Brown
British creationists are numerous, largely irreligious, and ignorant of scienceThe previous blog discussed how creationist opinion formers think: given that formal creationism is a belief that must be taught, this seems a sensible...
Homeopathy: MPs on science committee grill experts | Live blog
The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has called in homeopathy practitioners and scientists to discuss evidence for the alternative therapy. Join us as the debate unfolds8.32am: It would be nice to...
My DNA dilemma | Alan Johnson
The liberty-security balance is centuries old. On the DNA database, I think we're getting it rightAs Willie Whitelaw once noted, balancing the rights of the individual against the rights of society as a...
Learning His Body, Learning to Dance
A determined choreographer has done what therapists could not: She has dramatically changed the way Gregg Mozgala, a 31-year-old actor with cerebral palsy, walks.