Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Financial crisis squeezes African science funding
Funds have fallen and the future is "worrying", the AU's science chief told the TWAS meeting, but some countries gave confident reports.
Children of single mums more likely to smoke
Research by a team at the University of Essex has shown that the children of single mothers are considerably more likely to smoke as young adults than children who are...
Rugby kickers should back off
Rugby league players are making conversion kicks from too close in, according to a mathematical study that modelled the situation.
How to decide whether a nursing home is the right fit
Websites and organizations help patients and families choose the right facility. ...
New science centre to inspire children
Teen failure at school picked to lead new Royal Institution project
Economic View: Opting in vs. Opting Out
If choosing to be an organ donor were easier, would more people donate? It’s a question for behavioral economics.
Young and Suburban, and Falling for Heroin
Officials across the New York region are grappling with a new crop of addicts who are in their teens or early 20s and often come from middle- or upper-middle-class families.
Why middle-agers shouldn't join the army
Enlisting in the army is a significant life-changing decision, especially for someone who's middle-aged. Apparently there's an age cap of 42 for active duty. The reasoning behind this seemingly arbitrary...
Personality traits influencing weight loss
Being too optimistic could harm weight loss efforts. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal, BioPsychoSocial Medicine, reveals the psychological characteristics that may contribute to weight loss...
Dear Penn And Teller: Bullshit!
I like Penn&Teller, the magicians and debunkers of pseudoscience and general inanity. I regularly use clips from their show in my critical reasoning class, despite cringing every time Penn indulges...
Social Background Weighs Heavily On Teenage Diet
Teenagers' attitudes to diet and weight are shaped by their social class, according to new research. Policymakers have long insisted on the importance of understanding young people's health and eating...
Moon myths: How real are lunar health effects?
Reliable studies comparing the lunar phases to births, heart attacks, deaths, suicides, violence, psychiatric hospital admissions and epileptic seizures, among other things, have over and over again found little or...
Reliable nursing home information can be difficult to get
The government website charged with providing such information has been found lacking. Getting a full picture of a facility takes some legwork. ...
When skin cancer hits home
It took the death of her spouse before a woman began taking sun protection seriously, but now she hopes to get others motivated less painfully. Many people who don't protect themselves from the...
Doctor works at a clip to save a patient from painful steps
Cutting an overweight man's overgrown toenails should have been a podiatrist's job. But some tasks can't wait. The man's deep voice was bright and happy until he realized that I wasn't a podiatrist....
Behind the scenes of 'Uncharted 2: Among Thieves'
(AP) -- The cast of the action-adventure sequel "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves" are doing something most video game actors never do: They are rehearsing together in a room.
Parents can cut risks to teen drivers
Teen drivers with their own set of wheels may be more likely to get into crashes than their peers who share a car with their parents, new U.S. research suggests.
How Would Darwin Use E-mail? In A Circadian Cycle, It Seems
You may feel like you're not in the same league as Albert Einstein or Charles Darwin (note: statistically, you are not) but you probably share one thing if you are...
Autism may include aptitude for analogy
Contrary to what had been thought, young people with autism recognize and compare relationships among objects in scenes
Public must be involved in nanotech policy debate demands groundbreaking
Decision-making on science -- especially emerging technologies such as nanotechnology -- must become more democratic, a new report on science policy released today argues. The group of leading...
New ways to predict violent behavior?
In the future, diagnosing severe personality disorders, evaluating the childhood environment, assessing alcohol consumption and the analysis of the MAOA genotype may provide more accurate means for assessing risk among...
How To Be Einstein Without Being A Genius
Very sound advice from systems biologist Uri Alon: A common mistake made in choosing problems is taking the first problem that comes to mind. Since a typical project takes years even...
Patient Money: When Elder Care Problems Escalate, You Can Hire an Expert
Caring for an elderly parent is draining. When it gets especially tough, you may feel that you need the equivalent of a case worker.
Researchers find group therapy benefits homeless veterans prone to violence
A new study finds that group therapy can benefit homeless veterans who have admitted taking physical or emotional abuse against their partners. The research - a collaboration between Gary Dick,...
Creation finally secures US distributor
The film will be handled by the same independent distributor that helped Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ to box-office success
Service honours medical body donors
Families, friends and medical students gathered at a unique ceremony in Calgary to honour those who donated their bodies to science.
Do You Really Care About The Human Race ?
Do you really care about the human race ? I do, and probably I do more than you do. Well, not more than you, maybe -I do not know you...
N.W.T. caribou herd numbers plummet
The Bathurst caribou herd in the Northwest Territories has shrunk drastically to one-quarter the size it was only three years ago, according to the latest survey by the N.W.T. government.