Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Adolescent alcohol exposure may lead to long-term risky decision making
Picture this. A bunch of adolescent rats walk into a bar and start consuming Jell-O shots. Lots of them...
Race Has Little Effect On People's Ability To Spot Family Resemblances
Scientists have ample evidence that individuals use a variety of cues to identify their own kin. People can also detect resemblances in families other than their own. A new study...
Herding leads to wrong decisions in the stock market
One reason for extreme fluctuations in the stock market is herding.
British doctor faces action over claims of 'ghost writing'
• Medics credited with work of firms' employees • US court documents reveal 'author' culture
New vest keeps firies cool
Australian inventors have developed a vest that can help fire fighters and emergency workers stay cool.
The Handwriting of Liars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Forget about unreliable polygraph lie detectors for identifying liars. A new study claims the best way to find out if someone is a liar is to look at...
Richard Dawkins condemns UK libel laws
Scientist says libel laws that make it too easy for people to be sued could have 'disastrous consequences' for the public interest
Science Weekly podcast: Darwin and Dawkins
Caspar Melville, editor of the New Humanist magazine, is our studio guest. We look at some of the creationist topics in the latest issue of the magazine including Muslim anti-evolutionist Harun Yahya, a grid...
Fish policy blighted by 'failure'
The Common Fisheries Policy needs to be overhauled because of "systemic failures", a new study concludes.
Podcasts may help with weight loss
A group of people dropped pounds while listening to a motivational program. ...
This Land: Weed Heroes: The War on the Invader Cogongrass
In Alabama, stimulus funds are ammo in the battle against a pest on the scale of kudzu.
Classroom Behavior: Why It's Hard To Be Good
Being seen as either well behaved or naughty at school is never entirely in the hands of the individual child, a new study shows.
Individuals In Vegetative States Can Learn, Scientists Find
Scientists have found that some individuals in the vegetative and minimally conscious states, despite lacking the means of reporting awareness themselves, can learn and thereby demonstrate at least a partial...
Observation of tool use activates specific brain area only in humans
How'd those Frosted Flakes manage to get so high up? Who'd in their right mind put them there? Can't...reach. Aha! Stool! Argh...still no dice. Damn these short arms! Oh oh!...
Hitting Talk Shows, Obama Defends Health Care Agenda
Appearing in interviews on five television networks, the president said that he welcomed Republicans to the effort, but added, “I don’t count on them.”
Can a pill really boost brain power?
In America, university students are taking illegally obtained prescription drugs to make them more intelligent. But would you pop a smart pill to improve your performance? Margaret Talbot investigates the brave new world...
A blueprint for how not to do scientific research
This week at a debate in the Royal Institute I was told off by the science minister for not praising good science reporting, because journalists – famously kind to their targets –...
Word for Word | A Tutorial From Lyndon B. Johnson: ‘Don’t Let Dead Cats Stand on Your Porch’
Six lessons from President Johnson’s successful Medicare push, captured in his own words.
Obama Rejects Race as the Lead Cause of Criticism
President Obama said distrust of the role of government rather than his race was the cause of fierce criticism in the contentious debate over health care.
Education and reward genes interact to influence alcoholism among Mexican-Americans
Interaction of gene/gene, gene/environment and environment/environment factors can contribute to alcoholism. New research looks at the influence of gene/environment interaction on alcoholism among Mexican Americans. Findings show that interaction between education...
‘Scent lineups’ spark dogfight over science
The Innocence Project of Texas said Friday that scent identification lineups, in which trained dogs determine if a suspect's smell matches the smell of crime scene evidence, are based on...
Functional weight machines shake up routine
Sure, you're fit. But are you functionally fit? The hottest trend in fitness today is "functional training," which means working out in a way that better prepares your body for...
For many, health policy jargon is clear as mud
Deductibles. Out-of-pocket. Point of claim. Jargon flummoxes patients and experts alike. Moves are afoot to make it easier to understand. Neil Dukas knew little about health insurance because he had always been healthy. When...
Will peppermint interact with statins?
I was very concerned to hear that you should not eat peppermints while taking a cholesterol-lowering medication. I am on Crestor, and I eat peppermints when I have an upset...
Choosing to not have medical insurance
He covered the healthcare industry for much of his career and realizes the importance of a safety net. But after weighing the risks and benefits, he is going it alone. It never occurred...
7 Solid Health Tips That No Longer Apply
Advice that was once considered gospel truth among the medical community is now being questioned.
Program Gets Girls to Go For Science
Carl Pennypacker at UC Berkeley runs Universe Quest, a summer program to get girls excited about science. We follow a group of Girl Scouts who get to look through...
Alberta math, science exams to be multiple choice
Alberta has dropped the handwritten portions of Grade 12 diploma exams in math and science, making the tests entirely multiple choice.