Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Sep 30, 2007

Brain Fast to Recognize Fearful Faces

People recognize a fearful expression faster than any other, a new study finds. Researchers at Vanderbilt University set out to test how quickly people become aware of fearful, neutral and happy expressions. Because human brains can process facial expressions with astonishing speed—in fewer than 40 milliseconds—the psychologists devised a way...

Sep 30, 2007

Scientist: Blood Helps Us Think

As it is pumped through blood vessels and delivers oxygen to brain cells, blood may actually help us think. Research done by scientists at MIT suggests that in addition to providing nutrients and oxygen to the body's cells, blood may affect the activity of neurons in the brain as it...

Sep 30, 2007

Study Reveals Why Flu Thrives in Winter

For the first time, scientists have solid evidence of why the flu is so common in winter. A new animal study suggests that the influenza virus' success hinges on low relative humidity and cold temperatures. Such conditions keep the virus more stable and in the air longer than warm, humid...

Sep 30, 2007

Hottest Chile Pepper Shatters Record

It's hot. Scorching hot. Guinness World Records hot. Researchers at New Mexico State University have discovered the world’s hottest chili pepper. It's called the Bhut Jolokia, a variety originating in Assam, India. In tests that yield Scoville heat units (SHUs), the Bhut Jolokia reached 1 million SHUs, almost double the...

Aug 31, 2007

Neanderthals' Disappearance Gets More Mysterious

Stocky and well-suited for the cold, Neanderthals once dotted the plains of Europe and western Asia before vanishing from Earth more than 20,000 years ago. The mystery of what caused their demise has baffled scientists for decades, with one theory stating our hominid cousins failed to survive a big ice...

Aug 31, 2007

Scientists Invent Gum That Won't Stick to Your Shoe

Stepping in gum on the sidewalk won't be such a sticky situation anymore—scientists have invented nonstick gum. Clean Gum, as it is called, supposedly can be easily removed from shoes and pavement (as well as from hair, skin, and clothes). So walk down the street without fear of ruining your...

Aug 31, 2007

Men's Scent Depends on Women's Perceptions

If the sweaty guy standing in line next to you smells like vanilla—or urine—you may have whiffed a steroid in his body odor called androstenone. The chemical can take on either a vanilla or woodsy urine scent, depending on which version of a mutated odor gene carried by you, the...

Aug 31, 2007

Evidence in Hand That 'Hobbit' Was Not a Modern Human

A smoking gun that could snuff out a hot debate over skeletal remains dubbed the hobbit is in hand, literally, according to a group of scientists. Three wrist bones provide key evidence supporting the argument that fossil remains of an ancient, undersized individual represent a new hominin species that walked...

Aug 31, 2007

Modern Humans Retain Caveman's Survival Instincts

Like hunter-gatherers in the jungle, modern humans are still experts at spotting predators and prey, despite the developed world's safe suburbs and indoor lifestyle, a new study suggests. The research, published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that humans today are hard-wired to...

Jul 31, 2007

Senior Sex is Swell, Survey Says

Whatever else aging does, it does not kill the sex drive. Men and women continue to participate in sexual intercourse and masturbation well into their 70s and 80s, according to a study announced today. Considered the first comprehensive national survey of sexuality among older adults in the United States, the...

Jul 31, 2007

Kids' Food Fussiness May Be Inherited

LONDON (AP) -- Having trouble persuading your child to eat broccoli or spinach? You may have only yourself to blame. According to a study of twins, neophobia -- or the fear of new foods -- is mostly in the genes. Children could actually blame their mothers for this,'' said Jane...

Jul 31, 2007

Top 5 Myths About Girls, Math and Science

The days of sexist science teachers and Barbies chirping that math class is tough! are over, according to pop culture, but a government program aimed at bringing more women and girls into science, technology, engineering and math fields suggests otherwise. Below are five myths about girls and science that still...

Jul 31, 2007

Parasites Sneak Entire Genome into Flies

Spineless creatures of the world, watch out: Bacteria can slip their entire genetic codes into yours. Scientists have discovered the parasitic microbe Wolbachia's entire genome—the software of life—inside that of its fruit fly host. The breakthrough suggests that movement of genes between two different species, called lateral gene transfer, happens...

Jul 31, 2007

Brain Surgery: It Really Is Brain Surgery

This Behind the Scenes article was provided to LiveScience in partnership with the National Science Foundation. Everything changes after the surgeons open your skull. Your brain, and the tumor inside it, no longer fully float in their protective bath of cerebrospinal fluid. Gravity comes into play, as does the atmospheric...

Jun 30, 2007

Study Reveals Why We Learn From Mistakes

Researchers have pinpointed an area in the brain that alerts us in less than a second of an impending mistake so we don’t repeat it. Scientists have long known that mistakes are conducive to learning, suggesting the reason lies in the element of surprise upon finding out we are wrong....