Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jan 31, 2007

'Kinship Detectors' Prevent Incest ... In Some Cases

People are born with kinship detectors that help us stay away from romantic entanglements with our siblings that could lead to evolutionary disaster, a new study suggests. But the system is far from fail-safe, the scientists found. The research suggest humans automatically and unconsciously gauge the relatedness of people they...

Jan 31, 2007

Cities Can Make You Skinny

People who live in the densest, pedestrian-friendly parts of New York City have a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) compared to other New Yorkers, a new study finds. Lower BMI indicates less body fat. The researchers say placing shops, restaurants and public transit near residences may promote walking and...

Jan 31, 2007

Study: Hospitals Should Open Windows to Curb Disease

Simply opening windows and doors could help prevent the airborne spread of germs inside hospitals, medical researchers now report. Airborne contagions can prove deadly, with tuberculosis alone killing 1.8 million people worldwide annually. The greatest risk for outbreaks of airborne contagions perhaps lies in hospitals, which concentrate infected patients and...

Dec 31, 2006

Herpes Might Cause Alzheimer's

Updated 3:01 p.m. ET New research supports growing concerns that herpes plays a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. The latest work, announced today, shows a link between a gene and herpes simplex 1, or HSV. The form of the ApoE gene called...

Dec 31, 2006

Beverage Studies Biased in Favor of Industry, Researchers Say

Drug companies aren't the only spin game in town when it comes to biased health-research claims. Studies funded completely by food and drink companies on the nutritional benefits of soft drinks, milk and various juices are four to eight times more likely than independently funded studies to draw conclusions that...

Dec 31, 2006

Caffeine Might Cut Post-Workout Pain

Forgo the after-workout massage for a cup o' Joe? Moderate doses of caffeine—the equivalent of two cups of coffee—can cut post-gym muscle pain, suggests a new but small study. The findings have particular relevance for people new to exercise, since they tend to experience the most soreness. “If you can...

Dec 31, 2006

Anxious? Talk it Out

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, that identifies and corrects distorted thinking is effective at reducing symptoms in people with serious anxiety, a new review of research shows. About 5 percent of adult Americans at some point in their lives suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, a condition in which they worry about...

Dec 31, 2006

People More Cautious Than Reckless When Gambling

When gambling, people dwell more on losing big than winning big, a new study finds. Using a brain scan technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers at UCLA mapped the brain's responsiveness as people placed bets in a gambling game. Participants were given $30 and then asked whether they...

Dec 31, 2006

Hobbit Declared a New Species as Debate Continues

New computerized casts of abnormally small Homo sapiens brains are reigniting the debate over the skeletal remains nicknamed The Hobbit. Ever since the 18,000-year-old remains of the three-foot-tall adult female hominid were unearthed in 2003 on the remote Indonesian island of Flores, scientists have argued whether the specimen was a...

Nov 30, 2008

Happiness: Contagious as the Flu

In a good mood? Your neighbor, her friends and even her friends' friends should thank you – you're likely infecting them with your cheer. Happiness spreads through social networks about as easily as the flu, according to a new study. The researchers analyzed data compiled from nearly 5,000 interconnected people...

Nov 30, 2008

Food Allergy Hysteria Is Nuts

Anyone who packs Junior's lunch has by now heard that peanuts are often a no-no. In fact in many schools, peanut butter and nuts of all kind are all prohibited. Even home-baked goods are banned for fear they might contain traces of nuts. The hysteria itself is nuts, and in...

Nov 30, 2008

Sugar Can Be Addictive, Study Suggests

A study of rats finds they show all the signs of addiction to sugar. The finding could help better understand eating disorders in humans. Professor Bart Hoebel and his team in the Department of Psychology and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute have been studying signs of sugar addiction in rats for...

Nov 30, 2008

Doctor's Advice: Leave the Toilet Seat Up

One of the longest-running spousal debates may now be settled in favor of men and for the sake of little boys. Leave the toilet seat up, some British doctors now say. The reason: a rising trend for heavy wooden and ornamental toilet seats to fall down onto the penises of...

Nov 30, 2008

5 Surprising Holiday Health Myths

Many supposed holiday hazards are as innocuous as a tepid mug of apple cider. A review article in the current issue of the British Medical Journal cites five fears that can officially be crossed off the holiday worry list. Myth 1: Sugar makes kids hyperactive. There have been more studies...

Nov 30, 2008

Your Brain Sees $$$ More Clearly Than You Know

When you see something of value, your brain essentially sees dollar signs, a new study finds. The effect occurs even if you don't consciously realize the object's worth. Researchers scanned the brains of subjects who were presented with choices of constantly changing red and green objects that represented 10 cents...