Human Behavior, features and articles | Educational Science

May 31, 2010

Can the President Summon Anyone He Wants?

As Commander in Chief of the United States military, the President can summon any member of the military to his office. For example, President Obama summoned Gen. Stanley McChrystal to a meeting Tuesday. Regular civilians cannot be made to appear before the President, however. If a member of the military...

May 31, 2010

Why Do Couples Start to Look Like Each Other?

While you may be familiar with the old saying, “opposites attract,” in reality, what the heart wants is someone who resembles its owner – and that resemblance increases the longer two lovebirds stay together. University of Michigan psychologist Robert Zajonc conducted an experiment to test this phenomenon. He analyzed photographs...

Apr 30, 2010

Image Gallery: Amazing Egyptian Discoveries

King Tut Red (Image credit: Egyptian Museum)The discovery of jars of wine in King Tuts tomb prompted a team of Spanish scientists to try and determine if the boy king preferred red or white wine. An analysis of residues in 2005 revealed that the jars contained syringic acid, which implied...

Apr 30, 2010

What Were the Worst Days Ever on Wall Street?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 376 points today, and while many reports hold the European debt crisis partially responsible, and arguments over the role of new U.S. financial regulations have begun, one thing is for certain: This is far from the biggest drop ever. Today's drop isn't historic when...

Apr 30, 2010

Does Exercise Help Kids Do Better in School?

Ask kids what their favorite time of the school day is, and many may say either gym class or recess. They get to run around, play with their friends and take a break from the books. It may be a great way to release stress, but could fitness also contribute...

Apr 30, 2010

What Are the Best MacGyver Stunts?

MacGruber, which will bring the Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Will Forte and Kristen Wiig to movie screens this month, is a parody of the TV series MacGyver that ran during the 1980s and '90s. The show has such an avid cult following that the word macgyverize is included in...

Apr 30, 2010

What Was the Most Expensive Art Heist in History?

Last week's theft from the Paris Museum of Modern Art saw criminals make off with more than $1 million in paintings, according to news reports. But although works by Picasso and Matisse disappeared in the Paris robbery, that heist doesn't even compare to the Gardner Museum and Mona Lisa jobs....

Apr 30, 2010

Close Relationship with Mom Leads to Better Romance Later

How well you get along with your parents in your teens might influence your romantic relationships a decade later, a new study suggests. The results show a close relationship with one's mother in early adolescence was associated with better-quality romantic relationships as young adults. The findings highlight the importance of...

Apr 30, 2010

Baseball Science: Perfect Baserunning Path Revealed

The shortest distance between two points is a line, most mathematicians will tell you. But researchers at Williams College have shown that upon hitting a potential double or a triple, baseball players would be wise to take a curved path. Ballplayers intuitively know this, but the new study offers precise...

Mar 31, 2010

What is Good About Good Friday?

Good Friday is a solemn day as far as the Christian faith is concerned, marking the anniversary of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who died on a Friday around the year 33 AD, according to historians. There is little good to celebrate about the torture of any man, seemingly, but...

Mar 31, 2010

Jealousy Really Is Blinding, Study Finds

Catching a partner checking out a hot guy or gal can do a number on even the most confident person. New research suggests the resulting jealousy can actually distract a person so much they miss what's right in front of their eyes. In the study, heterosexual romantic couples sat near...

Mar 31, 2010

Which Country Has the Most Immigrants?

Ever since Homo sapiens first wandered out of Africa, the story of humanity has been one of constant migration. Today, 213 million people in the world are living in a country other than the one in which they were born, according to U.N. statistics. Just ten countries absorb the majority...

Feb 28, 2010

Stress Changes Who Men Find Attractive

When men are under stress, instead of preferring women who resemble themselves as they normally do, they choose dissimilar women, researchers now find. Scientists in Germany and their colleagues had 50 men look at 30 pictures of erotic female nudes. These photos were computer-modified so their faces subtly resembled either...

Feb 28, 2010

As National Health Worsens, Women Prefer More Manly Faces

As the health of a nation worsens, women prefer more masculine faces, research now reveals. Masculine facial traits, such as larger jaws and heavier brows, have been linked with men's health and thus perhaps healthier offspring. Still, women do not show consistently strong preferences for men with such traits, which...

Feb 28, 2010

Multiple Generations Under One Roof, Again

Adult children are moving back in with parents, and grandparents are taking up residence with their kids' families. Sound like old times? In fact, multi-generational households are making a comeback, according to a report released today. Some 49 million Americans now live in such an arrangement, up from 28 million...