Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Colour my numbers
For as many as 1 in 20 people, everyday experiences can elicit extra-ordinary associated sensations. The condition is known as synaesthesia and the most common form involves 'seeing' colours when...
Obama Arrives at Climate Talks, Seeking to Wrest a Deal
The world is looking to the president to wrest some credible success from climate negotiations, and there were some signs that a meaningful political deal might be at hand.
Power Law Explains Insurgent Violence
The timing of attacks all over the world fits a similar pattern [Read more]
9 most provocative sex studies of 2009
We've loved. We've learned. And we've had some of our sexual suspicions confirmed by scientific research. As 2009 comes to a close, a look back at the year's nine most...
Informal social networks better at encouraging Hispanics to prepare for disasters
FINDINGS: Historically, authorities have used broad media campaigns to encourage the public to prepare for disasters -- an approach that has proven largely ineffective. For this new study,...
Almost two-thirds of pregnant women believe they are regularly exposed to physical risk at work
A new study shows the employment and sociodemographic characteristics involved in the exposure of pregnant women to workplace hazards. Of these, 56% say they often work standing up or have...
Organic flash memory developed
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a non-volatile memory that has the same basic structure as a flash memory but is made from cheap, flexible, organic...
South Beach Brite
The South Beach Diet is one of the most popular weight loss plans on the market today. The strategy, with its delineation between "good carbohydrates" and "bad carbohydrates" has helped...
Learning styles debunked
Are you a verbal learner or a visual learner? Chances are, you've pegged yourself or your children as either one or the other and rely on study techniques that suit...
Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, South African Who Oversaw Discredited AIDS Policy, Dies at 69
Dr. Tshabalala-Msimang questioned the causal connection between H.I.V. and AIDS and promoted dietary measures rather than drug treatments.
Genetics: Watching science at work
A network of social scientists in the United Kingdom is seeking better ways to study the work of biologists. But, asks Colin Macilwain, can it earn its subjects' trust?
Climate change does not always lead to conflict
Bronze age farmers adapted to drought. The climate change that took place in Mesopotamia around 2000 BC did not lead to war, but in fact led to the development of...
Bell can't make 'most reliable' claim: B.C. court
Canada no longer has a "most reliable network" after a B.C court ruled Bell Mobility must remove all of its advertising containing such a claim in a decision that conjured...
Scientists Shed New Light On Right Brain Activity
It`s a world first: thanks to new technology developed by the University of Victoria, Canada, researchers can now show how multiple parts of the right brain dynamically process spatial relationships.
Glutamate can play key role in drug impact on brain
(PhysOrg.com) -- Addiction disorders of various kinds are a major health and social problem, and our knowledge of how the brain`s reward system functions needs to be enhanced. Uppsala researchers...
Review: Netbooks meet luxury in ultra-light Sony
(AP) -- Netbooks have been a hit among laptop buyers because they're cheap and they're easy to carry. Now there's the option to pay a lot more and get...
How to Hide Your Friends List on Facebook
Facebook Made Friends Lists Available to All Under New "Privacy" Regime; Here's How to Keep It Private (Except to Friends)
Report: Arizonans make good neighbors, but not good citizens
(PhysOrg.com) -- Polls consistently show that Arizonans take pride in their state, enjoy their quality of life, and like and trust their neighbors. Yet despite such positive outlooks, the percentage...
Mom and Dad not equally to blame for some bad genes
Depending which parent passes on a trait, disease risk could go up or down
How do we understand written language?
How do we know that certain combinations of letters have certain meanings? Reading and spelling are complex processes, involving several different areas of the brain, but researchers have now identified...
Brain imaging shows kids' PTSD symptoms linked to poor hippocampus function
Psychological trauma leaves a trail of damage in a child's brain, say scientists. Their new study gives the first direct evidence that children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress suffer poor...
No More 'Social Media,' More Single Log-ins for Multiple Platforms
(PhysOrg.com) -- As more people use social media platforms, they will begin moving away from using the term 'social media' in the new year, predicts Dr. Karla Gower, associate professor...
NSAIDs: Take 'em early and often when competing? Think again
Athletes' superstitions and rituals can help them get psyched up for contests, but when these rituals involve non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which many athletes gobble down before and during events,...
Interview: At home with microfluidics
Andrew deMello discusses lab-on-a-chip devices, the changing face of medicine and spin-out companies
Pronoun Sleuth
George Washington always refers to George Washington. The pronoun he, on the other hand, can refer to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, or anyone else who is male (not...
Delay makes aged care frail
A recent study found that New Zealanders stay independent longer than they used to – so people in aged care are more frail.
What's wrong with wellbeing? | Juliet Michaelson
The ultimate goal of government should be promoting wellbeing. It's not 'surreal' to make policies on that basisCatherine Bennett is unconvinced that "it is the state's business to meet those psychological needs" that...
Earliest proven case of leprosy found in Israel
The DNA of a shrouded man from the first century found in Jerusalem has revealed the earliest proven case of leprosy, Israel's Hebrew university announced on Wednesday.