New Research Reveals Different Brain Activity Behind Missed Penalty Kicks
Study finds that beneficial brain regions, including those involved in movement, underlie successful kicks and overthinking may be a factor in missed kicks. Are penalty…
Behavioral Science
Many Consumers Misinterpret Food (Best By / Use By) Expiration Date Labels
Consumer education is needed to increase understanding of food date labels according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. Misunderstanding…
New Study Deconstructs Dunbar’s Number: Yes, You Can Have More Than 150 Friends
An individual human can maintain stable social relationships with about 150 people. This is the proposition known as ‘Dunbar’s number’ – that the architecture of…
No! Loan Applications Processed Around Midday Are More Likely to Be Rejected
Bank credit officers are more likely to approve loan applications earlier and later in the day, while ‘decision fatigue’ around midday is associated with defaulting…
Body’s Natural Pain Killers Can Be Enhanced – Works With Fewer Side Effects Than Opioids
A study in cells and mice finds compound works with fewer side effects than opioids. Fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine—these substances are familiar to many as a…
Does Selfishness Evolve? Ask a Cannibal
Study confirms evolutionary link between social structure and selfishness. One of nature’s most prolific cannibals could be hiding in your pantry, and biologists have used…
Researchers Warn: AI Algorithms Can Influence People’s Voting and Dating Decisions
Researchers highlight need for public education on impact of algorithms. In a new series of experiments, artificial intelligence (A.I.) algorithms were able to influence people’s…
At Least Four Independent Traits Affect Dogs’ Ability To Establish Eye Contact With Humans
Shorter headed dogs, visually cooperative breeds, younger and playful dogs form eye contact faster. According to new research by Hungarian ethologists, at least four independent…
How AI Falsifies Satellite Images: A Growing Problem of “Deepfake Geography”
A fire in Central Park seems to appear as a smoke plume and a line of flames in a satellite image. Colorful lights on Diwali…
First People in the US to Experience Drone Delivery Give It a Seal of Approval
The week of Thanksgiving last year, a postcard arrived in mailboxes in Christiansburg. A link to a survey was on the back. On the front,…
Harvard Researchers Reveal Next Step in 3D Tracking of Freely Behaving Animals
3D Deep Neural Network Precisely Reconstructs Freely-Behaving Animal’s Movements Animals are constantly moving and behaving in response to instructions from the brain. But while there…
Archaeologists Uncover Evidence From Monumental Tombs of Domesticated Dogs in Ancient Arabian Peninsula
Dog bones dated between circa 4200 and 4000 BCE discovered. A team of archaeologists in north-west the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has uncovered the earliest…
The Trojan-Horse Mechanism: How Network-Based Recruitment Can Reduce Gender Segregation
The social science literature has long viewed homophily and network-based job recruitment as crucial drivers of segregation. Researchers at Linköping University and ESADE, Ramon…
Public Trust in the CDC Falls During COVID Pandemic
Public trust in the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has fallen during the coronavirus pandemic, with the decline bringing overall population-level trust in…
Screams of “Joy” Are Often Mistaken for “Fear” When Heard Out of Context
The first in-depth look at the human ability to decode the range of emotions tied to the acoustic cues of screams. People are adept at…
Network Model Shows How Combining Mask Wearing, Social Distancing Suppresses COVID-19 Virus Spread
Network model findings could shape public health policy for airborne viruses. Studies show wearing masks and social distancing can contain the spread of the COVID-19…
Using Humor and Emotion to Combat Science Misinformation
Misinformation in public debates about scientific issues such as vaccinations and climate change can be found all over the internet, especially on social media. In…
Contrary to Theory, Stress Does Not Lead to Loss of Self-Control in Eating Disorders
A unique residential study has concluded that, contrary to perceived wisdom, people with eating disorders do not lose self-control — leading to binge-eating — in…