Various urban legends have said that the crimes increase on full moon nights and new moon nights. Does the Lunar cycle actually affect the human psychological behavior? Studies conducted by a group of psychologists from Canada have revealed that lunar cycle has no influence on crime rate, injuries and other events that have been believed to [...]
You are currently viewing the category archives of Science
Category Archives: Science
Wiping Out Unwanted Memories. Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences at Cambridge, UK
We Humans have always had the tendency to forget unwanted memories, ever wondered what actually goes behind it? Well, recent researches carried out by the scientists at Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences at Cambridge, UK has revealed how one can not only suppress and control one’s memories but also forget them. As per [...]
EXERTION PERCEPTION IMPORTANT DURING EXERCISE
It seems the human brain places a premium to exertion it perceives during exercise. A study by Professor Roger Eston of the University of South Australia found that specific ratings ofperceived exertion (RPE) give different readings, depending on what the brain sees as exertion effortsexpended, and not on the intensity of the exercise itself. Ditching [...]
Soy Isoflavones Help Radiation Fight Lung Tumor Cells
Scientists are turning to the natural component in soy called isoflavones as a new weapon that would help radiation fight off lung tumor cells in humans. This is according to a study out of Wayne State University that was published recently in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. The soy isoflavones can make cancer cells more [...]
Voice Pitch Indicator of Future Infidelity?
Women believe that the lower a man’s voice is, the more likely he will cheat in the future; in contrast, men believe that high-pitched females are the ones who are likely to fool around. These were the findings in a study by McMaster University researchers recently published in the online journal Evolutionary Psychology. The McMaster [...]
Extended Cell Phone Usage Impacts Brain Metabolism
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA revealed that placing a cell phone near the ear for calls extending beyond 50 minutes may expose the brain to possible adverse effects of radiofrequency-modulated electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). Using positron emission tomography (PET) with (18F) fluorodeoxyglucose injection on 47 participants, the National Institutes [...]
Study Says Lucy Walked Upright on Two Feet
The Australopithecus afarensis fossil bones popularly known as Lucy likely walked on two feet, scientists recently declared in light of a newly discovered foot bone which is believed to be part of the iconic skeletal remains. The arched bone that connects the toe to the base of the foot strongly indicates that the 3.2 million years [...]
Dogs Detect Colon Cancer as Accurately as Colonoscopy
A specially-trained Labrador was able to sniff out colon cancer from human breath as accurately as a colonoscopy machine, a study published in the Gastroenterology and Hepatology journal reports. The canine’s 91 percent accuracy rate in detecting colon cancer by smelling the breath of the test subjects, and 97 perccent accuracy rate when sniffing out [...]
Osteoporosis Sufferers Live Longer Due to Bisphosphonates
A recent report from Australia says researchers may have unlocked a secret to long life that would benefit those who suffer from osteoporosis. The report from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research says osteoporosis patients taking bisphosphonate drugs lived five years longer on average than the general population. Culling its data from the long-running Dubbo [...]
Implicit and Explicit Memories Explained in Study
People tend to remember what is important but due to distractions and background noise that unknowingly influence behaviour, the same people also pick up a lot of irrelevant information that clutter memory. The differentiation of relevant and irrelevant information is the focus of a new study from the Rotman Research Institute of the University of [...]
Study Shows Watching Painful Procedure Reduces Pain
A new study from the University College London published recently in the Psychological Science journal reveals that keeping the eyes open and watching a painful procedure on one’s body can increase the pain threshold, thereby reducing the pain a person feels. The study on how the brain processes pain involved eighteen volunteers who used mirrors [...]
Brief Mental Breaks Boost Productivity
Taking brief interruptions and doing something else while doing a prolonged repetitive task improves one’s performance, a new psychological study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reveals. The study divided 84 participants into several groups and made them perform for 40 minutes the repetitive task of pressing a key when the computer screen displays [...]
Use of Marijuana Linked to Erectile Dysfunction in Men
Men using marijuana for recreational purposes may now have to think twice, as a recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine shows that one of the long-term effects of the plant’s psychoactive component is inhibiting the muscle that comprises most of the male penis. The study led by Dr. Rany Shamloul of the [...]
Hot Flashes Are Early Warnings for Cancer, Heart Disease
Two independent studies – one from the National Institutes of Health and another from the National Cancer Institute – link hot flashes experienced by middle-age women to the onset of heart disease and breast cancer, respectively. Experienced by 70-80 percent of American women, hot flashes are attributed to hormonal changes that come with menopause, and [...]
Genome Study of Orangutans Reveals Slow Gene Evolution
A new study published in the journal Nature shows that the genome sequence of orangutans – the endangered great apes found in Bornean and Sumatran jungles – developed more slowly than human and chimpanzees, their closest kin in the animal kingdom. The scientists from Washington University in St. Louis that undertook the genome mapping says [...]
US Biology Teachers Not Inclined to Teach Evolution
Analysis of the results of the National Survey of High School Biology Teachers revealed that most biology teachers in US public schools are reluctant to teach evolution in their classes, and some are finding ways to creatively avoid the topic in class discussions. The report says only 28% of teachers are religiously following the National [...]