Even light-to-moderate drinking is associated with harm to the brain, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data from more than 36,000 adults that found a link between drinking and reduced brain volume that begins at an average consumption level of less than one alcohol unit a day — the equivalent of about half a…

Vitamin D deficiency in middle childhood could result in aggressive behavior as well as anxious and depressive moods during adolescence, according to a new study of school children in Bogota, Colombia. Children with blood vitamin D levels suggestive of deficiency were almost twice as likely to develop externalizing behavior problems — aggressive and rule breaking…

A new study was able to predict the success of movies, commercials, books and restaurants by relying on the ’emotionality’ of reviews instead of the star rating. That’s because most products online are now rated positively, making it harder than ever to truly discern whether they will succeed in the marketplace. A new study from…

A new study shows that measles wipes out 20 to 50 percent of antibodies against an array of viruses and bacteria, depleting a child’s previous immunity. A measles-ravaged immune system must ‘relearn’ how to protect the body against infections. The study details the mechanism and scope of this measles-induced ‘immune amnesia.’ The findings underscore the…

A new psychological study has addressed centuries-old questions about how and why supernatural beings are worshipped. The «Mickey Mouse problem» commonly referenced in religious psychology refers to the difficulty in predicting which supernatural beings are capable of eliciting belief and religious devotion. Why, for example, don’t fictional characters such as Mickey Mouse achieve the same…

Scientists have discovered a training method to further improve the delicate touch of pianists by optimizing the method rather than increase the amount of training. They developed a system that freely controls the weight of piano keys using a haptic device, which enables to control the strength and direction of the force. The results of…

When couples argue, mediation improves the outcome of the confrontation. But that’s not all: mediation is also linked to heightened activity in key regions of the brain belonging to the reward circuit. This is the first time that a controlled, randomized study has succeeded in demonstrating the advantages of mediation for couple conflicts and identifying…

Researchers analyzed almost 550 men’s and women’s mixed martial arts contests, using data collated for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and found the rate at which competitors fight is more likely to result in judges awarding victory than the skill with which they attack their opponents. The research was conducted by experts in animal behaviour from…

It is well-known that victims of bullying can have higher risks of future health and social problems. However, different victims experience a broad range of responses and some may not suffer at all. Researchers felt this implied there might be factors that could protect against some consequences of bullying. In a study of over 6,000…

Dreams result from a process that often combines fragments of multiple life experiences and anticipates future events, according to novel evidence from a new study. Results show that 53.5% of dreams were traced to a memory, and nearly 50% of reports with a memory source were connected to multiple past experiences. The study also found…