Science Behind Your Smile
We study twins, chimps and lottery winners, but still don't understand happiness. In his new book, 'Happiness: The Science Behind Your Smile', Dr. Daniel Nettle suggests that although people believe they will be happier in the future, they in fact seldom are; that societies don't get happier as they get richer; and that people are consistently wrong about the impact of future life-events on their... posted on Jun 07 2006, 3,214 reads

The Science of Me
Scientists say they can map out your medical destiny: what diseases you’ll get and how you’ll die. But would knowing the future improve your life? Two reporters went to find out and wrote a cover story for the London Times. One of them says, "I don't want to be dramatic about this, but I think I might have saved my life."... posted on May 26 2006, 3,850 reads

Breaking Bread Together
Breaking bread together may well have a positive impact on your health. Nursing home residents who gathered for family-style meals rather than lonely pre-plated ones benefited emotionally and physically, Dutch researchers reported. Those having meals together were able to maintain fine motor skills and body weight much better than those having solo meals. And over six months, they found a relative... posted on May 21 2006, 1,676 reads

A Woman With A Perfect Memory
A woman’s nearly perfect memory has stumped neurobiologists. Ask her what happened on August 16, 1977 (or any other random date) and she can recall the day of the week, usually what the weather was like on that day, major events like the fact that Elvis Presley had died, and even that a California tax initiative passed on June 6 of the following year! Now known only as AJ, she wrote James McGaug... posted on May 16 2006, 2,887 reads

Laughter Is the Best Medicine?
It turns out that laughter might just be the best medicine. Especially for diabetes. New research in Japan shows that a chuckle helps the body process blood sugar. A study of type 2 diabetes -- the most common form of the disease -- found that laughter was linked to lower blood sugar levels after a meal.... posted on May 15 2006, 3,125 reads

More Nutritional Bang For Your Buck
Consider this the next time you force the nutrition in: researchers have found that food that's unfamiliar or unappetizing winds up being less nutritious than food that looks, smells and tastes good to you. Does this mean we should be reaching for the donuts and forgoing the raw cauliflower? No. The food has to have nutritive value in the first place. And how does the mind affect nutritive value? ... posted on May 13 2006, 1,632 reads

No More Sodas in Schools
The largest beverage distributors in the United States have agreed to halt nearly all soda sales to public schools. Under the agreement, the companies have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools. "This is really the beginning of a major effort to modify childhood obesity at the level of the school systems," said Robert H. Eckel, president ... posted on May 04 2006, 1,403 reads

Small Change, Big Difference
Small Change, Big Difference: a Cambridge University study concluded that making small, simple changes to your lifestyle can have a significant impact on how long you will live. Researchers found that eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day can add three years, not smoking can add up to five years, and increasing exercise by a moderate amount can tack on three years. What is one of the ... posted on Apr 28 2006, 2,441 reads

Sacred Gift of the Intuitive Mind
Remarkable, scientifically-based advice for anyone who is struggling to make a difficult decision: Stop thinking about it. For relatively simple decisions, researchers at University of Amsterdam found that it is better to use the rational approach. But the conscious mind can consider only a few facts at a time. And so with complex decisions, like buying a house, the unconscious appears to do a bet... posted on Mar 31 2006, 1,661 reads

Myth of the Mid-life Crisis
Recent discoveries at George Washington University Medical Center show that the aging brain is more flexible and adaptable than we previously thought. Studies suggest that the brain's left and right hemispheres become better integrated during middle age, making way for greater creativity. As our aging brains grow wiser and more flexible, they also tend toward greater equanimity. And a great deal o... posted on Mar 27 2006, 2,167 reads