IF ANY GROUP understands the toll misinformation can take on the public understanding of science, it’s climate scientists. For years, they have been trying to convey the findings from a ceaseless stream of studies showing the world is warming, while combating misinterpretations and outright fake news. A similar infodemic—a surplus of More
… As the weeks of coronavirus quarantine stretched into months, hugs are among the many things isolated people found themselves aching for. Hugs are good for humans — perhaps more valuable than many of us realized, until we found ourselves missing them. Research has shown that hugs can lower our cortisol levels during stressful More
During the workday, we are flooded with emails, texts, and other social media. And with the advent of photo shopping and political leaders who don’t divulge the truth, it’s often difficult to know what to believe anymore. Hence, the term fake news has caused many people to become skeptical about More
Haunted houses, horror movies, and ghost stories can provoke chilling delights, provided the fear they evoke remains in a “Goldilocks zone” that is neither too terrifying nor too tame. New research connects this sweet spot of recreational fear to a telltale range of heartrate fluctuations, shedding light on the mind-body More
New research connects a sweet spot of recreational fear to a telltale range of heart rate fluctuations, shedding light on the mind-body connection between fear and fun. More
As a kid, I was sure that all old people must be afraid of death. As I have gotten older, however, it turns out that this is mostly wrong. There are, certainly, people my age (56) who are morbidly afraid of dying—there’s even a diagnosable psychiatric condition for this fear More
