Alcohol, features and articles | Educational Science

Aug 10, 2016

Why Guys Should Not Drink After Exercising

Getting drunk may undo the effects of an intense workout, at least for men, new research suggests. Men in the study who drank alcohol after doing heavy strength training showed reduced levels of the chemical signals that spur muscle growth and repair compared to men who did not drink, according...

Aug 24, 2016

Science-Proven Way to Reduce Teen Drinking

SEATTLE — Parents can help prevent their underage kids from drinking by employing a relatively simple strategy: setting clear rules that prohibit drinking, new research shows. The finding is based on the survey responses from more than 1,100 U.S. teenagers and young adults in 24 cities in seven states. The...

Aug 30, 2016

Photos: Amazing Microscopic Views of Italian Cocktails

Alcohol under the microscope (Image credit: Bernardo Cesare, micROCKScopica)The feathery protrusions in this image don't come from some exotic bird. They're the Italian aperitif Aperol, a beverage that looks orange to the naked eye but erupts in a riot of color using polarized light microscopy. Italian geologist Bernardo Cesare has...

Aug 30, 2016

Salute! Stunning Microphotos Capture Boozy Beauty in Italian Cocktails

The images look like the feathers of some exotic bird, or perhaps close-ups of brilliantly cut gems. But what are they, really? Italian cocktails. A new series of photographs taken using microscopy highlights the beauty in boozy beverages with just a trick of the light. The images are created (without...

Sep 2, 2016

Driven to Drink: Brain Enzyme Linked to Alcohol Dependency

The ability to resist drinking alcohol when the urge strikes may partly rely on a certain enzyme in the brain, and alcohol use and dependency may reduce the levels of this enzyme, a new study in rats finds. Some people can't seem to stop drinking, even when consuming alcohol affects...

Sep 7, 2016

Alcohol Dependence Can Be Reversed, Rat Study Suggests

A specific group of brain cells appears to drive excessive alcohol drinking, and targeting these cells may reverses alcohol dependence, at least in rats, a new study finds. In the study, the researchers trained rats how to self-administer alcohol out of a chamber, and caused some rats to become dependent...

Sep 7, 2016

Here's Why Drinkers Should Hit the Gym

If alcohol is a part of your weekly routine, you should make sure to find time to hit the gym: A new study from the United Kingdom suggests that regular exercise can help balance out the harmful effects of alcohol. People in the study who drank alcohol — but also...

Sep 13, 2016

Sober People Make Drinkers Feel Drunker

Many people have seen a movie in which a drunk character accuses everyone else of being drunk too. But a new study from the United Kingdom suggests that in real life, being surrounded by sober individuals may actually have a, well, sobering effect. The researchers found that people who were...

Sep 14, 2016

Alcohol's Toll on the Heart: Bigger, Not Better

Drinking alcohol, even in moderate amounts, may increase the size of the heart's left atrium, a new study finds. The left atrium is one of the two upper chambers of the heart, along with the right atrium. When it is enlarged, a person is at risk for developing a type...

Sep 19, 2016

Want to Quit Drinking? Abstinence Works Best

Some people with alcohol dependence may want to try to learn to control their drinking, with the help of a treatment program, rather than give it up entirely. But a recent study from Sweden finds that abstinence is much more effective. In the study, people with alcohol use disorders who...

Sep 23, 2016

Drinking Beer May Help You Read Certain Emotions

Alcohol is known to impair people's judgment, but downing a beer may actually enhance one ability: A small new study suggests that imbibing may improve people's ability to recognize certain emotions, like happiness. Though many people drink beer and know its effects through personal experience, there is surprisingly little scientific...

Sep 29, 2016

New Drug May Help People with Alcohol Addiction Reduce Drinking

A new drug may benefit people with alcohol addiction, particularly those who are experiencing high levels of stress, a new study suggests. The new study involved 144 people with alcohol use disorder, which is defined as drinking that causes them harm or distress, including problems at work and with relationships....

Oct 3, 2016

What Is 'Hangover Free' Synthetic Alcohol, and Is It Safe?

A drink touted as a hangover-free synthetic alcohol, called alcosynth, has people on the internet giddy about the prospect of alcohol-like effects without the headaches, dry mouth and nausea of a hangover. British neuroscientist David Nutt, who invented alcosynth, said he developed it with the intention to save lives. Alcohol...

Oct 7, 2016

Why 'Hoppy' Beer May Be Better for Your Liver

The hops found in beer not only add flavor, but also may lessen the damaging effects of alcohol on the liver, a new study in mice suggests. In the study, the researchers gave mice regular beer with hops, a special beer without hops, or plain ethanol (alcohol). After 12 hours,...

Oct 24, 2016

Women's Alcohol Consumption Catches Up to Men's

Across the world, women now consume nearly as much alcohol as men do, according to a new study. The findings show that the gap between men's and women's drinking habits is closing. This is particularly true for women born in the last 15 to 25 years, the researchers said. Alcohol...