Health, features and articles | Educational Science

Jul 31, 2007

Senior Sex is Swell, Survey Says

Whatever else aging does, it does not kill the sex drive. Men and women continue to participate in sexual intercourse and masturbation well into their 70s and 80s, according to a study announced today. Considered the first comprehensive national survey of sexuality among older adults in the United States, the...

Jul 31, 2007

Kids' Food Fussiness May Be Inherited

LONDON (AP) -- Having trouble persuading your child to eat broccoli or spinach? You may have only yourself to blame. According to a study of twins, neophobia -- or the fear of new foods -- is mostly in the genes. Children could actually blame their mothers for this,'' said Jane...

Jul 31, 2007

Top 5 Myths About Girls, Math and Science

The days of sexist science teachers and Barbies chirping that math class is tough! are over, according to pop culture, but a government program aimed at bringing more women and girls into science, technology, engineering and math fields suggests otherwise. Below are five myths about girls and science that still...

Jul 31, 2007

Parasites Sneak Entire Genome into Flies

Spineless creatures of the world, watch out: Bacteria can slip their entire genetic codes into yours. Scientists have discovered the parasitic microbe Wolbachia's entire genome—the software of life—inside that of its fruit fly host. The breakthrough suggests that movement of genes between two different species, called lateral gene transfer, happens...

Jul 31, 2007

Brain Surgery: It Really Is Brain Surgery

This Behind the Scenes article was provided to LiveScience in partnership with the National Science Foundation. Everything changes after the surgeons open your skull. Your brain, and the tumor inside it, no longer fully float in their protective bath of cerebrospinal fluid. Gravity comes into play, as does the atmospheric...

Jun 30, 2007

Study Reveals Why We Learn From Mistakes

Researchers have pinpointed an area in the brain that alerts us in less than a second of an impending mistake so we don’t repeat it. Scientists have long known that mistakes are conducive to learning, suggesting the reason lies in the element of surprise upon finding out we are wrong....

Jun 30, 2007

Does Higher IQ Make You Smarter?

This Fourth of July, as you gather with family to celebrate U.S. independence, let your older brother light the grill. If you're the youngest, you just might be so dumb that you set yourself on fire. According to a new study from Norway, published in the journals Science and Intelligence,...

Jun 30, 2007

Ancient Peppers Reveal Early Taste for Heat

Shriveled peppers preserved for 1,500 years in two caves in southern Mexico are giving scientists a real taste of pre-Columbian agriculture and the spicy fare it yielded. The desiccated chilies belong to Capsicum annum, which includes modern-day jalapenos and ancho peppers, and Capsicum frutescens, whose most famous member is the...

Jun 30, 2007

Key to Good Marriage: Do the Dishes

The keys to a successful marriage: Be faithful, have great sex and do the dishes. So says a new survey of Americans, who have elevated helping with household chores to the level of fundamental requirement in a good relationship. Men and women shared similar views on the issue of helping...

Jun 30, 2007

Study: Obesity is Socially Contagious

People who notice a friend packing on pounds might want to steer clear if they value a sleek physique. A new study finds that when the scale reads obese for one individual, the odds that their friends will become obese increase by more than 50 percent. The study, published in...

Jun 30, 2007

Scientists Create 12-Headed Jellyfish

Jellyfish with up to a dozen heads have been created in the laboratory by carefully monkeying with a few genes. The genetic experiments could shed light on how natural colonies of other multi-headed organisms first originated, including some that build coral reefs. Researchers targeted so-called Cnox genes, which help control...

May 31, 2007

Penis Myths Debunked

When it comes to penises, length matters more to men than to women, according to a new study that reviews more than 60 years of research and debunks numerous sex myths. About 90 percent of women actually prefer a wide penis to a long one, according to two studies included...

May 31, 2007

Have Sex While You Sleep

If you think it’s impossible to have sex while you sleep, think again, according to a new study. There are at least 11 different sex-related sleep disorders, collectively referred to as “sexsomnia” or “sleepsex,” that affect people who are otherwise psychologically healthy—causing them to unknowingly engage in various sexual activities...

May 31, 2007

Origin of Deja Vu Pinpointed

The brain cranks out memories near its center, in a looped wishbone of tissue called the hippocampus. But a new study suggests only a small chunk of it, called the dentate gyrus, is responsible for “episodic” memories—information that allows us to tell similar places and situations apart. The finding helps...

May 31, 2007

AlzheimerÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Cases to Quadruple by 2050

More than 106 million people worldwide will develop Alzheimer’s disease by 2050—four times as many people as have the condition now, a new study says. Currently, at least 26 million people suffer from the disease, characterized by progressive memory loss, language difficulties and eventually difficulty moving. The disease primarily affects...