In recent years, the military’s top brass have funded some truly bizarre approaches — from neck injections to Reiki — in an effort to treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress afflicting today’s soldiers. It turns out they could’ve just equipped troops with Game Boys.
Talking to yourself is the preserve of mad men, right? Not according to a new study, which reveals that the seemingly irrational act of chatting to oneself actually improves cognitive function.
The world is full of delicious food and beautiful people, and sometimes it’s hard to turn down their respective charms. But now a team of researchers has used data from fMRI scans to successfully predict weight gain and sexual activity — and it can tell if you’re likely to fall foul of temptation well in advance.
When we have a positive experience — a great meal, say, or a wonderfully romantic encounter — it’s natural to want to talk about it. But a new study suggests that word-of-mouth stories blunt our feelings about experiences. In other words, telling people about your best kiss or favourite restaurant will make it feel less special.
A core tenet of the human “fight or flight” response begs the question, is this guy bigger than me? A recent study suggests that answer depends on if he’s wielding or not. Turns out, our brains might give a subconscious size advantage to opponents if they’re holding a weapon.
