Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
Crime Sep 28, 2013
'Superrecognizer' police help London fight crime
Paul Hyland almost never forgets a face. He is a “superrecognizer,” and that is giving an unusual kind of help to his employer: Britain’s Scotland Yard. Several years ago, for example, London police were on the lookout for a burglar wanted for nine robberies. ...
Science & Health Sep 23, 2013
Smells can help dispel fear factor
It can take only an instant for fear to take hold in the brain — a fear of snakes after being bitten, or of water after witnessing a drowning — and overcoming that fear can take a long time. But now researchers are saying ...
Science & Health Aug 30, 2013
Experiment allows man to use his mind to control another's movements
Two University of Washington researchers say they have demonstrated, with electronic probes placed against two people's heads, that one person's thoughts can control the other's movements.
Business Aug 30, 2013
Poverty's IQ drain is 'equivalent of pulling an all-nighter'
Poverty consumes so much mental energy that people struggling to make ends meet often have little brainpower left for anything else, leaving them more susceptible to bad decisions that can perpetuate their situation, claims a new study. “Past research has often blamed (poverty) on ...
Crime Aug 25, 2013
Mental health courts seek to treat, rather than jail
by Stephanie Mccrummen
The charge was stealing a tow truck. The defendant was a baby-faced 27-year-old in shorts and a Chicago Bulls jersey. His hair was slightly matted, wrists cuffed in front, hands clutching a brown paper bag, demeanor slackened by anti-psychotic medications. “Why don’t we take ...
Science & Health Aug 14, 2013
Eye-trackers help scientists study how peacock tails lure peahens
by Charles Q. Choi
Eye-tracking cameras help scientists figure out how peacock's tails attract mates.
Science & Health Aug 8, 2013
Lack of sleep can lead to junk-food cravings, weight gain, study shows
Scientists have found evidence that a lack of sleep causes changes in brain activity that lead to people feeling hungrier and craving more fattening foods. Researchers have long pointed to a correlation between a steep rise in obesity in industrialized nations and a decline ...
Social Issues | Focus Jul 7, 2013
'Winning' noises from slot machines spur gamblers
Whether you’re in Las Vegas or the small-town casino down the street, slot machines sound more or less the same: jangly music, the whir of spinning reels, accompanied by loud beeps and chimes. A recent study shows that some of those noises can easily ...
Science & Health Jul 5, 2013
Hoping to slow the advance of dementia? Forget about it
by Christie Aschwanden
It is a thought that crosses many middle-aged minds when a word is forgotten or a set of keys misplaced: Is this a fluke, or the first sign of dementia? “Most of us will experience some cognitive changes with age,” said Molly Wagster, chief ...
Science & Health Jul 1, 2013
Study tracks couples' emotional interplay in conflicts
Picture this scenario: You are on a road trip with your partner, trying to find your hotel, lost in an unfamiliar area and driving in circles. Your partner gets agitated, body and voice tense, and says in exasperation, “We’re never going to find it!” ...
Science & Health Jun 22, 2013
3-D brain atlas wows researchers with microscopic detail
A 65-year-old woman’s brain was cut into 7,400 slices to create the most detailed three-dimensional atlas of the human brain ever made, bringing researchers one step closer to reverse-engineering the organ’s convoluted circuitry. Brain atlases are essential reference tools for researchers and physicians. They ...
Science & Health Jun 18, 2013
Research suggests fathers can nurture too
Unlike the male pundits, politicians and even financiers who have recently opined freely about what they consider “natural” roles for mothers and fathers, with mom at home and dad at work, behavioral neuroscientist Kelly Lambert’s methodical approach has led her to a much more ...