School might (almost!) be out for the summer, but research, innovation, and discovery are always in session. So before you head out to a Memorial Day barbecue, brush up on this week’s “Science Times” synthesis and learn about video
School might (almost!) be out for the summer, but research, innovation, and discovery are always in session. So before you head out to a Memorial Day barbecue, brush up on this week’s “Science Times” synthesis and learn about video games, leeches, neural circuits, and more!
Week of May 10, 2011
Hazy recall as a signal foretelling depression: An “overgeneral” memory has been identified as an indicator of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Fixated by screens, but seemingly nothing else: A growing body of research on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder suggests that it is not uncharacteristic for sufferers to find video games more gratifying than non-sufferers.
In digestion, leeches show sophisticated side: New research indicates that leeches actively seek out environments with temperatures that aid digestion.
Regimens: Looking twice at supplements for infants: Research into infant feeding practices determined that nearly one in 10 babies are given unproven supplements or plant-based teas during the first year of life.
Week of May 17, 2011
A new gauge to see what’s beyond happiness: In a new take on well-being, some researchers believe the desire for accomplishment overrides the desire for happiness.
Control desk for the neural switchboard: Using the emerging technology of optogenetics, researchers are gaining control over neural circuits and making advances into disorders such as anxiety and Parkinson’s disease.
A blood test offers clues to longevity: Controversy surrounds a new blood test that promises to reveal an individual’s biological age by measuring telomere length.