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Trying to Hold Down Blue Language on a Red-Letter Day
The New York Times: It's shaping up to be a darn nice Valentine's Day in here in Mobile county. An optimistic band of middle school students hopes that for just one day no one in the county will curse. Perhaps people can substitute “sugar” or “snap.” Or even the powerful “Oh, pickles!” The Mobile County Commission, acting on a request from students who have formed no-cursing clubs at Lott and Semmes Middle Schools, has declared a daylong ban Monday on bad words. Read the whole story: The New York Times
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The Science of Smooching: Why Men and Women Kiss Differently
TIME: Sure, kissing feels good. But it's also an evolutionary advantage. Now a new book explains the science behind passionate lip-locks, and what they tell us about how men and women approach romantic relationships. The precise origins of kissing are unknown. But some scientists hypothesize that the practice evolved from feeding rituals between animal mothers and their young, wherein mothers would chew and break down food before passing it directly to their offspring by mouth. Out of that gesture grew a universal sign of love and affection. Read the whole story: TIME
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Too Many Men to Choose From…
Can’t find the right guy or girl for Valentine’s Day? Research suggests you might be looking in the wrong place. A study published in Psychological Science found that volunteers who have the choice of many potential mates pay less attention to important characteristics that take more time to elicit and pay more attention to trivial characteristics that are quickly and easily assessed. Volunteers participated in either small (15-23 partners) or large (24-31 partners) speed-dating events and later chose ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to go on a date with each candidate.
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Everything you know about beating stress is wrong
MSNBC: If deep breaths, weekly yoga classes, and venting to your friends aren't helping you relax, you have plenty of company—and it's not your fault. New studies show that these supposedly tried-and-true anxiety busters are often just... well, a bust. Read on for the surprising truth about what really helps—and what doesn't—when it comes to relieving chronically fried nerves. Read the whole story: MSNBC
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MONKEY SEE, HUMAN DO
Yale Daily News: Sometimes looking into the past can inform our futures. At least, that’s the guiding principle at Yale’s monkey lab. Technically called the Comparative Cognition Laboratory (or CapLab), the center is home to 10 brown capuchin monkeys who regularly undergo noninvasive experiments in physical coordination and cognitive functions. Capuchins are one of the most intelligent of all monkey species, and so they are helpful tools for determining how our own brains work. Read the whole story: Yale Daily News
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Pitfalls and Opportunities in Nonverbal and Verbal Lie Detection
Full Text PDF (Available to the Public) Full Text HTML (Members Only) Aldert Vrij, Par Anders Granhag, and Stephen Porter Unlike Pinocchio, most of the time people do not give telltale signs that they are being dishonest. In lieu of a growing nose, is there a way to distinguish people who are telling the truth from those who aren’t?
