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Friday, April 12, 2013

ScienceDaily: Living Well News

ScienceDaily: Living Well News


Revealing the scientific secrets of why people can't stop after eating one potato chip

Posted: 11 Apr 2013 04:42 PM PDT

The scientific secrets underpinning that awful reality about potato chips — eat one and you're apt to scarf 'em all down — began coming out of the bag today.

'Seeing' the flavor of foods before tasting them

Posted: 11 Apr 2013 04:40 PM PDT

The eyes sometimes have it, beating out the tongue, nose and brain in the emotional and biochemical balloting that determines the taste and allure of food, a scientist said at a recent meeting. He described how people sometimes "see" flavors in foods and beverages before actually tasting them.

What happens in the brain to make music rewarding?

Posted: 11 Apr 2013 11:30 AM PDT

A new study reveals what happens in our brain when we decide to purchase a piece of music when we hear it for the first time. The study pinpoints the specific brain activity that makes new music rewarding and predicts the decision to purchase music.

Texting, social networking and other media use linked to poor academic performance

Posted: 11 Apr 2013 10:17 AM PDT

Freshmen women spend nearly half their day -- 12 hours -- engaged in some form of media use, particularly texting, music, the Internet and social networking.

Individual donation amounts drop when givers are in groups

Posted: 11 Apr 2013 10:17 AM PDT

An anthropologist recently found that even when multiple individuals can contribute to a common cause, the presence of others reduces an individual's likelihood of helping.

Information technology amplifies irrational group behavior

Posted: 11 Apr 2013 09:40 AM PDT

Web tools and social media are our key sources of information when we make decisions as citizens and consumers. But these information technologies can mislead us by magnifying social processes that distort facts and make us act contrary to our own interests. Companies such as Google and Facebook have designed algorithms that are intended to filter away irrelevant information -- known as information selection -- so that we are only served content that fits our clicking history. Researchers say this is, from a democratic perspective, a problem as you may never in your online life encounter views or arguments that contradict your worldview.

Sound stimulation during sleep can enhance memory

Posted: 11 Apr 2013 09:38 AM PDT

Slow oscillations in brain activity, which occur during so-called slow-wave sleep, are critical for retaining memories. Researchers have found that playing sounds synchronized to the rhythm of the slow brain oscillations of people who are sleeping enhances these oscillations and boosts their memory.

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