60-Second Mind
Summary: Leading science journalists provide a weekly one-minute commentary on the latest developments in the science of brain and behavior. For a full-length, weekly podcast you can subscribe to Science Talk: The Podcast of Scientific American . To view all our archived podcasts please visit: www.scientificamerican.com/podcast
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- Copyright: 2016 Scientific American, a division of Nature America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Researchers could tell what sounds blindfolded volunters were hearing by analyzing activity in their visual cortexes. Christie Nicholson reports
Thirty-three families allowed themselves to be recorded for up to six nights. Parents who said they supported corporal punishment did it often and with little provocation. Christie Nicholson reports
In a study covering five different countries, subjects reported feeling best on the days when they practiced what are considered extroverted actions. Christie Nicholson reports
Food’s texture in your mouth—also called “mouthfeel” or “oral haptics”—influences estimates of calorie counts. And people might eat more crunchy stuff assuming (often incorrectly) it has fewer calories than softer fare. Christie Nicholson reports
Moms were better able to sway a child's perception of risk when they explained the reasons an activity was dangerous and its possible consequences rather than just saying no. Christie Nicholson reports
Adults who had been members of gangs in their adolescence had poorer outcomes on a variety of measures, including physical and mental health, than those who'd never been in a gang. Christie Nicholson reports
Babies learning speech figure out what an object is by listening to others talk about what that object does. Christie Nicholson reports
Recent and easily retrievable information can overwrite the details of memories, thus altering them in your mind. Christie Nicholson reports
People who played instruments as children responded a bit quicker to complex speech sounds as adults, even if they had not played an instrument in many years. Erika Beras reports.
Psychologists found that encouraging newlywed couples to watch romance flicks, and then discuss them cut the three-year divorce rate in half. Christie Nicholson reports
A meta-analysis of 47 previously published studies concludes that there's moderate evidence for meditation offering some relief of anxiety and depression, and low or insufficient evidence for effects on other conditions. Christie Nicholson reports
Brain-training games seem to temporarily improve specific tasks, but claims that they can improve overall brain function have yet to be proved. Christie Nicholson reports
Computer-use affects the brain's ability to generalize the skill of moving a mouse. Christie Nicholson reports
A survey of 2500 Americans finds that despite many knowing about Jolie's preventive double mastectomy, most remain in the dark about breast cancer risk. Christie Nicholson reports
Scores on standardized tests may go up but a student's ability for abstract and logical thinking may not improve. Christie Nicholson reports
