Surprising Science

“Patient outcomes may not be as inextricably linked to doctors as many pay-for-performance programs presume.” An M.D. writes on incentive-based physician pay.

“Gliese 581g would be the first Earth-like planet found orbiting in a star’s habitable zone. The new plant is located in a region where temperatures could sustain life and liquid water.”

“Experiments on monkeys suggest that the animals can recognise and react to their own image in a mirror. They altered their posture to look at their own genitals.”

“The Indian government says its prototype tablet computer will cost only $35, but past attempts at building inexpensive PCs have fallen short.”

We can’t be sure that the events in our memories really happened the way we recall. We all add and alter details. The only sure way is to write them down while still fresh.

By studying the neural networks in the brain, scientists have constructed computer-based models that mirror the brain’s complex biological networks. 

“Canadians have a reprehensible habit of making fun of just about everything,” says novelist Margaret Atwood. In her Big Think interview, she tries to explain Canadian humor, asking us, “What […]

Our memory peaks at the age of 30, and then it declines gradually with time. But if we train our brains to stay more active and focused, they can remain healthier longer.

“A massive new project to scan the brains of 1,200 volunteers could finally give scientists a picture of the neural architecture of the human brain.”

“More polling evidence is in: Californians support Proposition 19, the statewide ballot initiative to legalize marijuana.” The Atlantic’s Chris Good on the prospect of legalization.

A new book by a practicing physician details the extent to which pharmaceutical companies determine what the public sees as the medical profession in action.

“When it comes to the big questions, why should we have to either deny God or believe? Surely good science doesn’t so restrict us.” The New Scientist’s David Eagleman explains.

Surprising conclusions from the social sciences: the benefits of keeping the minimum wage low, eye-witness gullibility, why pain is good and what bedroom furniture says about evolution.

“Experiments on a blind man who can ‘see’ to avoid obstacles could have huge implications for the visually impaired.” The Independent reports on neurological research.

A new survey from the Mayo Clinic finds nearly half of its medical students engage in unprofessional practice and most have no opinion on pharmaceutical company policies.

“Among the winners: computer screens that can bend, adjustable eyeglasses, a low-cost genetic test, an online marketplace for receivables and a new way to battle malware.”

When Dr. Francis Collins was nominated by President Obama to be director of the National Institutes of Health in the summer of 2009, there was little dissent in Congress. One […]

“Playing hours of video games won’t necessarily turn your brain to mush. In fact, playing action video games rewires how the brain steers hand-eye coordination.”

“In the future, the computational module of a brain coprocessor may be powerful enough to assist in high-level human cognition or complex decision making.”

Given that drugs like Ritalin and Adderall raise productivity indiscriminately, shouldn’t everyone be using them? Dr. Harold Koplewicz, one of the nation’s leading child psychiatrists, thinks ADHD—like the drugs that are used to treat it—is “highly misunderstood.”

The latest episode of Sci Fi Science, as usual, has generated e-mails from viewers that I would now like to address: Question One: You discuss evil aliens that might want […]

Social philosopher William Powers and scientist Gary Small say distractions in the digital age come at the cost of sustained, deep attention. 

“Eat your heart out, Wolverine. The X-Men superhero won’t be the only one with with metal fused into his skeleton if a new titanium foam proves suitable for strengthening bones.”

“Advances in laser technology and the field of quantum information science have allowed researchers to demonstrate Einstein’s theories at much more ordinary scales.”

“If you adjust for inflation and income, Americans have never spent less on food than they have in recent years. And yet many feel we’ve also never paid such a high price.”

“The frontal cortex isn’t fully formed until late adolescence which means that the ability to concentrate is just beginning to solidify in babies. The result is that little kids struggle to focus.”

Philosophy and physics are not often thought of together in academia. While physicists develop calculations and models to describe the world around them, philosophers are more interested in the fuzzier […]

“Why does spicy food taste ‘hot’? After all, a chili pepper at room temperature will still ‘burn’ our tongue and cause us to sweat.” The Frontal Cortex on the physiology of taste.

“Computer simulations show that a stiff wind blowing from the east for 12 hours could have given the Israelites a land bridge that allowed them to escape Egypt over 3000 years ago.”

“Today, the ‘frankenfish’—a genetically modified salmon. Tomorrow, a ‘frankenpig’? Probably.” The Christian Science Monitor on the future of food in America.