More reasons to be nice: It's less work for everyone

ScienceDaily (2011-03-09) -- A polite act shows respect. But a new study of a common etiquette -- holding a door for someone -- suggests that courtesy may have a more practical, though unconscious, shared motivation: to reduce the work for those involved. The new research is among the first to combine two fields of study ordinarily considered unrelated: altruism and motor control.

Giving children the power to be scientists

ScienceDaily (2011-03-09) -- Children who are taught how to think and act like scientists develop a clearer understanding of the subject, a study has shown.

New weight loss discovery moves us closer to 'the Pill' for obesity

ScienceDaily (2011-03-08) -- A discovery in mice may make a big difference in people's waistlines thanks to scientists who found that reducing the function of a transmembrane protein, called Klotho, in obese mice with high blood sugar levels produced lean mice with reduced blood sugar. This protein exists in humans, suggesting that targeting Klotho could lead to new drugs that reduce obesity and possibly type 2 diabetes.

Cleansing the soul by hurting the flesh: The guilt-reducing effect of pain

ScienceDaily (2011-03-08) -- Lent in the Christian tradition is a time of sacrifice and penance. It also is a period of purification and enlightenment. Pain purifies. It atones for sin and cleanses the soul. Or at least that's the idea. Theological questions aside, can self-inflicted pain really alleviate the guilt associated with immoral acts? A new study explores the psychological consequences of experiencing bodily pain.

The better off sleep better

ScienceDaily (2011-03-07) -- The employed and self-employed enjoy much better sleep than those out of work, according to Understanding Society, the world's largest longitudinal household study. Those who are unemployed are over 40% more likely to report difficulty staying asleep than those in employment (having controlled for age and gender differences). However, job satisfaction affects the quality of sleep with 33% of the most dissatisfied employees report poor sleep quality compared to only 18% of the most satisfied.

Eating apples extends lifespan of test animals by 10 percent

ScienceDaily (2011-03-08) -- Scientists are reporting the first evidence that consumption of a healthful antioxidant substance in apples extends the average lifespan of test animals, and does so by 10 percent. The new results, obtained with fruit flies -- stand-ins for humans in hundreds of research projects each year -- bolster similar findings on apple antioxidants in other animal tests.

New system can warn of tsunamis within minutes

ScienceDaily (2011-03-04) -- Seismologists have developed a new system that could be used to warn future populations of an impending tsunami only minutes after the initial earthquake. The system, known as RTerg, could help reduce the death toll by giving local residents valuable time to move to safer ground.