Podcast: Play in new window
BOB HIRSHON (host):
Laughing off the cold virus. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
Simply being happy helps people fight off cold and flu viruses, according to a new study in the online journal Psychosomatic Medicine. Volunteers filled out a detailed survey about themselves, and then were quarantined and infected with either cold or flu viruses. Of all the things covered in the survey, including general health, optimism, weight, etc, the one factor that reduced infection rates the most was being a generally happy person.
Would you be happy if you were among the richest ten percent of people on earth? If you own a home, you are. A new study produced by United Nations University showed that having $60,000 in assets makes you richer than 9 out of ten people on the planet. The study also showed that having just two thousand dollars puts you in the top half.
I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.