Artificial Dye Safety
Some people argue that food dyes are harmful to human health, but do decades of safety research back up these allegations?
Prenatal Face Preference
New research suggests that not just newborns, but fetuses, too, preferentially favor the human face.
Peak Randomness
Mathematically random behavior in humans peaks at the quarter-century mark.
Biased Artificial Intelligence
Computer scientists discover bias in artificial intelligence programs.
Night Owl Genes
Some night owls may have a mutation that lengthens their circadian clock.
Memorable Smells
How does our brain associate certain smells with vivid memories?
Importance of Smell
Losing the sense of smell can have unexpected consequences.
Contagious Parrot Laughter
Rare New Zealand parrots start playing spontaneously when they hear certain calls.
The Body’s Sense of Taste
Taste receptors are actually located all over the body, not just in the mouth.
Sleepwalking Brains
A listener asks what's going on in the brain when someone is sleepwalking.
The Sociable Brain
Do social butterflies and wallflowers have different brain structures?
The Brain on Time
The brain chemical dopamine may regulate our perception of how fast time passes.
Sitting Close to the TV
A Science Update listener asks if sitting too close to the television can hurt your eyes.
Physics of Tomorrow
In a special issue of Physics Today, scientists speculate about the physics of the 22nd century.
Binge Drinking Teens
Could teenage binge drinking have effects on the next generation, even if they’re never exposed to alcohol?
Pricey WIne
The price of a wine arbitrarily influences how pleasurable it is to drink.
Referee Vision
A referee’s success depends on knowing what to focus on, and what to ignore.
Scary Monsters
A listener wonders why we fear irrational things when there are plenty of real threats out there.
Chimpanzees & Bonobos
Even though the Congo River keeps them apart today, chimpanzees and bonobos managed to interbreed several times in the past.
Seeking Out Fear
The science of human fear is much more complex than is commonly thought.