The evolutionary origins of laughter are rooted more in survival than enjoyment
Apr 14, 2016 01:36 am UTC| Health
Laughter plays a crucial role in every culture across the world. But its not clear why laughter exists. While it is evidently an inherently social phenomenon people are up to 30 times more likely to laugh in a group than...
Apr 14, 2016 00:52 am UTC| Health
Last month the United Kingdom announced a sugar tax on soft drinks. The tax will come into effect in 2018, with the funds to be used to address childhood obesity. The move has been applauded by public health groups...
You really can die of a broken heart – here's the science
Apr 12, 2016 13:15 pm UTC| Health Life
When you think of a broken heart, you probably picture something out of a romantic movie or a cartoon heart, cracked like a fragile piece of china. Indeed, so-called broken heart syndrome has a certified place in popular...
The science of hugs and why they (mostly) feel so good
Apr 12, 2016 13:03 pm UTC| Health
Hugging it out is often touted as a good way to solve a problem. Now a group of Europeans have decided that thats all Britons need to convince them to stay in the EU. Their #hugabrit campaign, in which people send in...
Handle with care – the world's five deadliest poisons
Apr 12, 2016 12:24 pm UTC| Health
When asked to name a poison, people may well think of cyanide, arsenic or strychnine. But these are not the most toxic substances known. More poisonous than these, but still not near the top of the tree, is tetrodotoxin,...
What's the most hygienic way to dry your hands?
Apr 12, 2016 12:18 pm UTC| Health
We are always told how important it is to wash our hands to stop the spread of infections. What many people dont realise, however, is that the way we dry our hands after washing them could have just as big an effect on our...
Skateboarding is good for you – and good for public places
Apr 12, 2016 07:02 am UTC| Health Sports
The City of Melbourne is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to resurface Lincoln Square, a popular square in inner-city Carlton, to make it unsuitable for skateboarders. The square is widely regarded as one of...
South Africa’s plan to move away from coal: 8 steps to make it succeed
Germany lowers voting age to 16 for the European elections
IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects