New therapeutic target for pain control eight times more effective than morphine
“…researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and the University of Helsinki have discovered a new therapeutic target for pain control, one that appears to be eight times more effective at suppressing pain than morphine.”
Twins dispute memory ownership: A new false memory phenomenon
“In three experiments, we examined a new memory phenomenon: disputed memories, in which people dispute ownership of a memory. For example, in one disputed memory each of two twins recollected being sent home from school for wearing too short a skirt, although only one of them was actually sent home.”
Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School
“Brain Rules by [developmental molecular biologist] John J. Medina is a multimedia project explaining how the brain works. It includes a book, a feature-length documentary film, and a series of interactive tutorials.”
Non-suck Xmas gift or back to school demotivator. The book has a very polite and constructive way of saying that our society is insane and should be considered harmful.
[via:Brain Science Podcast]
‘Water bears’/Tardigrades are first animal to survive space vacuum
“Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are known for their virtual indestructibility on Earth. The creatures can survive intense pressures, huge doses of radiation, and years of being dried out.”
[via:URSA]
Mathematicians create videos that help in visualizing four-dimensional objects
The article has a broken link to dimensions-math.org.
[via:Slashdot]
Research paper on inferring personality from young people’s e-mail addresses (University of Leipzig)
“Using 599 e-mail addresses of young adults, their self-reported personality scores and the personality judgments [...], it was shown that personality impressions based solely on e-mail addresses were consensually shared by observers. Moreover, these impressions contained some degree of validity. This was true for neuroticism, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and narcissism but not for extraversion.”
[via:Slashdot]
Salt water crop produces seeds rich in high-quality protein and oil
“[Salicornia] is nourished by seawater flowing from a man-made canal. And if you believe the American who is farming it, this incongruous swath of green has the potential to feed the world, fuel our vehicles and slow global warming.”
[via:Metafilter]
Here Be Dragons: an introduction to critical thinking
“Here Be Dragons is a free 40 minute video introduction to critical thinking. It is suitable for general audiences and is licensed for free distribution and public display.”
The movie is said to be well suited for e.g. in school environments and can be downloaded for free in various formats or watched directly on the site in high definition or on Google Video.
Undermining certainty and conviction as products of reason
“On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You’re Not” by Robert A. Burton seems to provide an interesting scientific summary on why you as soon as possible should forget the traditional concepts of objective thought and free will.
The book’s concepts are summarized in an easy to understand way on a recent episode of Brain Science Podcast.
