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As Canadian provinces consider whether to abandon the twice-yearly clock change, Lam et al. argue that permanent standard time would be better for public health than keeping daylight saving time year-round. Image credit: ChadoNihi.

Permanent Daylight Saving Time Could Harm Sleep and Mental Health, Canadian Analysis Says

Oct 5, 2026 by Enrico de Lazaro

Canadian health researchers are urging the country to choose permanent standard time over permanent daylight saving time if it ends the twice-yearly clock...

Lauren Scott & Brittany Florkiewicz show that cat facial signals correspond to different social functions, which have likely been influenced by domestication. Image credit: Sci.News / Makieni777 / Rise-a-mui / Alexas_Fotos / Dorothe / Vaclav Zavada / Artem Makarov / Daga Roszkowska / Birgit / Pasi Mammela.

Countries with More Cats Report Higher Happiness, Scientists Say

Oct 1, 2026 by Natali Anderson

New research led by the University of Chicago found that nations with more domestic cats tended to report higher levels of happiness, while greater exposure...

Social Physiology refers to the extent to which physiological regulation operates more efficiently in a social context compared to being alone. Image credit: Masalha et al., doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aeg4937.

Body Regulates Itself More Efficiently Near Partner, Study Shows

Sep 25, 2026 by Natali Anderson

Sitting next to a loved one doesn’t just feel good, it may make the body work less hard, according to a new study that measured blood sugar, skin temperature...

Weekend recovery sleep doesn’t prevent weight gain or reduce insulin sensitivity. Image credit: Wok & Apix.

Study: Night Owls Face Higher Mental Health Risks Tied to Work-Life Balance

Sep 2, 2026 by Natali Anderson

In a study of 2,266 workers in Finland, evening-type people, or night owls, were up to three times more likely to be treated for depression or anxiety...

Andersson et al. found associations between nicotine use and anxiety, depression, sleep problems and suicidal thoughts among teenagers, with girls appearing particularly vulnerable. Image credit: Roland Mey.

Nicotine Use in Teens Tied to Anxiety and Depression, New Studies Find

Aug 11, 2026 by News Staff

In three new studies, researchers at the University of Gothenburg found that adolescents who use nicotine — including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches...

The owner experiences of transitioning cats indoors suggest that, for most owners and cats, a transition to indoor cat management is manageable and worthwhile. Image credit: Natali Anderson.

Moving Cat Indoors is Easier than Owners Expect: Study

Aug 5, 2026 by Natali Anderson

Moving a free-roaming cat indoors for good is a decision many owners approach with dread: guilt over confining a former outdoor explorer, worry about litter...

Long-term financial stress accelerates age-related cognitive decline. Image credit: Thomas Breher.

Decades of Financial Hardship Linked to Faster Brain Aging

Jul 28, 2026 by Natali Anderson

A large British study spanning more than 70 years has found that people who experience chronic money struggles over their working lives show measurable...

Variation in laughter tempo across five great ape species (orangutans, gorillas, bonobos, chimpanzees, and humans): each dot represents an individual observation; color indicates phylogenetic distance (in million years ago); each square contains an image of the corresponding species, with a matching dot color for intuitive reference. Image credit: De Gregorio et al., 10.1038/s42003-026-10499-z.

New Research Traces Origins of Human Laughter

Jun 28, 2026 by Natali Anderson

The way humans laugh — in rapid, rhythmically timed bursts — is not uniquely ours. New research by the University of Warwick and the University...

Testing situation and hunters with their dogs -- examples from each of the four non-WEIRD societies: (a) pointing test in Mongolia, (b) unsolvable problem test in Vanuatu, (c) showing test in Mongolia, (d) Vanuatu, (e) Mongolia, (f) Madagascar, (g) Peru. Image credit: Bräuer et al., doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-57657-1.

Human-Dog Bond is Ancient, Universal and Strikingly the Same Everywhere: Study

Jun 23, 2026 by News Staff

New research spanning five continents and vastly different cultures — from the steppes of Mongolia to the rainforests of the Pacific — shows...

Scatterty et al. used a combination of self-report and biological measures to demonstrate that infrasound can have irritant, and aversive properties on humans. Similarly, infrasound appears to influence increases in negative affective evaluation.

Infrasound Can Subtly Raise Stress and Discomfort, New Study Finds

Apr 27, 2026 by News Staff

New research suggests that infrasound — very low-frequency sound below 20 Hz — can increase cortisol levels and irritability, offering a scientific...

Time is an example of psychological projection. Image credit: Gemini AI.

Time is Psychological Projection, Philosopher Suggests

Nov 18, 2025 by The Conversation

In his new book ‘A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time,’ Wake Forest University’s Professor Adrian Bardon proposes that our sense of the passage...

The cases presented by Towers et al. are among the first recorded where wild killer whales (Orcinus orca) used prey and other items to instigate interactions with humans. Image credit: Towers et al., doi: 10.1037/com0000422.

Wild Killer Whales Sometimes Offer Food to Humans, Scientists Say

Jul 7, 2025 by News Staff

In a paper published online in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, marine biologists report on 34 interactions spanning two decades in which killer...

Nielsen et al. find lactose intolerance may link consuming dairy, nightmares, and poor sleep. Image credit: Micha HNBS.

Study Finds Association between Lactose Intolerance and Nightmares

Jul 1, 2025 by News Staff

In a new study, researchers questioned 1,082 students at MacEwan University about the quality of their sleep, their eating habits, and any perceived link...

The wearable patch can simultaneously and accurately track multiple emotional signals. Image credit: Yangbo Yuan / Penn State.

Newly-Developed Stretchable, Rechargeable Device Can Detect Real Emotions

Apr 23, 2025 by News Staff

The new hybrid device combines decoupled sensors with a flexible wireless powering and transmitting module for emotion recognition, according to a research...

Anauralia is the phenomenon of an absence of auditory sensory imagery -- not hearing anything in one’s inner ear. Image credit: Vat Loai.

Some People Can’t Imagine Sounds: Anauralia

Dec 19, 2024 by News Staff

Some people can’t imagine a dog barking or a police siren; songs can’t get stuck in their heads; they have no inner voices. Anauralia was proposed...

The frequency of emoji use varies across genders and relationship types. Image credit: Pete Linforth.

Study: People with Higher Emotional Intelligence Use Emojis More Frequently

Dec 5, 2024 by News Staff

Higher emotional intelligence is linked to more emoji use with friends, while avoidant attachment is associated with less emoji use with friends and dating...

Levin et al suggest that we could have more in common with our extraterrestrial neighbors than initially thought. Image credit: Fernando Ribas.

Alien Visitation Claims Are Widespread Societal Problem, Researcher Says

Sep 3, 2024 by The Conversation

Around a fifth of U.K. citizens believe Earth has been visited by extraterrestrials, and an estimated 7% believe that they have seen a UFO. The figures...

Zwebner et al. investigated the possibility of a self-fulfilling prophecy effect wherein individuals’ facial appearance develops over time to resemble the social stereotypes associated with given names. Image credit: Zwebner et al., doi: 10.1073/pnas.2405334121.

Can Given Names Shape Individuals’ Facial Appearance?

Jul 30, 2024 by News Staff

Our given name is a social tag associated with us early in life. Prior research has shown that individuals’ facial appearance can be indicative of their...

Higher intakes of fruit are associated with a reduced risk of incident depression.

Higher Fruit Consumption Reduces Risk of Depression, Study Suggests

Jun 5, 2024 by News Staff

New research led by University of New South Wales scientists supports a role for fruit — but not vegetable — intake in protecting against depression. Higher...