How we mitigate uncertainty

Uncertainty is a paradox. On one hand, it is a potent and powerful force that motivates research, a need to know. The gratifying result of research is evidence used to guide practice and policy.
On the other hand, uncertainty always remains after research because of the inherent complexity and ambiguity of the real world.

Spooky science

From bizarre antimatter to experiments that tie light up in knots, physics has revealed some spooky sides of our world. Here are seven of the most mind-blowing recent discoveries.

Speaking a second language may change how you see the world

Where did the thief go? You might get a more accurate answer if you ask the question in German. How did she get away? Now you might want to switch to English. Speakers of the two languages put different emphasis on actions and their consequences, influencing the way they think about the world, according to a new study. The work also finds that bilinguals may get the best of both worldviews, as their thinking can be more flexible.

'Democratic peace' may not prevent international conflict

In addition, a model developed with this new technique was found to predict international conflict five and even ten years in the future better than any existing model.
Democratic peace is the widely held theory that democracies are less likely to go to war against each other than countries with other types of government.

Does Everyone Have a Look-Alike?

We've all done a double take when mistaking a random person on the street for someone we know or know of, like the celebrity look-alikes Will Ferrell and Chad Smith — the actor and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer, respectively.

What Household Dust Says About You

Menageries of microscopic life — veritable zoos with extraordinary diversity — lurk hidden in household dust, and scientists now find that these tiny communities can differ greatly from each other depending of where a person lives, what pets a person has, and how many people in the house are male or female, researchers say.

Baby’s Cells Can Manipulate Mom’s Body for Decades

An evolutionary approach may help scientists understand why mothers become genetic chimeras and how that affects their health

Can genes make us liberal or conservative?

A depiction of the double helical structure of DNA. Its four coding units (A, T, C, G) are color-coded in pink, orange, purple and yellow. Credit: NHGRI
Aristotle may have been more on the money than he realised in saying man is a political animal, according to research published Wednesday linking genes with liberal or conservative leanings.
Or, to be precise, a specific variant of one gene that would seem to exert greater sway over women than men.

Should research animals be named?

Scientists once shied away from naming research animals, and many of the millions of mice and rats used in U.S. research today go nameless, except for special individuals.