Team Caffeine

Guzzle that morning latte, in the name of … teamwork? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We all know the coffee maker is the new watering hole. A lot of business gets done over a cup of joe. But does coffee actually help us work

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Model Anxiety

Swimsuit season is here! Are you stressing out? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying — you’re not alone! It’s a common problem, particularly for women. Seems like skinny models are everywhere. Commercials, billboards, magazines, online… EVERYWHERE. Scientists at the University of Oxford are looking

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Good Job Hunting

Thinking of quitting your job? But what about your social life? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Newsflash: You spend as much time with your co-workers as your spouse! Your workplace mentors and water-cooler buddies guide your career and support you socially. But do these

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Questioning Behavior

Want to help your friends keep their New Year’s resolutions? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: Do like they do on Jeopardy! Ask questions! When you ask someone about behavior, you help bring that behavior about. So say researchers at Washington State University, the

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Universal Language

Don’t speak the language? Just keep smiling! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Many gestures are universal. A warm smile is innately understood all around the world. A thumbs up, however? That’s learned and doesn’t translate across cultures. But where did all of these gestures

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Bad Guys Lose

Revenge is sweet. Science says so! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We love a happy ending! The hero riding off into the sunset, while the villain reaps what he sowed. We pay to see this movie again and again. Is enjoying it part of

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Tipping the Tables

Next time you’re sitting at a tippy restaurant table, don’t get mad. Think Wobbleology! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Wobbleology is the science of, yes, wobbly restaurant tables. New Scientist magazine coined the term. But the credit goes to these folks: researchers at Monash

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Send in the Trolls

What makes Internet trolls tick? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying: You’ve experienced trolls: people who will write anything online to make someone else look silly. These tricksters spew a lot of bile, but what are they like in real life? Maybe not that

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Offbeat Batter

When you’re asleep, how is your baseball game? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Every night, while we sleep, new memories from the day are thrown at our brains like baseballs from a pitcher’s mound. Our brainwaves swing at the perfect time to hit the

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Grabbing is Believing

Is seeing REALLY believing? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Our world is full of things that demand our attention. Signs, lights, people! It should be overwhelming. But our brains are GOOD at prioritizing. How do they decide what’s most important? Meet Jacqueline Snow and

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