60-Second Health

Research published in the April issue of the journal Cognition shows that the colorful brain images created by functional magnetic resonance imaging can give a perceived credibility to an otherwise flawed science news story.

New research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison finds that we can acquire a greater capacity for compassion through meditation training, in much the same way as athletes or musicians train to improve their skill.

Neuroscientists recently made a startling discovery--young brains may experience memory loss due to the same mechanism responsible for Alzheimer's.

While at Stanford in the mid-1960s, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest author Ken Kesey started adding a peculiar ingredient to his homemade venison stew--LSD. Now, more than forty years later, the psychedelic pioneer's beloved drug is giving neuroscientists new clues about what causes schizophrenic psychosis.

Animal behaviorist Temple Grandin believes extraordinary animals think much like autistic geniuses. Now, some neuroscientists say it simply isn't true.

*This week's podcast guest hosted by Christopher Intagliata, an intern for Scientific American Mind. www.sciammind.com

A study out of the business school INSEAD reveals that we tend to invert the economic axiom of short supply leads to high demand, meaning that we also conclude (prematurely and often incorrectly) that anything in high demand must be in short supply.

A survey of 1,000 Iraqi teens reveals a surprising effect of living in a war torn country. Seems that when faced with an indirect threat to one's self or nation, we take action to raise our own self esteem.

Contrary to the media hype that today's teens are more self-absorbed than generations past, Canadian researchers have found zero evidence for any increase in narcissism, which includes arrogance and self-entitlement, over the last three decades.

Psychologist Steven Pinker describes why passionate infatuation, typically associated with unhealthy romantic behavior, may have real advantages for long term commitment.

Results from a 10-year study show that bisexuality in women is not a transitional phase enroute to lesbianism, but rather a distinct and long-term sexual orientation.