Humans

Personality Tests Are Popular, But Do They Capture The Real You?

5:18am June 25, 2016

by Annie Murphy Paul

It can be a lot of fun taking those back-of-the-magazine personality tests. But tests may be less fun when they are used by employers to make big life decisions on hiring and job performance.

Science

New Study Explores Psychology Of Giving Wedding Gifts

6:32pm June 24, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

A new study looks at the psychology of giving wedding gifts. Researchers found when buying wedding gifts, people closest to the recipient often diverge from the registry to express their unique relationship to the recipient. But this leaves the recipient less happy than if they had received something from the registry.

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Invisibilia: Is Your Personality Fixed, Or Can You Change Who You Are?

5:59pm June 24, 2016

by Alix Spiegel

A man committed a horrible crime. Then he decided he no longer wanted to be a bad person. It is possible to change our personalities, psychologists say, even though we like to think they're innate.

A Protein That Moves From Muscle To Brain May Tie Exercise To Memory

4:55pm June 23, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

In mice, monkeys and people, exercise releases a protein called cathepsin B. And as blood and brain levels of this protein rise, memory gets better. But the protein has a dark side, too.

Mike Marsella, center, runs during the ACC Outdoor Championships in Tallahassee this year.

Can You Psych Yourself Into Running A 4-Minute Mile?

4:31pm June 23, 2016

by Lulu Miller

NPR's Lulu Miller tells the story of one runner who always believed he could break the four-minute mile. Then a terrible accident made him question if he would ever be the same runner.

The Text4Baby app sends free, periodic text messages in Spanish or English to pregnant women and new moms about prenatal care, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, developmental milestones and immunizations.

The Challenge Of Taking Health Apps Beyond The Well-Heeled

9:03am June 23, 2016

by Barbara Feder Ostrov

A nutrition app may not be the top priority for someone who struggles to pay for groceries. But cellphones have the potential to improve the health of people with low incomes, if they can get them.

The onion, says allium expert Eric Block, "really is quite beautiful from a scientific perspective."

Science

The Science Of Why Onions Make Us Cry

10:50am June 22, 2016

by Maanvi Singh

Sure, their beautiful, multilayered complexity has moved poets to weep. But the real answer is more practical: A bulb's gotta keep the baddies away. We get the lowdown from a chemist.

Medical residents training to be OB-GYNs in Texas don't have many place where they can learn how to perform abortions.

Can Doctors Learn To Perform Abortions Without Doing One?

3:43pm June 21, 2016

by Carrie Feibel

Accredited medical residency programs have to teach doctors how to perform abortions. But interpretation of the requirement varies, especially in a state like Texas where training options are scarce.

Private online chat channels on Slack are the modern-day "safe spaces" for co-workers.

National

Workers Find Safe Spaces In Private Slack Channels, But How Safe Are They?

10:39am June 21, 2016

by Anne Li

Workers always find ways to confide — through sign language on assembly lines or now, digitally, on private Slack channels. But privacy experts warn these spaces may not be as safe as they seem.

Children can encounter lead in contaminated soil, paint, water and dust.

Pediatricians Call For More Testing And Tighter Rules On Lead Exposure

3:55pm June 20, 2016

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Citing growing evidence that no amount of lead exposure is safe for kids, the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for tighter regulations on the amount of lead in house dust, water and soil.

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