Sheril Kirshenbaum, science writer and author of The Science of Kissing , has an interesting discussion on why we kiss and how kisses work to stimulate chemistry between two people: A kiss puts two people in very close proximity...
Ed Note: Part of my online life includes editorial duties at ResearchBlogging.org, where I serve as the Social Sciences Editor. Each Thursday, I pick notable posts on research in anthropology, philosophy, social science, and research to share on the ResearchBlogging.org News site...
Our robotic overlords must be delighted by the way iPhone users have taken to Siri.I met her on Friday. But apparently, she was talking to me before we were formally introduced: When S arrived at the rail station to pick me up, Siri had been reading my text messages aloud and sending me his responses.S was delighted...
There was a wait for tables at the restaurant S and I went to on Saturday. Here's a look at how people passed the time. You may notice a similarity (sorry the pictures are a little dark):
Very few people were "just" talking—without their phone in their hand (and in one case, an iPad)...
Can smart phones change the way we do research? Cognitive scientists believe that they may provide a vital means of widening the participant pool, as discussed in a recent September PLoS paper that explores the intersection of technology and behavioral experiments.The potential application of Internet-based research to extend laboratory exercises to wider audiences has been a tantalizingly frustrating endeavor...
What an amazing year it's been—particularly in terms of how much the New York SciCom community has grown! It's been quite a journey and the #NYCSciTweetUps received a bit of press recently from the International Business Times...
Ed Note: Part of my online life includes editorial duties at ResearchBlogging.org, where I serve as the Social Sciences Editor. Each Thursday, I pick notable posts on research in anthropology, philosophy, social science, and research to share on the ResearchBlogging.org News site...
On November 19th, the American Museum of Natural History invites visitors to imagine what may be next in space exploration. Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration is a brand new exhibit developed by astronomer Dr...
SciAm bloggers have been busy delving into the dark to explore things that go bump in the night and make your hair stand on end. Here's a collection of the spooktacular posts you will want to investigate (with a flashlight):Revenge of the Zombifying WaspBlithe Spirits: Science Ain't Afraid of No GhostsThe Vampire Loads in Your HouseTrick or Treat?T-Rex or Treat!Spook House SporotrichosisAre Zombies Nocturnal?Talk "Dirty" to Me: Blood, Purity, and CuisineModelling a Werewolf EpidemicSpooky Nebulae: Ghosts, Snakes, Spiders and Cats EyesA Natural History of VampiresGrow Your Own…Halloween outfitDear Dracula, Edward Cullen and Bill Compton: You Have a Substance Abuse ProblemReal Life Werewolves?...
Ed. Note: What better way to round out Halloween than by considering why it is that clowns can strike fear into our hearts when they're supposed to be harmless?