Broken Heart is a Real Pain
Some people believe a broken heart is really all in one's head. But, new research shows the pain from a broken heart is the real deal.
Researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to watch the brains of 13 students who thought they were treated maliciously in a game. They found that the distress of the rejection showed in the same part of the brain that responds to physical pain.
The researchers say the findings show hurt feelings may cause as much distress in the brain as physical injury and that humans need social connections to others.
Cold Hard Facts
Personality pays in cold treatment. When exposed to cold viruses, some people stay fairly healthy with mild cold symptoms while others are can't get out of bed. Ever wondered why the difference? Researchers say one's personality influences how vulnerable someone is to cold symptoms.
A researcher in Pittsburgh has been exposing volunteers to colds for 16 years now. After exposure, they're quarantined and evaluated for five days. He says happy relaxed people are more resistant to illness than those who are unhappy or tense. And, when happy people do get sick, their symptoms are milder.
The research also showed the more extroverted a person is, the less likely he or she is to catch cold.
Fairy Tales May Bring Bad Ending
They appear harmless enough, those fairy tales we read to children before they go off to sleep, but new research suggest those stories could bring nightmares for girls.
Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and the like may have more effect on the self-esteem of girls than parents realize. The stories are filled with messages that beauty is good, and people who are ugly are evil.
The researchers looked at 168 fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm. They found 94 percent of the stories talked about physical appearance. Women's beauty was mentioned many more time than men's.
The researchers say they are not recommending a ban on the stories, but suggest changing them-making the princess live happily ever after by making her own life. They suggest teaching children to deal with stereotypes, because they'll be exposed to those stereotypes throughout their lives.
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