Larry’s List

Staff / Truthdig Nov 26, 2009 We're kicking off a new feature. Get the best of the Net from Larry Gross. Tonight: Internet for Nobel Prize, secrets of the Kremlin, augmented reality art, charges against nude model dropped, and more. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Psychology, Metaphors and You

Staff / Truthdig Sep 29, 2009 Can you tell your metaphors from your synecdoches? These terms may trigger bad freshman English flashbacks, but at least when it comes to metaphors, they're more important than you might think; in fact, they might just be intrinsic to how you think. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Workaholics Risk Dementia, Study Finds

Staff / Truthdig Feb 26, 2009 Those who have lost their jobs can take solace in the fact that although working may put food on the table, it can also break your brain. A study has found that busy bees who labor more than 55 hours a week develop problems with reasoning, memory and vocabulary, and the problems get worse the more they work. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

NFL Players Risk More Than Broken Bones

Staff / Truthdig Jan 29, 2009 Scientists have made new discoveries about the traumatic head injuries sustained by football players, including Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who will play in the Super Bowl this Sunday. Just one concussion can lead to dementia-like symptoms years later and multiple incidents can bring about severe brain damage and perhaps even drug addiction or suicide. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Simon Lewis on Traumatic Brain Injuries

BLANK Oct 17, 2008 A devastating and growing problem is explored in Michael Paul Mason’s riveting new book, “Head Cases.” Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Kennedy Goes Under the Knife

Staff / Truthdig Jun 2, 2008 Ted Kennedy was to undergo brain surgery Monday morning as part of an aggressive course of treatment for his recently diagnosed cancer. According to the Boston Globe, the senator met with a panel of experts that included representatives of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, as well as his own doctors. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pentagon Sweeps 20,000 Veterans Under the Rug

Staff / Truthdig Nov 24, 2007 Roughly 20,000 soldiers who aren't on the military's list of combat wounded have signs of brain injury, according to an analysis of Army, Navy and Veterans Affairs data conducted by USA Today. The Pentagon's official tally of troops who've suffered brain trauma in combat is 4,471 -- one-fifth the total gleaned from military records. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Finding God in the Brain

Staff / Truthdig Oct 9, 2007 Is having a religious experience a matter of stimulating a particular area of the brain? The God-o-thalamus, perhaps? (Er, sorry.) Neuroscientists at the University of Montreal are studying functional MRI (fMRI) scans to see if they can locate such an area and then, perhaps, artificially induce a heavenly state of mind. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Rove’s Sad Legacy

Eugene Robinson / Truthdig Aug 14, 2007 Buh-bye, Karl Rove. On your way out of the White House, don't let the screen door hit you where the dog should have bit you. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Explained: Why E-Mail Baffles the Elderly

Staff / Truthdig Aug 22, 2006 Harvard researchers think they've found the protein that stops the growth of new neural connections in adult brains. The more you have of it, the less you are able to learn. Our theory: George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld have been freebasing this stuff for years. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Cellphone Calls Mangle Driving Skills

Staff / Truthdig Aug 15, 2006 Driving while talking on your cell cuts by half the brain's ability to recognize and respond to traffic conditions, according to a study. Says a researcher: "Twentysomethings on a cellphone have the same reaction time as 70-year-olds." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Researcher: Men’s and Women’s Brains Wired Differently

Staff / Truthdig Aug 13, 2006 In her new book "The Female Brain," a UCSF neuropsychiatrist writes, "Women have an eight-lane superhighway for processing emotion, while men have a small country road." Men, however, "have O'Hare Airport as a hub for processing thoughts about sex, where women have the airfield nearby that lands small and private planes." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )