Iraq Study: 655,000 Dead Since Invasion

Staff / Truthdig Oct 11, 2006 A survey team made up of Iraqi physicians and epidemiologists from Johns Hopkins University has determined that the U.S. invasion of Iraq caused the deaths of roughly 655,000 people. The estimate is more than 20 times higher than one Bush gave in December, but the researchers believe they have substantial evidence to back the claim. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Men Have Biological Clocks Too

Staff / Truthdig Sep 5, 2006 A group of U.S. and UK researchers have suggested that children born to older fathers are likelier to develop autism. The study of 132,271 Israeli children implies the possibility that men also have time constraints on procreation. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Supersized Paychecks for Oil Execs in 2005

Staff / Truthdig Aug 30, 2006 CEOs of the largest 15 oil companies averaged $32.7 million in compensation in 2005. This sum is more than twice the amount paid out to CEOs at other "large U.S. firms." More on the study released by the Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy here. Oink, oink! (via huffpo) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Meet Your Friendly (and Deadly?) Coffee Bean

Staff / Truthdig Aug 15, 2006 The java in this cup could either cause or counter a heart attack, depending on which recent study you believe. The American Medical Association says, drink up; an assistant professor at Brown says, sedentary types: beware. Dig deeper ( 2 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 )

Immigrants Don’t Hurt U.S. Jobs, Says Study

Staff / Truthdig Aug 11, 2006 In what could be tantamount to dropping a neutron bomb on xenophobes like Lou Dobbs, a study by the Pew Hispanic Center found that high levels of immigration in the past 15 years do not appear to have hurt employment opportunities for American workers. But some economists question the study's technique. Check out Truthdig's Marc Cooper on the myths of America's immigration debate. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Elephants Have Capacity for Compassion, Study Says

Staff / Truthdig Aug 9, 2006 The study detailed the way elephants responded with apparent concern to a member that fell ill and died, a relative rarity in the animal kingdom. Rarer still is evidence suggesting that elephants of the political type mean to make good on their promise to infuse their conservatism with compassion. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Desire Controls What We Perceive, Study Finds

Staff / Truthdig Jul 17, 2006 From Live Science: "Without realizing it, people will perceive things according to how they want to see them, a new study suggests." This may explain, for example, why people on different sides of an argument remember wildly different aspects of the confrontation. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Expert: Trees Could Grow in Antarctica Within Century

Staff / Truthdig Jul 13, 2006 Due to global warming, the icy continent could revert to how it looked 40 million years ago--with bushes and trees, an environmental expert told an international scientific conference. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Vanuatu Is World’s Happiest Country, Study Finds

Staff / Truthdig Jul 13, 2006 The AP reports: "The tiny South Pacific Ocean archipelago of Vanuatu is the happiest country on Earth, according to a study published measuring people's wellbeing and their impact on the environment." Zimbabwe came in last of the 178 ranked countries. The U.S. came in at a dismal 150th. Of the G8 industrial powers, Italy scored highest at 60th. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Study: Link Between Having Older Brothers and Homosexuality

Staff / Truthdig Jun 27, 2006 Having one or more older brothers boosts the likelihood of a boy growing up to be gay -- an effect due not to social factors but biological events that occur in the mother's womb, according to a study published Tuesday. More evidence--alas, Bible-thumpers still need it--that homosexuality has nothing to do with outside factors and has everything to do with biology. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Study: Americans Have Fewer Friends Than 20 Years Ago

Staff / Truthdig Jun 25, 2006 The American Sociological Review has found that Americans have a third fewer close friends and confidants than just two decades ago--a huge shift, statistically speaking What to make of it? Uhhh, take your guess: suburbs vs urban living, iPods vs conversations . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )