Psychology

New research indicates that conversational AI can strengthen false beliefs and distorted thinking in users. The findings come from a study examining how chatbots interact with people experiencing delusions or conspiracy theories. Researchers highlight risks especially for those who are isolated or vulnerable.

May 09, 2026 Reported by AI

A Vogue article explores the emotional challenges of receiving unwanted clothes from mothers ahead of Mother's Day.

What people expect to be drinking can sway how much they enjoy sweet beverages—sometimes more than the drink’s actual ingredients—according to a new experiment that paired taste ratings with brain imaging. Researchers reported that anticipating sugar increased activity in a reward-linked midbrain region even when the drink contained an artificial sweetener.

April 04, 2026 Reported by AI Fact checked

Astrocytes—star-shaped glial cells long cast mainly as support staff for neurons—appear to actively shape how fear memories are learned, recalled and weakened, according to a mouse study published in Nature. The work suggests these cells help sustain the neural activity patterns that underlie fear expression, a finding that researchers say could eventually inform new approaches to anxiety-related disorders.

A new study challenges the belief that closing one's eyes improves hearing in noise, finding it actually hinders detection of faint sounds. Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University showed that relevant visual cues enhance auditory sensitivity instead. The findings were published in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

March 08, 2026 Reported by AI

A recent study indicates that left-handed individuals may have an edge in competitive situations, while right-handed people are better at cooperation. This finding challenges evolutionary expectations about handedness. Researchers explore why around 10 percent of humans remain left-handed despite potential survival disadvantages.