SEX, CRIME & DRUGS: THE SIN EPISODE   ⏱09:52

the brain differences between men & women, how neuroscience can reduce murders, why adults drink wine and why children shouldn't eat sugar

episode #7, 9th April 2021 #sex #murder #gun #wine #sugar #pimple #drugs   image source

  ⇦ listen here   ⏱09:52


  ⇨ transcript here


our main brain stories this episode...


img: Oran Maguire
BlueSci
MEN ARE FROM EARTH, WOMEN ARE FROM EARTH

a majestic review of over 600 brain imaging studies over 30 years concludes that men's brains are 11% bigger than women's because men are bigger than women. otherwise they're identical. dump the dimorphism!   [read more...]

this story was in episode #7. original article: Eliot et al., 2021 (Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews), reported in: The Daily Mail by Dan Avery on 8th March 2021 & Twitter by Lise Eliot on 20th April 2021 image source #sex #male #female #dimorphism #MRI

ratings: The Daily Mail: fact - scientific story reported well   Twitter: fact - scientific story reported well  


PEOPLE ARE SHALLOW WINE CONSUMERS

an oxford professor says that people's wine preferences are influenced by the colour, the label, the name, whether there's a cork, the lighting of the room & the background music. also partly by the taste & smell   [read more...]

this story was in episode #7. original article: Spence, 2020 (Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications), reported in: The Daily Mail by Victoria Allen on 13th March 2021 #wine #consumer #paradox #critter

rating: The Daily Mail: fair - scientific story mostly intact  


PIMPLE POPPING PLEASURE EXPLAINED

five psychologists put 80 women in a brain scanner & showed them videos of other people popping pimples. half found it enjoyable, half disgusting. the brain's frontal lobe seems to be responsible   [read more...]

this story was in episode #7. original article: Wabnegger et al., 2021 (Behavioural Brain Research), #pimple #disgust #enjoyment #pleasure


NEUROSCIENCE SOLVES GUN CRIME

psychologist drew westen selectively reviews evidence about mental health, brain development & violent gun crime in the usa. his conclusion that frontal lobe development stops gun crime is strong, but the evidence presented is weak   [read more...]

this story was in episode #7. reported in: The Washington Post by Drew Westen on 5th April 2021 #gun #control #development #frontal #lobe

rating: The Washington Post: fudge - scientific story distorted  


SUGAR CAUSES MEMORY LOSS (in rats)

the daily mail's claim that a sugary diet in childhood leads to memory problems is undermined by the study population (rats), the statistical power (poor) & the statistical analysis (poor)   [read more...]

this story was in episode #7. original article: Noble et al., 2021 (Translational Psychiatry), reported in: The Daily Mail by Joe Pinkstone on 1st April 2021 #rat #sugar #underpowered #fishing

rating: The Daily Mail: fudge - scientific story distorted  


MARY JEANNE KREEK (1937-2021)

pioneer of the development of methadone & other treatments for drug addiction, professor kreek studied the neurobiology & genetics of the brain with "boundless energy"   [read more...]

this story was in episode #7. reported in: The Scientist by Asher Jones on 31st March 2021 #drug #alcohol #methadone #addiction