Michael Jourdan
The Great Emu Caper
Posted by Michael Jourdan on February 15, 2013 
An emu was stolen this week from a wildlife park near Sydney, Australia. Could this be the perfect crime?
Is Facebook Better Than Sex? Opinions Differ.
Posted by Michael Jourdan on November 28, 2012 
It’s a battle of the surveys, as one finds that Facebook and email are more irresistible than sex, while another asserts that sex offers far more happiness and pleasure than online pursuits.
Hanging in the Rainforest Not as Fun as It Used to Be? It Might Be a Midlife Crisis.
Posted by Michael Jourdan on November 21, 2012 
When people begin to worry about their mortality, they might fight the blues by buying a fancy sports car, having an affair, or even getting a toupee. But, what is a great ape to do?
The Eighth Habit of Highly Effective People? Avoiding Summer Birthdays
Posted by Michael Jourdan on October 24, 2012 
A new study finds that summer babies are less likely to become CEOs.
Innocent Until Proven Pretty
Posted by Michael Jourdan on October 12, 2012 
A study finds that beautiful women are more likely to be viewed as guilty in cases involving the murder of abusive partners.
Smokers Have More Friends…and They’ll Need Them
Posted by Michael Jourdan on September 6, 2012 
Despite years of anti-smoking campaigns featuring everything from catchy slogans to graphic photos of diseased lungs, public health officials have been unable to dispel the notion that lighting up is something the cool kids do.
Your Brain Has Been Hacked!
Posted by Michael Jourdan on August 23, 2012 
Using new headsets to operate video games and hands-free keyboards might leave you vulnerable to brain “hacking.”
The Hazards of Fly Sex
Posted by Michael Jourdan on July 25, 2012 
When house flies get busy, they run the risk of becoming a bat’s dinner.
It’s About Time: How Americans While Away the Hours
Posted by Michael Jourdan on June 26, 2012 
Have you ever wondered how your days stack up to those of the average American? Here’s your chance to find out. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has just released the American Time Use Survey, which looks at the amount of time per day people spend working, taking care of their kids, and letting off steam.
Apparently “Real Men” Don’t Eat Veggies Either
Posted by Michael Jourdan on May 17, 2012 
“Where’s the beef?” you ask. The answer seems to be both on a man’s plate and in his sense of self. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that consumers link eating meat with their concept of masculinity.
Newsflash! People Like Talking About Themselves
Posted by Michael Jourdan on May 10, 2012 
Harvard scientists have determined that people really, really like talking about themselves. While that may not be breaking news, the reasons why might surprise you.
Bigger Is Better–Except When It Isn’t
Posted by Michael Jourdan on May 3, 2012 
In news certain to raise the insecurities of men everywhere, scientists have determined that size does, in fact, matter to females–at least among gorillas.
Why Tearjerkers Cheer Us up
Posted by Michael Jourdan on March 29, 2012 
As strange as it sounds, there may be nothing so good as a sad movie to lift your spirits.
“That’s not fair!” says the toddler. And she should know…
Posted by Michael Jourdan on February 24, 2012 
Spend enough time with children and you’re sure to hear them blurt out a tearful, “That’s not fair!” And, as it turns out, children develop a sense of fairness even before they can speak in complete sentences.
Selfishness? There’s an App for That
Posted by Michael Jourdan on February 16, 2012 
Do cellphones make people selfish? If you’ve ever had to shush a garrulous iPhone user in the seat next to you at the movie theater, the answer may seem obvious. And now, a new study confirms our phone fears.
Humble People Are Helpful People
Posted by Michael Jourdan on January 4, 2012 
A study by researchers at Baylor and the University of Maine has proven something that has been obvious to me for a long time–that humble people are more likely to be helpful to others than egotists. Why is this obvious, you ask? Because, being far and away the most humble person I know, I speak from experience.
Measuring Happiness Tweet by Tweet
Posted by Michael Jourdan on December 29, 2011 
Researchers at the University of Vermont are measuring the happiness of society by looking at the language used on Twitter. The verdict? Overall happiness–at least among Twitter users–has declined over the last three years.
Can Your Personality Pass the Smell Test?
Posted by Michael Jourdan on December 7, 2011 
Move over Myers Briggs and make room for the nose. According to a new research study, people can often guess the personality of another person by smelling them.
Walk Through a Door and Throw Memories out the Window
Posted by Michael Jourdan on November 21, 2011 
According to a new study, the simple act of walking through a doorway makes people more forgetful.
Happiness: The Key to Longevity?
Posted by Michael Jourdan on November 2, 2011 
If you’re happy and you know it, you may just live longer than the sad sack sitting next to you. Researchers have found that happier people are 35% less likely to die over the next five years than their less joyful counterparts.
That’s One Stale Biscuit
Posted by Michael Jourdan on September 21, 2011 
How much would you spend for a 104-year-old biscuit? What if it was all that stood between you and starvation in the heart of the Antarctic?
Aww or Eek? The Brain Reacts to Pictures of Animals
Posted by Michael Jourdan on September 8, 2011 
Animals have long played an important role for humans–we have hunted them, been hunted by them, domesticated them, and taken them into our homes as companions. And, a new study suggests, animals also have a special place in our heads.
Border Fence Threatens Wildlife
Posted by Michael Jourdan on August 9, 2011 
While the fence between U.S.-Mexico is intended to stop smuggling, terrorism, and illegal immigration, endangered animals are also being stopped at the border.
Pigeons Never Forget
Posted by Michael Jourdan on July 13, 2011 
It turns out that pigeons have an impressive ability to remember people’s faces, and aren’t fooled even when we change our clothes.
Birds Do It, Bees Do It…But Why?
Posted by Michael Jourdan on July 11, 2011 
As any biologist will tell you, sex doesn’t seem to make sense. It requires males, which waste resources but don’t directly produce offspring. Why bother with males at all when asexual reproduction is so much more efficient?
