David Robson

5 days ago | observer.co.uk | David Robson

Even Mahatma Gandhi himself saw the benefit of seeing red. Now scientists are beginning to study – and measure – the value of anger Mahatma Gandhi was not known for his hot head, yet he fully recognised the power of rage. “Anger to people is like gas to the automobile – it fuels you to move forward and get to a better place,” his grandson Arun Ghandi recalled him saying.

1 week ago | newscientist.com | David Robson

Distinguishing fact from fiction is one of the great tests of human communication. Little wonder that some people agonise over their capacity to sniff out a fishy story. “My friends say I’m a real mug,” one reader tells me. “What can I do to be less gullible?”I can’t help but wonder if our reader’s friends are being a little too harsh. Countless studies have shown that most of us are pretty abysmal at lie detection. When asked to discern whether people are telling truths or falsehoods, the …

1 week ago | newscientist.com | David Robson

Ethan Kross always shared a special bond with his grandmother, Dora, whom he considered a “second mom”. She lived just a few blocks away from his childhood home, and when he came by each day after school, she would shower him with kisses and lavish him with food – matzo balls, chicken broth and noodle pudding.

3 weeks ago | spektrum.de | David Robson

Hintergrund Lesedauer ca. 10 Minuten DruckenTeilenNeurowissenschaft: Das Mikrobiom des GehirnsUnzählige Mikroorganismen leben in und auf unserem Körper – sogar im Gehirn. Womöglich unterstützt uns dieses spezielle Mikrobiom beim Denken; es könnte aber auch neurodegenerative Krankheiten wie Alzheimer verursachen. 2015 war Nikki Schultek in Topform. Die junge Mutter von zwei kleinen Jungen hatte gerade erst einen Halbmarathon absolviert. Doch kurze Zeit später befiel sie eine mysteriöse Krankheit.

4 weeks ago | yorkshirebylines.co.uk | David Robson

The Mekons, punk’s greatest survivors (and prosperers on their own terms) release their 26th album, Horror, and announce a tour of the UK, Europe and the USA. And yet, most people have never heard of them. How has this happened? Born out of the belly of the Sex Pistols’ Anarchy in the UK gig at Leeds Polytechnic on 6 December 1976, the Mekons have evolved from a disparate bunch of fine art students who couldn’t play musical instruments, to a group who are critically acclaimed.