Psychology

The role of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii on human behavior: Causation or correlation?

Before becoming a graduate student, I knew little to nothing about the neglected microscopic parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Once I began my studies, I quickly realized that unless you were a healthcare worker, vet, or pregnant, the awareness of Toxoplasma was close to nonexistent. Despite prevalence among one-third of the world's population, infected immunocompetent individuals remain

Abigail Calixto June 23, 2021

Lamenting Loss: The Science of Hallucinations During Bereavement

Leaning against the kitchen counter, I wait for the microwave to finish while overwhelmed with a million deadlines. It's almost the end of the semester, but because of the pandemic, I'm back at home, trying to juggle classes and learning how to use Zoom. Then, I feel my dad's hand around my shoulder, squeezing it

Kendall Clay May 11, 2021

My boyfriend might be a psychopath

It is that time of the year we've all been waiting forâ€¦ pumpkin spice season. That means pumpkin spice pancakes, pumpkin spice snickerdoodles (seriously, you need to try them), and of course pumpkin spice lattes! Now I'm not a regular at Starbucks most of the year, but when pumpkin spice is in the air, you

athenssciencecafe September 22, 2017

Think Before You Speak: Language & the Brain

I have recurring nightmares where I can't speak. The dream situation changes – I'm in an argument and can't defend myself or I'm up on a stage and suddenly can't say my lines – but when I open my mouth nothing comes out. The terror of this dream comes from how important language is to

athenssciencecafe August 18, 2016

Life with and without Social Media: a Nick Batora Story

â€œYour life exists outside of television and likes, and Instagram. Engage the world.â€ Jon Stewart snapped these words out in a recent interview that he did with David Axelrod. His point is one that resonated with me. Not only because he's Jon Stewart and I believe most Americans miss him dearly as of late with

athenssciencecafe August 17, 2016

You used to call me on my cell phone…

My baby brother is 16, a rising high school junior. As much as I love him, he can really be a pain. He's too smart to take advice, too cool to be silly, too busy to bother. â€œYou were just like himâ€, my parents tell me. Obviously the 10 year gap between my adolescence and

athenssciencecafe July 3, 2016

Synesthesia: See What I'm Saying?

Why was six afraid of seven? Because their colors clash, of course. And seven can be a bit of a jerk. We tend to trust our own perceptions, and assume others share the same reality we experience. But for about 1 in 23 people, such things as friendly or specifically-colored numbers are just another aspect

athenssciencecafe June 8, 2016

Internet Addiction: Fact or Fantasy?

As society continually moves towards an age in which its members become reliant upon the internet for a wide array of tasks, one industry has recently taken the world by storm: persistent online gaming. Persistent browser-based games are those that have no set time period on how long one can play. In turn, gaming companies

athenssciencecafe May 11, 2016

Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen…

Welcome to Star Wars week here at the Athens Science Observer. To help celebrate May the 4th – Star Wars Day – we wanted to take a look at the real life science of that galaxy far far away. There's a scene in Star Wars: Episode I â€“ The Phantom Menace in which the Jedi

athenssciencecafe May 3, 2016

Making Resolutions That Stick

It's that time of year again! Everyone has just made resolutions for the New Year. According to Dr. John C. Norcross at the University of Scranton, each year ~ 40 â€“ 50% of us make New Year's resolutions, yet most of us don't follow through with them. In 1989, Dr. Norcross showed that â€œ77% of

athenssciencecafe January 15, 2016

This is Your Brain on Food: The Science of Food Addiction

For years we've heard about drug and alcohol addictions, but what about food addictions? Is it possible to be addicted to food? Doctors and scientists have debated whether food addiction is real and remains a controversial topic. Until now research on food addiction has been lacking, but new studies have suggested food addiction may truly

athenssciencecafe November 13, 2015