Science Archives

Spaced Practice Method: Level Up Your Learning Game

What is spaced practice? How does spaced practice compare to cramming (learning a large amount of information in a very short period of time)? Which technique is more effective and why? Spaced practice is a study technique that involves multiple short study sessions spaced out over time. Spaced practice develops your “underlying habit strength,” which prepares you to use that knowledge when you need it. It may feel less productive than cramming initially because you’ve forgotten some of the material and it feels like you don’t have a grasp of it—but that extra effort is precisely what makes the method

Debunking the Arguments in Listening to Prozac

What is the book Listening to Prozac about? Who is the scientist that challenged the claims made in the book? Listening to Prozac is a landmark book written in support of antidepressants drugs by Dr. Peter Kramer. The book is based on three main arguments rooted in questionable science. Dr. Irving Kirsch used new evidence-based research to refute these arguments in his journal—” The Emperor’s New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth.” Read on for Dr. Irving Kirsch’s arguments as to why Listening to Prozac is flawed.

Johann Hari: Why Antidepressants Don’t Always Work

The Three Reasons Why Antidepressants Don't Work

What is the major reason why Johann Hari claims antidepressants don’t work? If antidepressants are not the solution to depression, why are they still popular? According to Johann Hari, author of Lost Connections, the main reason why antidepressants don’t work is that the chemical imbalance that those drugs are designed to treat is rarely ever the true cause of depression. Multiple studies have debunked the imbalance theory, and yet, antidepressants are still used. Hari says this is because big pharma controls much of the drug trial and approval process that authorizes the use of antidepressants. Read on to learn more

How to Read a Book Effectively (History, Math, Science)

Do you want to know how to read a book effectively? What are the best ways to read history, math, and science books? How do you go about reading books that are no longer accurate? In How to Read a Book, co-authors Adler and Van Doren explain how to read history, math, and science books. They suggest reading these books and finding commonalities and links to one another rather than reading them in isolation. They also suggest being on the lookout for bias. Continue reading to learn the best methods for reading history, math, and science effectively.

Parkinson’s Disease: Causes & Prevention Measures

Are there any hereditary causes of Parkinson’s disease? Can Parkinson’s disease be deadly? 25,000 people die from Parkinson’s every year. Most cases of Parkinson’s disease aren’t genetic, although people who are diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease are likely to have inherited it. Keep reading to learn more about Parkinson’s disease prevention, mechanisms, and causes.

Digestive Cancer: Types, Risk Factors, and Prevention

What are the three different types of digestive cancer? Is there anything you can do to prevent developing digestive cancer? On average, digestive cancer causes 114,000 deaths every year. This includes: colorectal cancer (50,000), 2) pancreatic cancer (46,000), and 3) esophageal cancer (18,000). Luckily, there are a few measures you can take to reduce your risk of contracting digestive cancer. Keep reading to learn more about digestive cancers, their main risk factors, survival rates, and prevention.

Lung Disease: Causes, Types, and Prevention

What are the most common causes of lung disease? What are the different types of lung disease? On average, 296,000 people die from lung disease every year. Within lung disease are three sub-diseases: 1) lung cancer: 160,000 deaths per year; 2) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: 140,000 deaths per year; 3) asthma: 3,000 deaths per year. Keep reading to learn about lung disease causes, types, and prevention.

Neuro Associations: Why You Make Bad Decisions

What are neuro associations? Why do we often decide not to do things that we know would benefit us? Why do we snack on chips when we know fruit is better for us? The answer lies in our pain and pleasure neuro associations. The driving force behind all of our decisions—and, thus, our actions—is the motivation to avoid pain and seek pleasure. Understanding our neuro associations can help us to understand why we do the things we do and prevent us from making bad decisions in the future. Learn more about neuro associations below.

How to Prevent Prostate Cancer Naturally

What causes prostate cancer? Can prostate cancer be prevented? The exact causes of prostate cancer aren’t yet clear. However, there are several factors that have been shown to be associated with the risk of its development. By reducing these factors, you can significantly lower your risk of getting the disease. This article takes a look at how to prevent prostate cancer naturally, through diet and exercise.

Moral Intuition or Moral Reasoning: What Comes First?

Why does moral intuition kick in before moral reasoning? Is reasoning a total slave to emotion? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s experiments indicate that we react first with moral intuition, and then we employ reason. In his book The Righteous Mind, he provides additional evidence for this conclusion and explains why this is the way we make moral judgments. Read more to learn about moral intuition.