Stories by Carrie Arnold

Ambient smells could make or break a party

Problems with motor control may be a key factor in bipolar disorder

The new discipline of "sensomics" is helping to find ways to make chocolate even tastier

Psychiatrists propose a new diagnosis for people who show early signs of a break with reality

Researchers untangle the genetics of how a crippling virus mutated and spread via mosquito from Africa to Asia

A supervisor's feedback may affect identity more in certain cultures

Scientists have figured out the genetic basis of seedless fruit

In a crowd, everyone feels equally anxious

Although burnout and depression have similar symptoms, the two conditions affect the body in different ways

Bacteria swap genes with their neighbors more frequently than researchers have realized

Practical jokes and pranks serve to both test social bonds and bring groups together, researchers find

Could rhesus macaques be self-aware?

When in doubt, people shift toward extreme points of view

When people see health food as larger, they are more likely to want to eat it

The invasive usurpers from South America have proved difficult to fight with insecticides and other traditional measures. Scientists hope the new genetic information will help

New evidence links melting glaciers with the evolution of life

Can you guess your heart rate? Those who have trouble doing so might also have a less accurate external picture of their bodies, suggesting that body-image problems may not necessarily result from media messages alone

See-through fish are helping neuroscientists settle a scientific debate about whether slumber improves the brain's performance

An innovative program in the U.K. shows that grade-school kids can actively participate in the scientific process at a high level

Small sugar fragments can set off a signal cascade that increases inflammation and scar formation. A small peptide can block this process and allow scar-free healing

The trend of increasing open-access publication has many singing its praises, but not everyone sees unbridled scientific advancement