Behavior

We laugh even before we can speak. But why? Science has some answers to the mystery of human laughter, and some of them might surprise you

A new study shows that demand, not just hospital profits, has boosted the use of robotic surgery

I wish I’d known these things before starting my own Ph.D. program

AI elicits better cooperation through deception 

Research shows that people sometimes ignore their own self-interest in making decisions

Living as a night owl in a lark’s world could be damaging your health. Here are three tips (backed by science) for thriving among the day dwellers

It’s a kind of software designed to make repetitive work value-driven and complex

Researchers dialed down the default number of opioids in two hospitals’ prescription systems—and doctors ended up prescribing fewer pills. Christopher Intagliata reports.

Some wolf pups will play fetch with a stranger, suggesting that an ability to playfully interact with people could have come before, and played a role in, dog domestication.

It’s not just what you say but how you say it, research shows

The answer’s not black-and-white

Describing it that way can be damaging to patients, families and caregivers