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People are still trying to figure how dictators like Hitler are able to control masses of ordinary citizens.

Neurologists are studying this puzzling phenomenon. They think that organized marching and shows of military strength (the kind of thing done regularly in North Korea, for example) are an important part of this, because activities performed in unison increase loyalty to the group. Netherlands neurologist Vasily Klucharev found that the brain releases more dopamine when we act in concert with a group.

In New Scientist, David Robson quotes researcher Scott Wiltermuth as saying, “It makes us feel as though we’re part of a larger entity, so we see the group’s welfare as being as important as our own.”

Art credit: freeimages.co.uk
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teeming with life! – There could be one hundred billion earth-like planets in our own galaxy. So far, astronomers have detected over 300 of them, and scientists think that many of these could harbor at least simple forms of life?just like we think we have found on Mars. Have (or will) any of these planets evolve complex life forms (like us) in the future?

BBC News quotes researcher Alan Boss as saying, “Not only are they probably habitable but they probably are also going to be inhabited, but I think that most likely the nearby ‘Earths’ are going to be inhabited with things which are perhaps more common to what Earth was like three or four billion years ago.”
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It’s especially bad around SCHOOLS! – Despite our best efforts, we sometimes still pollute, but our air IS getting cleaner. A new study shows that average life expectancy in 51 US cities increased nearly three years over recent decades, and approximately five months of that increase is thanks to cleaner air?that’s GOOD news. But another study reveals that air pollution is dangerously high around schools that are located near some US industrial plants?that’s BAD!
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…unless you’re a mouse – One of the most depressing pieces of scientific evidence for dieters has been the news that mice on severely calorie restricted diets live much longer?so therefore maybe we should eat that way too. The good news? It only works for mice!

If you are a mouse on the chubby side, then eating less may help you live longer. For lean mice?and possibly for lean humans?the anti-aging strategy known as caloric restriction may be a pointless, frustrating and even dangerous exercise.Researcher Raj Sohal says, “Today there are a lot of very healthy people who look like skeletons because they bought into this.” (Hmmm?we haven’t seen many people who look like that around!)
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