Molly Hanson
Molly Hanson is a Colorado-based writer. She writes stories about nature, climate change, religion, ritual, psychology, the occult, running, and politics.
Follow her on Twitter at @molly_f_hanson.
Talking with your hands alters the perception of your words
A new study found that words are more accurately heard when accompanied by hand gestures.
How work addiction negatively affects your mental and physical health
Workaholism is perhaps the most socially accepted addiction, but a new paper shines light on the serious health risks that accompany it along with which occupations are most at risk.
Ginger may guard against the progression of some autoimmune diseases
A new study on mice showed that ginger may counter certain autoimmune disorders such as lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome.
The 10 best science and technology books of 2020
Perspective twisting books on biology, social science, medical science, cosmology, and tech.
Is rap music destigmatizing mental health disorders?
A new study shows that the top rap songs in the U.S. are making increasingly frequent references to depression and suicidal thoughts.
Black households face greater financial devastation due to COVID-19 shutdowns
New research spotlights how low-income Black households face greater financial distress and vulnerability as a result of the pandemic economic crisis.
Are brain teasers and apps a waste of time?
Recent research shows that brain teasers don't make you smarter and don't belong in job interviews because they don't reflect real-world problems.
Optimism may be dangerous in a pandemic, say behavioral psychologists
Most people believe themselves to be less at risk from COVID-19 than others similar to them, according to a recent UCL survey conducted in the U.S.
Eighth century pagan temple to Old Norse gods unearthed in Norway
Rare structures and artifacts of the Viking religion practiced centuries prior to Christianity's introduction have been uncovered by archaeologists in Norway, including a "god house."
Researchers discover intact brain cells of man killed by Mt Vesuvius eruption
The young man died nearly 2,000 years ago in the volcanic eruption that buried Pompeii.
Scientists uncover the brain circuitry that causes mysterious dissociative experiences
A team of researchers have discovered the brain rhythmic activity that can split us from reality.
Honeybee venom kills hard-to-treat breast cancer cells in new study
An active component of honeybee venom rapidly killed two particularly aggressive forms of breast cancer in a laboratory study.
Fossil reveals ‘cute’ baby dinosaur’s skull features
A rare titanosaur embryo was discovered with its skull preserved in 3 dimensions.
Study projects lifetime risk of death by gun violence and drugs in the US
By projecting lifetime risk, an alarming new medical study centers the human lives that will be lost due to gun violence and drug addiction in the United States.
Sperm don’t slither, they swim in a corkscrew motion
New research reveals that because of an optical illusion, we've been viewing sperm incorrectly for nearly 350 years.
Iron Age discoveries uncovered outside London, including a ‘murder’ victim
A man's skeleton, found facedown with his hands bound, was unearthed near an ancient ceremonial circle during a high speed rail excavation project.
Polar bears could be extinct by 2100, says heartbreaking new study
If Arctic ice continues to melt at its projected rate, the bears will go extinct due to starvation by the end of the century according to a first-ever projected timeline.
UK medical student creates handbook to show clinical symptoms on darker skin
Doctors may be missing fatal illnesses because medical textbooks are biased toward white skin.
Special glasses help colorblind people see more hues, even with glasses off
A new study enhanced color vision for individuals with the most common type of red-green color blindness.
LGBTQ+ community sees spike in first-time depression in wake of coronavirus
Gender and sexual minority populations are experiencing rising anxiety and depression rates during the pandemic.
NASA’s new project lets you take a simulated ride in a Mars rover
Help future Mars rovers better navigate the red planet's treacherous terrain.
Horror video games may have therapeutic value
Fighting materialized, virtual monsters can be cathartic in stressful and precarious times.
48,000-year-old bone arrowheads and jewelry discovered in Sri Lankan cave
Artifacts uncovered in southeast Asia offer clues on early complex human cultures.
The great white shark has surprising dining habits
Scientists are befuddled by where the shark gets most of its food.
This might be the oldest creature to have ever lived on land
Scientists think an insect similar to the modern millipede crawled around Scotland 425 million years ago, making it the first-ever land-dweller.
Scientists are studying your Twitter slang to help AI
Mathematicians studied 100 billion tweets to help computer algorithms better understand our colloquial digital communication.
Allosaurus dabbled in cannibalism according to new fossil evidence
These Jurassic predators resorted to cannibalism when hit with hard times, according to a deliciously rare discovery.
Online symptom-checkers are wrong two-thirds of the time
Google is probably wrong about your health condition.
Dogs go through an angsty teenage phase too
Pups in puberty prefer not to listen to their owners.
Is poop-filled drinking water what killed ancient giant sloths?
Researchers think they know how a group of ancient sloths, who died thousands of years ago in Ecuador, met their untimely end.