Your political views can predict how you pronounce certain words

How do you say "spiel"? Whether you say "shpeel" or "speel" may have to do with how you vote.

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Politics can predict the TV shows we watch, the shops we frequent and the places we live.

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Why the community that sings together stays together

Singing is universal. It is found in all cultures and, despite protestations of tone deafness, the vast majority of people can sing.

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In Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), the movie about the British band Queen, the scene that sticks in my mind depicts the Live Aid concert in London in 1985.

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Alcohol's secondhand effects are more serious than we think, study says

A new study highlights the secondhand effects of drinking, arguing that higher taxation could curb problems.

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  • A new study reveals that 21 percent of females and 23 percent of males have suffered the consequences of someone else's drinking.
  • The secondhand effects of alcohol, including threats, vandalism, and financial problems, are underreported.
  • Experts in the field recommend higher taxation to curb excessive drinking.
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Preliminary evidence that lonely people lose the reflex to mimic other people's smiles, potentially sustaining their isolation

If loneliness is a "disease," is this one of the complications?

Loneliness is a "disease", associated with an increased risk of death equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

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Field Museum: Beer stabilizes society, keeps 'people together'

New research suggests that a healthy supply of locally-sourced beer helped maintain the unity of the widespread Wari civilization for about 500 years.

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  • A new analysis of an ancient Wari brewery suggests chicha helped maintain the civilization's social capital for hundreds of years.
  • Civilizations throughout the ancient world used alcoholic drinks to signify kinship, hospitality, and social cohesion.
  • The researchers hope their findings will remind us of the importance in reaffirming social institutions and sharing cultural practices — even if over coffee or tea.
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