Telling your boss you need a nap might not be the smartest thing to do at work, but scientific evidence is now on your side. As this ScienCentral News video explains, sleep researchers just released a new study that says naps over an hour long may boost creative problem solving.

Are men naturally better at math than women or is that just an out-dated stereotype? When former Harvard president Larry Summers said publicly in 2005 that men are innately better at math, many women were outraged. So a couple of women scientists decided to research it. This ScienCentral News video explains their report published this week.

“Unfiltered” is a recurring series where ScienCentral reporters give their personal thoughts on the stories they produce. This installment is based on the news story “Girls Vs. Boys At Math.”

With frogs and other amphibians already dying in large numbers, a group of teenagers is joining other amateur scientists nationwide to gather information on the problem. They’re doing so even as new research shows climate change is likely to worsen the threat. This ScienCentral News video explains.

It’s commencement time, and psychology researchers say those valedictory speeches about how success isn’t measured in riches are much more than mere platitudes. As this ScienCentral News video explains, they’ve found new evidence that “American Dream” achievements like wealth, fame and image are not the keys to happiness.

As we sign those Mother’s Day cards, most of us know the story behind the choice of our names. Now, new research published this week looks at baby names as a window into how popular trends catch on and die out. This ScienCentral News video explains.

Artificial, bionic-like eyes, similar to the ones in the iconic image of “The Terminator,” are another step closer to becoming reality. The trick for researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign was that in order to make a tiny video camera work like an eye, it must be shaped like an eye.

Researchers have discovered a potential drug for the most common kind of muscular dystrophy. As this ScienCentral News video explains, they’re using a protein already found in the human body to combat muscle damage.

Researchers using genetically engineered viruses to build a better rechargeable battery have now shown that the technology can perform as well as commercially available high-power lithium-ion batteries, but can be produced using less energy and fewer toxic chemicals.

Image courtesy: Georg Fantner

“Is that skin cancer?” Even experts can be confused by skin moles that might or might not be melanomas. But now diagnosing the aggressive skin cancer is about to become easier. As this ScienCentral News video explains, researchers have developed a new test for melanoma that could prevent it from being misdiagnosed.
Image courtesy: Mohammed Kashani-Sabet, UCSF