A new review of the research explains why “mud” sticks — especially when it’s flung in the midst of a heated political contest
politics
Why Republicans and Democrats Can’t Feel Each Other’s Pain
A new study shows why empathy doesn’t cross the political aisle.
Health Equality: Portland Embraces Transgender Rights
The Portland, Ore., city council voted on Wednesday to cover the cost of sex-reassignment surgery for municipal workers in its health-care plan. Portland is only the second major city, after San Francisco, to offer surgical …
In Politics, It’s Survival of the Fittest, Literally
One of the most confounding questions facing political scientists is why some people vote and others don’t.
Drug Legalization Is a ‘Legitimate Topic for Debate,’ Obama Says
It’s been 40 years since President Nixon’s “War on Drugs.” Is it possible that peace talks are now at hand? On Thursday, President Obama said the question of drug legalization and regulation is an “entirely legitimate topic for …
Is There Any Biology Behind Our Political Affiliations?
There are aspects of our lives that we like to think are totally under our control — political affiliation is certainly one of them. But a growing field of researchers asserts that there may be some biology underpinning our …
George W. Bush, His Mom and Her Fetus: Not So Weird After All
It’s America’s fixation with happily ever after that’s partially responsible for the uneasy silence with which we approach miscarriage.
How to Lose Facebook Friends the Fastest
Now that Facebook has been joined by about one in every 13 people on the planet, it’s attracting the attention of the academy. A study out of the University of Colorado, Denver has studied the top reasons for unfriending. Not, …