ScienceDaily: Living Well News

In the traditional narrative of the evolving 21st century workplace, technological substitution of human employees is treated as a serious concern, while technological complementarity -- the use of automation and artificial intelligence to complement workers -- is viewed as a good thing. But a new study tells a more nuanced story, demonstrating that the integration of automation and AI in the workplace has mixed, even negative impacts, on worker wellbeing.

For individuals to sustain their attention on a task over a long period of time, goal-setting is effective but receiving feedback produces a much stronger effect, according to a new study.

Unless you're a water-polo player, the 'egg-beater' technique may mean little to you. But new research has found it may be the most effective skill you can learn to prevent drowning.

Viral infections peak in January and bottom out in June, with worse seasons every second year -- an ebb and flow that could help the health-care system plan ahead.

Researchers reveal correlation between ribotype (RT) strains of Cutibacterium acnes, which are found in human skin, and the lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Strains RT4 and 8, which are associated with acne in human skin, shortened the lifespan of the nematode, while RT6, which are predominantly found in healthy human skin, did not. Also, it was found that the healthy skin-related RT6 strain of C. acnes improved C. elegans resistance to the pathogenic organism Staphylococcus aureus.

Research on around 386,000 UK adults has found that a high genetic risk for schizophrenia and other mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, anorexia and autism, is associated with living in and moving to urban areas. In contrast, people with low genetic risk of ADHD preferentially moved from rural/suburban environments to cities.

Signs of a planet transiting a star outside of the Milky Way galaxy may have been detected. The finding opens up a new window to search for exoplanets at greater distances than ever before.

Chicken nuggets, burritos and other popular items consumers buy from fast food outlets in the United States contain chemicals that are linked to a long list of serious health problems, according to a new study.

Exposure to the heavy metal cadmium is known to irritate the stomach and lungs or cause kidney disease, but new research links another health issue to inadvertently ingesting low doses of the pollutant: high activation of the antibodies that cause an allergic response.

The next time you buy a new couch, you may not ever have to leave your old one to get a feel for the texture of the new material. Researchers are working to better define how the finger interacts with a device with the hope of aiding in the further development of technology that goes beyond sensing and reacting to your touch.

According to a study of couples in the Houston area before and after Hurricane Harvey, natural disasters can actually bring married couples closer together, at least temporarily. This surprised researchers because in previous studies looking at everyday stressors, couples typically experience 'stress spillover' in their relationships, which can decrease their satisfaction with their relationships.

Changing levels of the chemical dopamine, a chemical most associated with motivation, may help explain why stressful experiences during infancy can lead to lasting behavioral issues, a new study shows.

A survey of a sample of new first-year college students leaving pets at home and found that 75% experienced some level of pet separation anxiety -- with one in four reporting moderate to severe symptoms. The students who had higher anxiety tended to be those who treated their pets more like people, identifying them as friends, sleeping in the same room and generally spending a lot of time with them. Students who had dogs at home also tended to report more attachment to their pets -- and more separation anxiety -- than those with cats and other types of pets.

New research finds periodically catching up on sleep can improve gait control for the chronically sleep-deprived.

FDA-approved iron oxide nanoparticles, delivered in a mouth rinse, can suppress the growth of dental plaque and kill bacteria responsible for tooth decay, according to a new study. The nanoparticles act as enzymes to activate hydrogen peroxide in a way that precisely targets harmful microbes and spares normal tissue.