Research Ideas

Increasingly common ads and catalogues featuring plus-size models are unlikely to work on their intended customers. Thats according to a new study by researchers at ASU, the University of Cologne in Germany and Erasmus University in the Netherlands, which demonstrates a link between model sizes in advertisements and the self-esteem of consumers looking at the [...]

A study of bottlenose dolphins living off the coast of Zanzibar has found that the many tourist boats operating in the area are harassing the animals, preventing them from resting, feeding and nurturing their young. The research, led by Dr Per Berggren of Newcastle University, also highlights swimming with dolphins – in particular where tourists [...]

Depression: Antidepressants beneficial in physically ill patients March 16, 2010 Antidepressants are effective against depression in patients suffering from physical illnesses, according to a new systematic review by Cochrane researchers at King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre in the UK. The researchers found the drugs were more effective than placebos at treating depression in [...]

Microsoft Bing nabs more Web searches in February March 16, 2010 (AP) — Researchers say Microsoft’s Bing search engine is gaining market share in the U.S. The software maker has worked for years to improve its search technology. It launched Bing, a redesigned search site, last June. Bing’s share of searches has crept up since [...]

Before reaching for the moisturiser or working on his abs, a man may be advised to head for an unusual source of guidance: the UN’s databank of national health statistics. In a study published on Wednesday, scientists report that women living in countries with worse rates of disease and ill health are far likelier to [...]

Older non-smokers gain most from tobacco ban, study suggests March 16, 2010 Older people who have never smoked benefit most from smoking bans, a study suggests. A study in New Zealand showed that, three years after a smoking ban on all workplaces was introduced, hospital admissions for heart attacks among men and women aged 55-74 [...]