Health and Science

Why do some people fret over the most trivial matters while others remain calm in the face of calamity? Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have identified two different chinks in our brain circuitry that explain why some of us are more prone to anxiety. more »

 I became curious about the difference in the dreams of those who recovered from depression on their own and those who did not. This started me on a series of studies of people going through a particular emotional problem — divorce. After studying 150 people over a period of years, I discovered that dreams have a specific function: In the healthy person, dreams regulate mood. In some depressed people, the dreams are self-correcting over time, but other people need additional help. more »

A vivid portrait of the near future when great numbers of people, mainly women, will not only live longer, but alone. In the US, many of these seniors expect to continue working and playing, sometimes battling chronic illness, but above all, maintaining independence and freedom more »

Dr. Thomas Gill's ability to resurrect his career time and again reflects a profound weakness at the center of the US system of death investigation. A chronic shortage of qualified forensic pathologists allows even questionably competent practitioners to remain employable more »