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<div id="ooyalaplayer" style="width: 800px; height: 450px;"></div><div style="display:none;" id="kalturavideoplaceholder">kalturavideoplaceholder</div><div><div><div class="g-ytsubscribe" data-channelid="UC9uD-W5zQHQuAVT2GdcLCvg" data-layout="full" data-count="hidden"></div></div></div>Dr. Mehmet Oz has come under fire for questionable recommendations on his daytime medical show. Business Insider <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> editor Erin Brodwin explains how "The Dr. Oz Show" fails its viewers. Produced by Kevin ReillyFollow BI Video: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsider.Video">On Facebook</a>&#xa0;

Our science editor explains why you should listen to science and not Dr. Oz

Science of Gluten

<div id="ooyalaplayer" style="width: 800px; height: 450px;"></div><div style="display:none;" id="kalturavideoplaceholder">kalturavideoplaceholder</div><div><div><div class="g-ytsubscribe" data-channel="BusinessInsider" data-layout="full" data-count="default"></div></div></div>Here's what happens in your brain when you laugh. Laughter has positive effects on your health.&#xa0; Produced by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/author/graham-flanagan" target="_blank">Graham Flanagan.</a> Camera by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/forever-21-steals-designs-lawsuits-retail-2015-8" target="_blank">Joe Avella</a>.&#xa0; Follow BI Video:&#xa0;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsider.Video?fref=ts" target="_blank">On Facebook</a>

The science of laughter

Science of Caffeine

The Science Of Influence

Science of Attractiveness

Fake blood is an essential accessory if you're going for a gory halloween look with your costume this year. There's a lot of chemistry in the substance it sets out to mimic; we can explain the colour, smell, and different types of blood with the aid of chemistry (and some biology thrown in for good measure).Today's graphic takes a look at each in turn.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.compoundchem.com/2015/10/29/blood/">Compound Interest</a></div></div></div>The chemistry behind blood's colour is perhaps that we're all most familiar with. Most of us are aware that blood contains haemoglobin; this is the protein, found within red blood cells, that enables our blood to carry oxygen to our cells. It also helps carry some carbon dioxide back to the lungs, in the form of carbaminohaemoglobin, though the majority of carbon dioxide is carried in the blood as bicarbonate ions.The red colouration of blood is due to the sub-units of the haemoglobin protein. Each of the four sub-unit consists of a protein chain which is bound to a ham group. It is these ham groups, which contain bound iron atoms, that cause blood's dark red colour. Their structure of alternating double and single bonds absorbs light of particular wavelengths, causing us to see it as red. Red isn't actually the only possible blood colour; <a href="http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/10/28/coloursofblood/">some animals can have green, blue, or even purple blood</a>, due the the use of different oxygen-carrying proteins.A common misconception about our blood is that deoxygenated blood (that which flows back from our cells through out veins) is blue. Veins do appear blue when we look at them through our skin, so it's perfectly understandable that a lot of people think that this is the case; also, pick up any biology textbook, and the likelihood is that in a diagram depicting blood vessels the veins will be denoted with a blue colouration.Whereas oxygenated haemoglobin is a bright red, deoxygenated haemoglobin is a darker red colour - but not blue! The reason that blood appears blue when we look at our veins through our skin is due to the interaction of light with both our blood and the skin covering the blood vessels. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-57135364/stock-photo-blood-test-tube-in-a-woman-s-hands.html?src=ukgJvifxJ8yZ38j8--dlag-1-0">EmiliaUngur/shutterstock</a></div></div></div>Red light can penetrate more deeply into our tissues than blue light, and since deoxygenated blood absorbs more red light than oxygenated blood, our veins tend to look blue as a result.Haemoglobin can also help us explain the colour change we see in blood when it's removed from the body. If you've ever had a nose bleed, you'll have probably noticed that any blood you stem with a tissue turns a dark brown colour as it dries. This is due to the oxidation of the iron atoms in the haemoglobin subunits, from iron (II) to iron (III), producing methaemoglobin which is a dark brown colour.If you've ever, say, accidentally bitten your tongue, you'll have also noticed that blood has a somewhat metallic taste. This is in part due to the presence of the iron in haemoglobin; it can also react with fat molecules to produce a range of compounds that help to produce a metallic flavour.The compounds created include oct-1-en-3-one, which is described as having a mushroom-like, metallic odour. This is also the compound behind the metallic smell you can detect on your skin after touching metal objects - so in these cases it's not the metal you're smelling, but chemical breakdown products of molecules in your own skin.Blood itself smells metallic all on its own. Researchers have determined that a particular compound in blood that contributes this faint metallic odour, trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, is also an important compound detected by predators. A study last year identified the compound, then ran a number of tests with different predators where they soaked logs in the compound, as well as soaking other logs in actual blood, fruit-essence, and an almost odourless compound. They found that the predators were attracted to the log soaked in trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal as much as that soaked in actual blood.Though all of our blood is coloured by haemoglobin, and blood from different people will produce the same metallic smell, there are still differences in blood from one person to the next. We commonly refer to these differences as blood types. There are actually lots of different blood types (35 are recognised by the International Society of Blood Transfusion) but there are essentially two classifications that we usually refer to.The first of these classifications is the ABO system. A person can have type A, type B, type AB or type O blood. This classification is determined by the presence of antigens, which are structures found on the surface of red blood cells. They are either sugars or proteins, and the types of antigens present in a person's blood determines their blood type.Type A blood has A antigens on the red blood cells; type B blood has B antigens. Type AB blood has both A and B antigens, whereas type O blood has neither. Our own blood antigens are ignored by our own immune system; however, if, during a transfusion, we receive blood containing an antigen not found in our own blood, it can trigger an adverse immune reaction.Our blood also contains antibodies; these are proteins in blood plasma that help to fight infection. In most transfusions, it is only the red blood cells that are transferred from the donor's blood to the recipient. If these red blood cells have antigens that match to an antibody in the recipient's blood, the antigens bind to the antibodies, and the adverse reaction is set into motion. This is why people with some blood types can only receive blood from certain other blood types.O group blood is known as the universal donor, because, since its red blood cells don't contain A or B antigens, it can be safely given to recipients with any blood type. Similarly, group AB blood is known as the universal acceptor, because it doesn't contain A or B antibodies, so no reaction will be triggered even if blood with A or B antigens is given.Blood type can also be termed as positive (e.g. A+) or negative (A-). This refers to the presence or absence of Rh antigens on the red blood cells, and is also something that must be considered during blood transfusions. Rh positive blood cannot be given to Rh negative recipients, as the recipient can develop Rh antibodies which can then attack the donated blood. People with Rh positive blood can receive blood from either Rh positive or Rh negative donors.This is all a little bit confusing to get your head around, so <a href="https://www.scotblood.co.uk/learn-about-blood/are-you-the-type-to-save-a-life.aspx">here's a handy diagram</a> which shows which blood types can be given to patients with a particular blood type.To conclude (and point out the obvious), of course the fake blood we'll all be using for Halloween chemically doesn't have a whole lot in common with actual blood. The red colouration usually comes from red food colouring, and some gloopiness is added via the addition of some form of sugar syrup. There are also numerous suggested recipes for making your own online which use cornflour to thicken it up and give it a more congealed look. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/richard-dawkins-religion-science-america-holding-back-god-innovation-education-2015-10">Richard Dawkins: Religion is holding America back</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="p3azVoeDp7FSRYoSCgp7ZJmK2HrwyLdM" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

The science of blood

The Mind-Blowing Science Of Sleep

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">Justin Sullivan/Getty Images</div></div></div>Everyone has their own hacks for relieving the symptoms of a hangover, but there's still no single hangover cure that's proven to work.
Sure, people have asked tons of questions about what causes morning hangovers and how we can alleviate that pounding head, I-want-to-puke feeling, but apparently we just don't have very good answers.
"The <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> behind hangovers is terrible," Adam Rogers, a Wired editor and author of a new book "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Proof-Science-Booze-Adam-Rogers/dp/0547897960" target="_blank">Proof: The Science Behind Booze</a>, said in a "Top Line" <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/intoxicating-science-new-book-uncorks-the-scientific-mysteries-of-booze-104129426.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory" target="_blank">television </a><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/intoxicating-science-new-book-uncorks-the-scientific-mysteries-of-booze-104129426.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory" target="_blank">interview</a> with ABC's David Kerley and Yahoo's Oliver Knox. "Most of the stuff that you got told the first day before your first night at college about how to avoid a hangover is just wrong or at least not proven."
This includes the misconception that brown liquor is worse than clear liquor, Rogers said, as well as other things about how ethanol affects the brain.
An article from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-actually-cure-a-hangover-2013-12" target="_blank">The Telegraph</a> written last year had a similar conclusion: "Plenty of research has been done on what a hangover is, what causes it and what you can do about it, and the answers are pretty inconclusive. Studies of hormone levels, levels of dehydration, blood glucose, toxins etc, all seem to point in different directions."
A hangover is "an inflammatory response," Rogers said, and that can prompt some flu-like symptoms. But in the case of a hangover, the primary culprit is alcohol, not a virus.
In the interview, Rogers also talks about the popular hair-of-the-dog approach, where one consumes alcohol to help after a night of drinking too much alcohol. You're probably already familiar with a class of drinks that he calls pick-me-ups, which were specially created at one point to cure a morning hangover. These elixirs include the bloody Mary, the mimosa, and something called a Corpse Reviver #2, a mix of gin, cointreau, lemon juice, and perond.
These drinks may be delicious and distracting, but Rogers doesn't recommend downing them purely as way to help your hangover.
<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/intoxicating-science-new-book-uncorks-the-scientific-mysteries-of-booze-104129426.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory" target="_blank">Head over here to watch the full interview »</a>

The Science Behind Hangovers Is Terrible

From dancing clouds to bouncing Jell-O, 2013 was filled with great <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> GIFs. Here are some of our favorites.
Researchers created "ball lightning" in the lab. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mysterious-ball-lightning-made-in-lab-2013-8">Read more »</a> 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image">C. Michael Lindsay</div></div>
Jell-O falls, flattens, then bounces back. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mesmerizing-jell-o-gif-shows-physics-in-action-2013-9">Read more »</a>

 
A cube of magnetic putty swallowed a smaller cube of metal. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/magnetic-putty-eating-a-piece-of-metal-2013-11">Read more » </a> 
Liquid nitrogen instantly boils and turns into gas when spilled. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/these-gifs-show-how-awesome-liquid-nitrogen-is-2013-10">Read more »</a>

Sunlight reflecting off ice crystals made these clouds "dance." <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/creepy-dancing-cloud-gifs-2013-7">Read more »</a>

We learned how to turn water into ice in seconds. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-instant-ice-gifs-2013-12">Read more »</a>

Scientists made an incredible water-proof surface. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/super-waterproof-surface-inspired-by-nature-2013-11">Read more »</a>

NASA released the first full map of the planet Mercury. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-first-full-map-of-mercury-gif-2013-3">Read more »</a>

Comet ISON rounded the sun on Thanksgiving day. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/comet-ison-has-rounded-the-sun-but-its-fate-remains-unknown-2013-11">Read more »</a>

The Discovery Channel caught a pair of giraffes in a heated battle. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/fighting-giraffes-gif-2013-1">Read more »</a>

Here's how keys work. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/9-awesome-animated-gifs-that-show-how-cool-tech-works-2013-5">Read more »</a>

A camouflaged octopus surprised a photographer. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/octopus-camouflage-robert-hanlon-2013-9">Read more »</a>

The Best Science GIFs Of 2013

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div>AP Photo/NSW Rural <keyword id="28762" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="fire">Fire</keyword> Service, James Morris</div><keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">Science</keyword> started off with a bang this new year, and here are the best images from it.
From deep space to <keyword id="6354781" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Antarctica">Antarctica</keyword>, science has been all over the map.Under the images you will find links to the original stories, in case you missed them.
What were your favorite <keyword id="19401" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pictures">pictures</keyword> this month? Did we miss any amazing pictures? Tell us in the comments.

January's Science News In Pictures

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The president ridiculed safety precautions, held a superspreader event, contracted <keyword id="8764262" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid">COVID</keyword>, was hospitalized, is now back at the White House, and the American public has no idea if he's even been tested, much less if he's still contagious.</li><li>Trump said COVID will "miraculously" disappear and rejected the reality of <keyword id="6361617" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change">climate change</keyword>, saying "It will start getting cooler, just you watch."</li><li>He thinks basic <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> doesn't apply to him and the results of his COVID tests are none of our business. That's a threat to Americans' lives.</li><li>This is an <keyword id="6356002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="opinion">opinion</keyword> column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.</li></ul><keyword id="3828720" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="President-Donald-Trump">President Donald Trump</keyword> has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-white-house-covid-hotspot-unsafe-workplace-workers-rights-safety-2020-10">brazenly flouted</a> even the simplest of <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> safety precautions and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-demanded-a-reporter-remove-his-mask-2020-9">encouraged others to do the same</a>. <a href="https://khn.org/news/white-house-testing-regimen-did-not-protect-the-president/">On his watch</a>, the White House became the hotspot responsible for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/06/us/politics/coronavirus-dc-white-house-congress.html">a surge in DC-area COVID cases</a>. And even after it became clear that Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination ceremony in the Rose Garden was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/08/us/white-house-coronavirus-cdc.html?campaign_id=56&amp;emc=edit_cn_20201008&amp;instance_id=22965&amp;nl=on-politics-with-lisa-lerer&amp;regi_id=88484025&amp;segment_id=40363&amp;te=1&amp;user_id=f9e622fe9a0393374f692a89c3b1c6df22fe9a0393374f692a89c3b1c6df">a superspreader event</a>, the White House <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/health/contact-tracing-white-house.html">instituted no contact tracing</a> of the many guests who went back to their home states after being exposed. Prior to testing positive for COVID two weeks ago, the administration sent contradictory messages about how often Trump gets tested. Press Secretary <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/21/trump-tested-coronavirus-multiple-times-day-375957">Kayleigh McEnany said</a> in July that the president is tested "multiple times a day." Trump, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-tests/index.html">later that same day</a>, said "I don't know about more than one … I do probably on average a test every two days, three days, and I don't know of any time I've taken two in one day, but I could see that happening."You'd have to go <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-wont-say-when-trump-was-last-tested-2020-10?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">all the way back to May 21</a> to find an instance of Trump or anyone in his administration confirming the president tested negative. Even after Trump returned to the Oval Office this week, The White House still won't say if he's being tested at all. Just <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-interview-not-tested-negative-for-covid-claiming-recovery-2020-10">last night on Fox News</a>, Trump sycophant Sean Hannity asked the president if he's been tested since he left the hospital, and Trump dodged the question. "Yeah, I just saw the doctors today. They got me in great shape. I'm in great shape."Trump never confirmed nor denied being recently tested for COVID, but he did say, "Well what we're doing is probably the test will be tomorrow … The actual test, because there's no reason to test all the time."To reiterate, the President of the United States ridiculed safety precautions, held a ceremony that turned into a superspreader event, contracted COVID, was hospitalized, is now back at the White House, and the American public has no idea if he's even been tested, much less if he's still contagious. Now Trump's personal doctor has <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1314340347334537217">released a note</a> clearing him to hold rallies, which by all indications are shaping up to be crowded, loud events <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/08/covid-safety-trump-rallies-428139?nname=playbook&amp;nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&amp;nrid=00000162-9173-dd10-ad6a-b7f77f170000&amp;nlid=630318;nlid=630318">filled with people not wearing masks</a>. <h2>Trump is such a stable genius he thinks he's immune to science</h2>The president does not believe in science. Full stop. He's a climate change denier of the variety that a lot of conservatives want you to think no longer exists. It's not just that he's a "<a href="http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/my-life-as-a-climate-lukewarmer.aspx">lukewarmist</a>" who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/03/opinion/sunday/neither-hot-nor-cold-on-climate.html">disagrees with the suggested remedies</a> to adapt to climate change, he disbelieves the diagnosis. So he's rolled back <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00937-w">environmental protections</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05706-9">sidelined</a> the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And just as he did when predicting that COVID would "<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/27-times-trump-said-the-coronavirus-would-go-away/2020/04/30/d2593312-9593-4ec2-aff7-72c1438fca0e_video.html">miraculously</a>" disappear, when touring the West Coast's wildfire devastation last month he once again espoused his faith in magic over science.Responding to California's Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot's plea to the president to "recognize the changing climate and what it means to our forests," Trump said, "It will start getting cooler, just you watch."<a href="https://www.snopes.com/ap/2020/09/14/trump-spurns-science-on-climate-i-dont-think-science-knows/">The president added</a>, "I don't think science knows, actually."So sure is Trump of his superhuman abilities to think <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OHwxvKVT8U">bigger, better, and stronger</a> about things than the experts, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-watching-solar-eclipse-20017-photos-2017-8">he looked directly into a solar eclipse</a>, despite one of his aides' best efforts to remind him to put on sunglasses.When Trump <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sharpiegate-memes-mock-hurricane-dorian-map-altered-with-sharpie-2019-9">tried to play meteorologist</a> in 2019, <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1168174613827899393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1168174613827899393%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fpolitics%2F2019%2F09%2F06%2Fgovernment-scientists-come-trumps-aid-his-battle-against-reality%2Fy%2F">tweeting</a> that Alabama was about to be slammed by Hurricane Dorian, the National Weather Service's Birmingham office <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSBirmingham/status/1168179647667814400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1168179647667814400%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fpolitics%2F2019%2F09%2F06%2Fgovernment-scientists-come-trumps-aid-his-battle-against-reality%2Fy%2F">tweeted</a>: " Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama."But Trump's the president, and among the toys available to the senior <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Manbaby">man-baby</a> is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Washington Post's Philip Bump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/09/06/government-scientists-come-trumps-aid-his-battle-against-reality/">described at the time</a>: "An ostensibly scientific organization — one that prides itself on providing accurate, validated information to the public — releas[ed] a statement obviously meant to bolster Trump's defense of his tweet."Trump sets the tone for the White House, and he's made it very clear that he thinks the rules don't apply to him, even the rules of epidemiology. His White House's secrecy about the status of his COVID illness is a slap in the face to an ailing country that has suffered terribly, and it's an insult to the millions of Americans trying to keep the virus from further ravaging their communities.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-white-house-covid-hotspot-unsafe-workplace-workers-rights-safety-2020-10">The Trump administration is almost certainly going to get off the hook despite making the White House a COVID hotspot and an unsafe workplace</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-lying-finally-caught-up-him-covid-coronavirus-2020-10">Trump's constant lying has finally caught up with him</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parenting-school-aged-kids-covid-helpless-failed-leaders-2020-10">Being a parent of school-aged kids during COVID is to be helpless in the face of failed 'leaders'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-cuomo-memory-hole-covid-nursing-home-coronavirus-new-york-2020-10">Andrew Cuomo is shamelessly trying to memory-hole his coronavirus nursing home fiasco</a></li></ul>

Trump doesn't respect science, or the American people

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>
Hollywood, friends, and family have perpetuated these 35 <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> myths for years. But it's time to set the record straight.
Is there fire in space?
Does tequila really come with a hallucinogenic worm?
Can you overdose on Vitamin C?
The answers to these questions will surprise you.
For this list, we used Wikipedia's great list of "Common Misconceptions", this great video from Mental Floss, and our brains. You can find the source of our facts under the images.
Have some we missed? Send them along to <a href="mailto:science@businessinsider.com" target="_blank">Science (at) businessinsider.com</a>.
Robert Ferris contributed to an earlier version of this post.

35 Science 'Facts' That Are Totally Wrong 

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image">Lydia-Marie Joubert (Stanford University)</div></div>The annual International <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">Science</keyword> &amp; Engineering Visualization Challenge, sponsored jointly by The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the journal Science, announced its <a href="%20the%20International%20Science%20&amp;%20Engineering%20Visualization%20Challenge%20" target="_blank">winners for 2013</a> on Thursday.
The competition, now in its 11th year, recognizes scientists who use some form of visual media to communicate scientific data and research in an accessible way.
"The winners made scientific data beautiful and brought their new ideas to life, while at the same time immersing the viewer in science," Monica M. Bradford, executive editor of Science, said in a news release
Judges appointed by NSF and Science selected winners in five categories: Photography, Illustration, Posters &amp; Graphics, Games &amp; Apps, and Video. There are were also many honorable mentions.
The criteria used to judge more than 200 entries included elements like visual impact, effective communication of a scientific idea, and originality.

The Most Incredible Science Animations Of 2013

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Michael Yarish/AMCJon Hamm is rocking the dad bod look.</div></div></div>The dad bod, the viral body type characterized by a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-dad-bod-2015-5">not-so-flawless physique</a>, just got more real thanks to <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword>.Men with a dad bod have a "nice balance between a beer gut and working out," as defined by Clemson University student Mackenzie Pearson, who first <a href="http://theodysseyonline.com/clemson/dad-bod/97484">brought the term</a> to the Internet's attention back in March. And, as it turns out, many men do put on a few pounds after their children are born, which likely contributes to this fit-but-flabby body type.In the first <a href="http://jmh.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/07/21/1557988315596224.full.pdf+html">study</a> of this size, researchers at Northwestern Medicine kept track of the height and weight of about 10,000 men for 20 years, starting in 1994 when they were between 12 and 21 years old. By 2008, a third of them had become dads.Those who became fathers for the first time gained anywhere from 3.5 to 4.5 pounds over that two-decade period, regardless of whether or not they lived with their kids.The average 6-foot-tall father who lived with his kids gained about 4.4 pounds, while the average 6-foot-tall father who didn't live with his kids still gained about 3.3 pounds. In contrast, men of the same height who did not have kids actually lost weight - 1.4 pounds, to be exact - over that same time.Numerous <a href="http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/men-who-swell-with-pregnancy/">other</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/21/upshot/the-dad-bod-quantified.html?utm_source=inside&amp;utm_medium=link&amp;_r=2&amp;abt=0002&amp;abg=1">studies</a> have connected weightgain to fatherhood, but this is the first of its kind to look at BMI, which can be an <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/">indicator of one's proportion of body fat</a> and point to potential health problems. The researchers found that the BMI for dads living with their kids increased by 2.6%, while the BMI of dads who lived elsewhere increased by 2%. The higher the BMI, the more the men are at risk for diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.Not great news for the little tot or the spouse.The researchers only collected numbers - they didn't try to explain their findings. But they mention some potential guesses, like dads who nosh on their kids' leftovers or put off exercise in favor of spending more time with kids. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-sex-should-happy-relationship-rachel-sussman-2015-5">How much sex you should be having in a healthy relationship </a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="ZsOHdhdTrVUE8WmzgO9g4CCWDc5YvI8t" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Science confirms dad bods are real

The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/science" target="_blank" rel="noopener">science desk at Insider</a> is accepting freelance pitches. It doesn't have to be newsy — in fact, we prefer it isn't! Instead of covering the latest embargoed study or news announcement, we're more excited about the unique stories and fresh angles that will fascinate our readers and make waves among the journalistic community. Some great examples of this include:<ul><li dir="ltr">Our follow-up coverage of the Mississippi River drought. While many outlets just focused on the drought, we continued to monitor the situation, publishing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mississippi-river-drought-may-be-over-us-army-corps-dredging-2023-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this article</a> months after the initial news. </li><li dir="ltr">A reality check of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-monarch-butterfly-migration-photos-show-decline-need-to-protect-2022-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what Butterfly Town, USA really looks like</a>. Spoiler: It's disappointing.</li><li dir="ltr">When the world was talking about the "Chinese spy balloon," we posed a different, equally relevant, question: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-nasa-could-tell-us-aliens-are-real-2023-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What would announcing the discovery of alien life actually go like?</a></li></ul>If you are interested, please pitch us at <a href="mailto:science@businessinsider.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">science@insider.com</a>. In your pitch, include a headline that matches Insider's conversational style and tone as well as a brief 100 to 200-word description of the article's main takeaways and the sources you would plan to interview.We look forward to hearing from you!

How to pitch science stories to Insider

<div style="display:none;" id="kalturavideoplaceholder">kalturavideoplaceholder</div>
 
There are thousands of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-the-best-diet-for-you-2014-1">diet plans</a> out there with lots of different approaches to achieving the same goal: trim the fat.
With hundreds of thousands of people dying from obesity every year, the secrets behind weight loss are being probed at every corner. But are there universal truths about weight loss that we can all learn?
The answer is yes. There is an undeniable <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> behind the process of losing weight, and it all boils down to a simple equation.

The Simple Science Behind Weight Loss

Holidays have you stressed out? 
Here are 10 to reduce tension and anxiety through relaxation. 
1. Listen to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/most-relaxing-song-on-earth-2012-12">the most relaxing song on Earth</a>.
In a study paid for by Radox Spa, stress specialists found that "Weightless" by Manchester band Marconi Union helped women relax more than songs by Enya, Mozart, and Coldplay. "A continuous rhythm of 60 BPM causes the brainwaves and heart rate to synchronize with the rhythm: a process known as 'entrainment,'" according to <a href="http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/music/scientists-discover-most-relaxing-tune-ever" target="_blank">ShortList.com</a>.

2. Have a makeout session.
Kissing releases chemicals of oxytocin that reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according a <a href="http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=116267" target="_blank">study</a> presented at the American Association for the Advancement of <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">Science</keyword> in 2009.
3. Watch a funny movie.
Laughter is a proven stress-buster. One <a href="http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/humr.1992.5.issue-4/humr.1992.5.4.343/humr.1992.5.4.343.xml" target="_blank">study</a> published in 2009 in the journal Humor found that laughter is effective at reducing psychological stress. That's because people who laugh appear to have <a href="http://journals.lww.com/amjmedsci/Abstract/1989/12000/Neuroendocrine_and_Stress_Hormone_Changes_During.6.aspx" target="_blank">lower levels of cortisol</a>, which increases in response to stress.
4. Take a yoga class.
Studies show that yoga - through a combination of controlled breathing and specific poses that relax your muscles - <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02701367.1988.10605493#.Ugzo22T70Wc" target="_blank">reduces anxiety, depression, and fatigue</a>. In a <a href="http://www.ijpp.com/IJPP%20archives/1999_43_2/218-224.pdf" target="_blank">study</a> of 50 medical students, scientists found that yoga led to higher test scores as a result of improved concentration, lowered irritability levels, and a more upbeat outlook on life.
5. Eat chocolate.
According to Anna Magee, co-author of the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stress-Diet-Revolutionary-Lifestyle-Slimmer/dp/1848507798">The De-Stress Diet</a>, research has shown that 40 grams of dark chocolate a day can help us cope with stress by releasing "happy chemicals" known as beta endorphins in the brain.
6. Create a "mental trigger."
This is something in your head that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/knowing-how-to-spontaneously-relax-is-the-key-to-winning-under-pressure-2012-7">will snap you into a calm state</a>, usually before engaging in a particularly strenuous activity. The method is described in the "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743277465/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0743277465&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=spacforrent-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0743277465">The Art of Learning</a>" by Josh Waitzkin as spontaneous relaxation.
"A physiological connection is formed between the routine and the activity it precedes," Waitzkin, a Tai Chi grandmaster, writes. The routine is anything that you perceive as calming - taking a bath, listening to music, or sitting on a bench, for example. During brief recovery periods, pro-athletes will use this technique to quickly wind-down before jumping back into the game.
7. Get a pet.
Studies show that people with companion animals, including dogs and cats, <a href="http://www.aiam.com.au/resources/files/proceedings/sydney1996/PUB_Pro96_RichardAvanzino02.pdf" target="_blank">have lower blood pressure</a> and are more chilled out when comforted by a furry friend.
8. Grab a drink.
We don't suggest going hog wild - as too much alcohol can <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/08/sleeping-it-off-how-alcohol-affects-sleep-quality/" target="_blank">lead to a less restful sleep</a>, among other problems - but drinking, at least in moderation, has been <a href="http://secure.ce-credit.com/articles/100623/Reduce_Stress.pdf" target="_blank">shown to knock down stress</a> levels.
9. Chew gum.
Whatever the flavor, studies find that <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938409000687" target="_blank">chewing gum lowers stress levels</a> and improves concentration because it reduces the amount of cortisol in the saliva.
10. Ignore your phone.
At least if it doesn't involve work. Research from the <a href="http://www.bps.org.uk/news/turn-your-smart-phone-beat-stress" target="_blank">British Psychological Society</a> found that compulsively checking text messages, alerts, and updates made people really stressed out.
People benefited from using their smartphone to manage work load but once they began using it for personal things, the "work load management benefits [were] displaced by the pressure to keep abreast with their new expanded virtual social life," according to researchers.

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