news

Just a matter of the head? Not at all: Psychologist Dr. Barbara Schmidt from Jena University Hospital investigated the influence of hypnosis on our physical performance in a study now published in the journal "Scientific Reports". The results showed that hypnosis can not only increase the subjective feeling of strength, but also objective strength - with long-lasting effects.

As a general rule, regular physical activity is healthy. A research team from the University of Basel has now found that the intensity of the activity impacts the mortality risk. Longevity is all the rage: we all want to live as long as possible while staying healthy. That's why the internet is abuzz with tips on how to achieve this "longevity", be it through fasting, healthy eating, sweat-inducing workouts, yoga or perhaps even meditation.

New analysis of 20 years of baby cognition work validates classic research technique Researchers studying babies to discover the origins of perception and cognition measure what babies look at, or what captures their attention. But scholars have long wondered how much they can rely on those long looks.

A new Canadian study highlights the neurochemical consequences of head impacts that don't lead to a concussion but can still damage the brain. In a football game, an athlete takes a bad hit to the head. He doesn't feel dazed or confused: he seems to have escaped a concussion. However, despite the lack of concussive symptoms, the impact has disrupted the chemical balance in his brain, and this imbalance has consequences.

Study: Leveraging body-worn camera footage to assess effects of training on officer communication during traffic stops Training police officers on effective communication through body-worn camera analysis can improve their interactions with community members, a new University of Michigan study suggests.

Most people who exercise using VR drop out when things gets too tough or dull - could programs that use sensors to tune into a person's emotional state help? Virtual reality (VR) video games that combine screen time with exercise are a great way to get fit, but game designers face a major challenge - like with regular exercise, adherence to 'exergames' is low, with most users dropping out once they start to feel uncomfortable or bored.

University of Bonn study: regulated degradation of damaged cell components prevents heart failure and nerve diseases The elimination of damaged cell components is essential for the maintenance of the body's tissues and organs. An international research team led by the University of Bonn has made significant findings on mechanisms for the clearing of cellular wastes, showing that strength training activates such mechanisms.

Zollikofen, 19. Apprentices do better in companies that offer them a diverse range of tasks and the freedom to find their own solutions. Improvements in the quality of in-house training could help to reduce the number of apprenticeship failures by 10 per cent. These are the findings of researchers at the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training SFUVET.

Who will win the Olympic gold medal in handball this year? Mathematicians from the University of Luxembourg have developed an artificial intelligence model to predict and explain the results of the handball tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games. This is the first time a scientific method has been proposed to predict the final results.

Study: Comparative Effects of Advanced Footwear Technology in Track Spikes and Road-Racing Shoes on Running Economy Related: Bonjour Paris! U-M experts can discuss Olympic Games Since athletes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics smashed multiple records in track and field, running enthusiasts and exercise physiologists have speculated on what role new-generation high-tech running spikes-sometimes called super spikes-played.

The processes in the brain and body through which physical exercise reduces depressive symptoms have been explored by UCL researchers. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is associated with disruptions to several brain and psychological processes, including impaired learning and memory.

UCalgary researchers tackle rodeo participant safety in groundbreaking study on brain mechanisms preand post-event Most people head to the rodeo for the thrill of watching the fearless athletes compete, but this year University of Calgary master's student Raelyn Javra is rodeo-bound in pursuit of science and improving athlete safety.

The past year has seen a steep rise in generative AI systems that claim to be open. But how open are they really? New research shows there's widespread practice of 'open-washing' by companies like Meta and Google: claiming brownie points for openness while evading actual scrutiny. The question of what counts as open source in generative AI takes on particular importance in light of the EU AI Act that regulates "open source" models differently, creating an urgent need for practical openness assessment.

Participants reacted quicker and made fewer errors during menstruation, despite believing their performance would be worse, according to new research from UCL and the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health (ISEH). The study, published in Neuropsychologia , is the first to assess sport-related cognition during the menstrual cycle and is part of a larger research project supported by the FIFA Research Scholarship.

When members of a group successfully coordinate their movements with one another, this leads to a stronger sense of togetherness. This was shown by a recent study by the Universities of Würzburg and Regensburg. People who feel connected to each other find it easier to coordinate their actions. They therefore perform better in tasks that require good coordination.

When the stakes are high, many athletes find that their mind is playing a trick on them. Still, not all'of them do. Professional athletes often lose their nerves when the pressure gets too high. This phenomenon - known as choking under pressure - is being researched by Professor Christoph Bühren from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany.

A free throw in basketball will have every eye glued to one person. It's an intensely stressful situation. A research team led by the University of Basel studied whether a friendly tap on the shoulder increases the odds of making a shot. In difficult situations, physical touch like a hug or a pat on the back can reduce stress.

Physical activity is good for young people with volatile temperaments or living in dysfunctional families - but only under certain conditions, UdeM researchers find. A new study has found that high levels of physical activity in early adolescence can reduce depressive symptoms in young people who have difficult temperaments, come from low-income families or are exposed to family dysfunction.

Waterloo researchers get an assist from AI in identifying hockey players with greater accuracy and speed Researchers from the University of Waterloo got a valuable assist from artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help capture and analyze data from professional hockey games faster and more accurately than ever before, with big implications for the business of sports.

Researcher Marine Carpentier (Laboratoire de physiologie cardio-respiratoire à l'effort) tackles a blind spot in motor science research: the influence of the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception on sports performance. On this International Women's Rights Day, she shares her findings, initial hypotheses and research prospects with us .