"Just Relax" -- NOT!

NY Times article reporting on recent research that shows "Stress Doesn't Hamper Fertility Treatment." Researchers found that stress levels did not affect the successful outcome of IVF treatments. Why do you think a common phrase said to the person struggling with infertility is "Just relax?" How could you be more helpful to a person going through infertility?

Farm Kids Have Less Asthma

Chicago Tribune article entitled "Kids who Live on Farms have Less Asthma." Recent research indicates one of the reasons why children who grow up on farms have fewer asthma cases is directly linked to the number of microbes and germs they are exposed to. What do you think? Is our fixation on being germ-free actually contributing to increased rates of childhood breathing disorders? How can children safely be exposed to germs to build a healthy immune system without overwhelming their systems?

Sexual Objectification and Math

Christian Science Monitor article entitled "Ogling Women Makes them Worse at Math." A recent research study found that women who are ogled by men underperform on math exams, pointing to more evidence that sexual objectification of women contributes to negative outcomes. How can teachers and parents overcome these types of barriers? What kinds of interventions could you create that would assist young women to become immune to sexual objectification?

Walk to Remember

NY Times article entitled "A Walk To Remember? Study Says Yes." This article discusses a study that reveals that nothing more than regular walking can increase memory skills and expand the region of the brain that works with memory. What implications might this have on memory training strategies for students and/or older adults? What other things might be used to improve memory?