Having good friendships may make for a healthier gut microbiome

Social connections are essential for good health and well-being in social animals, such as ourselves and other primates. There is also increasing evidence that the gut microbiome—through the so-called "gut-brain axis"—plays ...

Who has your back in a weather emergency?

When a heat wave drives the temperature in your apartment over 100 degrees or your power goes out during a brutally cold winter storm, knowing your neighbors can save your life. Research has shown that communities with strong ...

Male giraffes are more socially connected than females

Although female giraffes have closer "friends" than male giraffes, male giraffes have more "acquaintances" than females, according to a new study by an international team that includes a Penn State biologist. The study demonstrates ...

What do our climate refugees look like?

When the bushfires hit the town of Drake in NSW, Rod Simpson says he became one of Australia's first climate refugees. He's traveled across States, and the Tasman waters in search of a place to settle. More than a year on, ...

What are the health risks of having a different 'Facebook self'?

People may express their true self more easily on Facebook than in person, and the more one's "Facebook self" differs from their true self, the greater their stress level and the less socially connected they tend to be, according ...

Social networks make us smarter

The secret to why some cultures thrive and others disappear may lie in our social networks and our ability to imitate, rather than our individual smarts, according to a new University of British Columbia study.