So does my e-Cig count?

“Unfortunately, because of equipment failure, we lost all the gerbils.” That was the announcement from the Russian space program about one of their satellites recently returned to Earth which also carried various microorganisms, plants, crayfish, snails, geckos, and mice in an attempt to better understand the effects of microgravity on life in space. Happily, the geckos returned alive, though more than half of the mice and all of the gerbils gave their lives in the name of science during the course of the month-long orbit. This was the longest animals-in-space study of its kind.

Source: Phys.org, 5/21/13

Here are a few facts that will put your sex life in perspective: The average American couple reports having sex 66 times a year. Married adults under age 30 say they have sex an average of 109 times a year. The average number drops to 70 times per year for 40-somethings and 52 times a year for people in their 50s.

Source: National Opinion Research Center

Did you pack an apple instead of a cupcake in your lunch today? Perhaps you should have gone with the cupcake. Research shows that exerting self-control, like sticking to your diet, can lead to increased aggression. Study results show that denying yourself something you want makes you want to see anger-themed movies, and causes you to get easily irritated with other people.

Source: Journal of Consumer Research

What’s happened in Oklahoma City is upsetting to everyone, but especially to the kids who see and hear about it. Violent storms can trigger severe anxiety in children. Psychologists say it’s important that parents do not tell anxious children they are being silly or otherwise dismiss their fears. Be calm and supportive. Explain that storms are a normal part of nature.

Source: Mayo Clinic, 5/21/13

What’s the appropriate amount of physical contact on a first date? Eighty-six percent of singles say it’s okay to hold hands on a first date. Seventy-three percent believe it’s okay to kiss. And two-thirds approve of cuddling on the first date. However, only 22 percent of singles think it’s appropriate to have sex on the first date.

Source: Match.com, 5/2/13

You’re driving with both hands on the steering wheel, and your eyes are on the road ahead. All good, right? Not if you’re on a hands-free cell phone and your route involves a left-hand turn. According to a new study, making a left-hand turn in a busy intersection requires a huge amount of brain activity, and talking on a hands-free cell phone at the same time is more than the brain can handle.
Source: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

Sometimes it’s tough being a guy: 77 percent of women expect their man to know when they’re angry – even when they say everything is “fine.”
Source: Men’s Health, 5/13