U.S. Still Religious, But Trust In Institutions Wanes

"Though more Americans go to church or believe in God than their counterparts in virtually every other Western country, fewer Americans now trust religious institutions. A recent Gallup poll showed that just 44 percent of Americans have a great deal of confidence in 'the church or organized religion.'"

Incomes in Japan in Decline

"The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said in a report that 61.5 percent of households indicated they were struggling to earn a living, a record high, Kyodo News reported Friday."

Fewer Public Schools Selling Sugary Drinks

"Fewer elementary school students can buy soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks at school than could a few years ago, according to a new study."

U.S. Bankruptcies on Pace to Fall to Pre-2008 Level

"The number of U.S. businesses and consumers filing for bankruptcy fell 14 percent in the first half of 2012 and could end the year at the lowest level since before the 2008 financial crisis, according to data released on Thursday."

Jerry Sandusky Trial: What Makes a Pedophile Tick?

"Researchers have begun to pinpoint brain differences in people who are sexually attracted to prepubescent children."

Bible-Era Earthquake Reveals Year of Jesus' Crucifixion

"Jesus, as described in the New Testament, was most likely crucified on Friday April 3, 33 A.D. The latest investigation, reported in the journal International Geology Review, focused on earthquake activity at the Dead Sea, located 13 miles from Jerusalem. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 27, mentions that an earthquake coincided with the crucifixion."

Top 10 High Schools

"U.S. News analyzed data from nearly 22,000 public high schools to calculate the 2012 Best High Schools rankings. The top 500 schools earned a gold medal distinction, and the following 10 schools are the best of the best."

Depressed People Spend More Time Chatting Online

"As it turns out, depressed people use the internet differently than others, spending more time chatting online and file-sharing, for example, according to a new study published. The study, which followed 216 college students, monitored actual Internet use and correlated certain patterns with higher scores on depression surveys."

Economists See 7.5 Percent Unemployment By End of 2013

"The National Association for Business Economics said the country's 'subpar' recovery will continue over the next year and a half. Employment, housing and spending metrics will continue to improve, albeit at a sluggish pace, the group forecasted, with unemployment only ticking down to 8 percent by the end of this year, before falling to 7.5 percent at the end of 2013."

Study: More Than 2,000 False Convictions in Past 23 Years

Along with 900 cases in the National Registry of Exhonerations, "researchers became aware of more than 1,100 other cases in which convictions were overturned due to 13 separate police corruption scandals, most of which involved the planting of drugs or guns on innocent defendants. Those exonerations are not included in the registry."

CDC: Half of Overweight Teens Have Heart Risk

"Half the nation's overweight teens have unhealthy blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels that put them at risk for future heart attacks and other cardiac problems, new federal research says."

How Public-College Presidents’ Pay Compares With Professors’ Salaries

"In 2011, most public-college presidents earned between two and four times the median salary of their full professors. Some made much more."

4,700 Potentially Dangerous Asteroids Lurk Near Earth, NASA Says

"The survey found there are likely 4,700 potentially hazardous asteroids, plus or minus 1,500 space rocks, that are larger than 330 feet (100 meters) wide and in orbits that occasionally bring them close enough to Earth to pose a concern, researchers said."

Boomers Retiring Sooner Than They Expected

"Fifty-nine percent of U.S. baby boomers born after 1946 are choosing to retire despite a popular belief baby boomers will work well past age 65, a survey found."

E-books Spur Reading Among Americans, Survey Shows

"E-books aren't just becoming increasingly popular. They also appear to be promoting reading habits among American adults. So says new research from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which states that about one-fifth of U.S. adults have read an e-book in the past year."

Too Much Happiness Can Make You Unhappy, Studies Show

"Studies show that there is a darker side to feeling good and that the pursuit of happiness can sometimes make you . . . well, less happy. Too much cheerfulness can make you gullible, selfish, less successful — and that’s only the tip of the iceberg."

Class of 2012: More Jobs, Bigger Paychecks

"This year's college graduates are being offered more jobs and fatter paychecks. Members of the Class of 2012 are being offered median starting salaries of $42,569 -- up 4.5% from last year, a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers shows."

1.1 Billion Smart Connected Devices To Ship This Year

"More than 916 million smart connected devices--including PCs, smart phones, tablets, and other similar devices--shipped worldwide last year. And, according to a new report, that number could double in the next five years. Expenditures on these devices exceeded $489 billion."

Study Finds Future Lawyers May Snub Politics

"According to the survey, only 38% percent of students surveyed said they would consider running for political office, down from 54% in a 2009 survey."

Financial Anxiety Index Declines, Boosting Obama's Odds

"A gauge of consumers' financial insecurity that correlates with the outcome of presidential reelection races declined in March for the third straight month, signaling better odds for Barack Obama in November."

Report Calls Education a National Security Issue

"The U.S. educational system is facing 'a national security crisis,' an independent task force from the Council on Foreign Relations warned in a report Tuesday."

Internet Accounts for 4.7% of U.S. Economy

"The Internet accounted for $684 billion, or 4.7% of all U.S. economic activity in 2010, Boston Consulting Group found. By way of comparison, the federal government, contributed $625 billion, or 4.3%, to the nation's output."

Gallup: The Most and Least Religious States

"Mississippi is the most religious U.S. state, and is one of eight states where Gallup classifies at least half of the residents as 'very religious.' At the other end of the spectrum, Vermont and New Hampshire are the least religious states . . ."

Research: Women Make Better Bosses

"Women make better bosses. That’s the finding of a new survey, which found that women in management positions lead in a more democratic way, allow employees to participate in decision-making and establish interpersonal channels of communication."

Tax Breaks Exceed $1 Trillion, Report Says

"A congressional report detailing the value of major tax breaks shows they amount to more than $1 trillion a year—roughly the size of the annual federal budget deficit—and benefit wide swaths of the population."

America’s Most Corrupt States

"Earlier this week, the Center for Public Integrity released a report detailing the risk of corruption and lack of accountability in all 50 states. The findings of the report should worry anyone who believes state governments are transparent and free of corruption."

Harvard, Princeton Post Record Low Acceptance Rates

"The country's eight Ivy League institutions finished sending out their admission decisions to applicants late Thursday. And many of the elite schools -- including Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth and Cornell -- are reporting that they accepted record low percentages of applicants for the upcoming school year."

Gen X and Gen Y and Retirement Planning Mistakes

". . . according to T. Rowe's data, only 45% of people between 21 and 34 (Gen Y) and people between 35 and 50 (Gen X) will be making IRA contributions for fiscal 2011."

Countries That Spend the Most on Health Care

"Of 34 OECD member countries, only three that spent the most per person have citizens that live the longest. The United States spends more than any other country but only has the eighth-lowest life expectancy in the OECD."

New Studies Support Claim That 'Sugar is Toxic'

"The study showed that excess consumption of high fructose corn syrup increases a type of artery-clogging cholesterol – which in turn increases the risk for heart disease."

Study Discovers Car-Buying Habits by Party Affiliation

"A new study from Strategic Vision indicates that the kind of car someone drives can be a strong indicator of political party affiliation."

After Grad Job Slump, Big Hiring is Back at U.S. Colleges

"A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found 2012 hiring is expected to climb 10.2 percent, above a previous estimate of 9.5 percent."

Apple's Tim Cook Tops Two Highest-Rated CEO Lists

"Although he's only had the job since last August, Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook came in No. 1 in both this year's Top 10 Tech CEOs list (shown at right) and in the 25 highest-rated CEO list scheduled to be released on Friday."

U.S. Growth Expected to Slow

"While the GDP grew at a healthy 3% at the end of 2011, most economists see slower growth at the start of 2012 and over the next two years."

Half of U.S.Households Own at Least One Apple Product

"Just over half of all households in the country own at least one Apple product, a new survey says, showing just how far the reach of the company has come in the last decade."

'Hacktivists' Stole 58% of Thieved Data in 2011

"Verizon's (VZ, Fortune 500) annual Data Breach Investigations Report, released Thursday, found that hacktivist groups were responsible for 58% of all data stolen last year. The telecom giant compiled data breach information from its customers and from law enforcement agencies in five countries."

Americans Now Watch More Online Movies Than DVDs

"U.S. movie buffs will pay to watch more movies online in 2012 than they will on physical video formats like DVD. That historic first marks a tipping point for Hollywood -- and its business model."

Nearly 40% of Women Today Have Never Been Married

"Nearly 40% of women have never been married, and fewer are in a first marriage, according to a new government report that takes a detailed look at first marriages and their chances for survival."

Pew: More Americans See 'Too Much' Religious Talk In Politics

"According to a new survey, 38 percent of Americans say there is too much 'expression of religious faith and prayer from political leaders.'"

Damage to World's Oceans 'to Reach $2 Trillion a Year'

"The cost of damage to the world's oceans from climate change could reach $2 trillion a year by 2100 if measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions are not stepped up, a study by marine experts said on Wednesday."

Texting is Ultimate Social Tool for Teens, Study Says

"Mobile devices often get accused of alienating people from the world around them. But for U.S. teens, cell phones (especially text messaging) are a key way to stay connected with friends and other people in their lives, according to new research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project."

Study: People With Lots of Facebook Friends More Likely to be Narcissists

"Research from Western Illinois University showed a link between the number of Facebook friends you have and how active you are on the site to the likelihood of being a "socially disruptive" narcissist."

Study Finds Electrotherapy Dampens Brain Connections

"Scientists have discovered how electroconvulsive or electric shock therapy - a controversial but effective treatment - acts on the brains of severely depressed people and say the finding could help improve diagnosis and treatment of mental illness."

Number of 'Dropout Factory' High Schools in the U.S. Drops, Reports Says

"The number of 'dropout factory' high schools in the United States is decreasing, according to a report from the Building a Grad Nation Summit being held this week in Washington."

Medical Debt Burdens 20 Percent in U.S.

"One-in-5 U.S. adults say they are burdened by medical debt and half of them are unable to pay the debt at all, federal health officials said."

Hiring Index Shows Broad Optimism

"U.S. employers are showing signs of widespread optimism about hiring across the country and in all work sectors, employment firm Manpower said Tuesday."

Study: Bees Have Distinct Personalities

"Some bees are thrill-seekers while others prefer to hang around the hive, according to new research published in the journal Science. The study shows that some honey bees are more eager to take on certain jobs than their comrades. And researchers say this could be down to differences in their personalities."

Study: Marriage Education Can Be Helpful

"A study of more than a dozen different marriage education classes showed the programs help couples improve communication, U.S. researchers said."

60% of Workers Have Less Than $25,000 Saved

"Only 14% of workers feel 'very confident' they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement, while 38% of workers say they are 'somewhat confident' and 23% say they are 'not at all confident,' according to a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute."

Wind Power Not Cost Effective, Study Says

"British investment in wind turbines is not cost effective for the amount of greenhouse gas emission reductions they would provide, a study indicated."

Great Lakes Ice Coverage Falls 71 Percent Over 40 Years

"Great Lakes ice coverage declined an average of 71 percent over the past 40 years, according to a report from the American Meteorological Society."

Teacher Survey Shows Morale Is at a Low Point

"More than half of teachers expressed at least some reservation about their jobs, their highest level of dissatisfaction since 1989, the survey found."

Trying to be Empathetic Key for Couples

"A man likes to know when his wife or girlfriend is happy, but a woman wants the man in her life to know when she is upset, U.S. researchers found."

Survey Finds Uptick in Economic Optimism

"The U.S. economy is improving faster than economists had expected. They now foresee slightly stronger growth and hiring than they did two months earlier."

Why Loneliness Can Be Deadly

"Loneliness can send a person down a path toward bad health, and even more intense loneliness, studies have shown. But while some have assumed the culprit was a dearth of others to remind a person to take care of himself or herself, new research suggests there's a direct biological link between being lonely and ill health."

Wealthy Americans Became Significantly Wealthier in 2011

"Taxpayers earning more than $250,000 saw their total adjusted gross incomes rise by 13.8%, while those bringing home between $200K and $250K enjoyed a 6.7% increase, according to a CNNMoney analysis. Middle-class Americans? Not so fortunate. Those making between $50K and $100K saw their incomes creep up only 1.5%."

Survey: Most U.S. Cell Phone Owners Have Smartphones

"As of February, more U.S. adults own smartphones than simpler feature phones, according to new research from the Pew Internet and American Life Project."

Study: Whites Have 20 Times More Household Wealth Than Blacks

"The median household wealth of blacks was a mere $5,677 in 2009, just 5% of the $113,149 median wealth of whites, according to the Pew Research Center."

Scientists Use Stem Cells to Generate Human Eggs

"Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital say they have extracted stem cells from human ovaries and made them generate egg cells. The advance, if confirmed, might provide a new source of eggs for treating infertility, though scientists say it is far too early to tell if the work holds such promise."

More Americans Believe in Climate Change: Poll

"Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that climate change is real -- the highest level in two years -- as the public trusted its own observations of rising temperatures, a poll said Tuesday."

Incompetent People Too Ignorant to Know It

"A growing body of psychology research shows that incompetence deprives people of the ability to recognize their own incompetence."

Almost Half of US Workers Say Weight is Biggest Health Concern

"Losing weight is the top health concern for almost half of American workers. According to new research, 43 percent of employees said losing weight was their top health priority for 2012."

Study: Men Underestimate Their Own Weight, Overestimate Weight of Women

"A new study finds a disparity in the way men view their own weight, compared to how they view the weight of their wives or girlfriends, MyFoxTwinCities reported."

Number of U.S. Mosques Up 74% Since 2000

"The number of Islamic places of worship in the United States soared 74% in the past decade."

Rich People More Likely to Cheat, Behave Badly, Research Finds

"In a series of experiments, University of California at Berkeley researchers showed again and again that upper-class individuals were more prone to unethical behavior than people from more deprived backgrounds, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."

Active Video Games Don't Mean Kids Exercise More

"All that virtual boxing, bowling and dancing along with video game systems might not be helping kids meet their daily exercise requirements, a new study suggests."

Study: Clouds Losing Altitude Globally

"Researchers say the sky is falling, after a fashion, as data from a U.S. satellite show clouds around the world are losing altitude."

Study: Menu Calorie Postings Not Much Help

"Calorie counts listed on fast-food menus to meet U.S. guidelines are not understandable enough to help consumers make healthier choices, researchers said."

Mild Drought Killed Off Mayan Civilization: Study

"The collapse of the Mayan civilization was likely due to a relatively mild drought, much like the drier conditions expected in the coming years due to climate change, scientists said Thursday."

Study: We're Getting Less Friendly on Facebook

"Whether it's pruning friends lists, removing unwanted comments or restricting access to their profiles, Americans are getting more privacy-savvy on social networks, a new report found."

Crime at US Schools Dropping, Report Says

"Crimes and homicides in public schools nationwide have declined, part of a downward trend seen over the past several years. Data released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice show declines across a number of indicators, including thefts, violent crimes, bullying and gang activity."

Alcoholism Not Uncommon among Surgeons

"About 15 percent of surgeons have alcohol abuse or dependency problems, a rate that is somewhat higher than the rest of the population, according to a new survey."

Report: Dirty Surgical Tools in Hospitals Putting Patients at Risk

"According to a report from the Center for Public Integrity (CPI), dirty surgical tools are not uncommon – and the more technologically advanced these tools become, the harder they are to clean."

The Hidden Majority of For-Profit Colleges

"A new study by the economists Stephanie Riegg Cellini of George Washington University and Claudia Goldin of Harvard concludes that the estimated number of for-profit institutions in the United States would more than double – to more than 7,500 from 2,944 – if official statistics included institutions that do not receive federal student aid."

U.S. Bachelor Degree Rate Passes Milestone

"More than 30 percent of American adults hold bachelor’s degrees, a first in the nation’s history, and women are on the brink of surpassing men in educational attainment, the Census Bureau reported on Thursday."

Report: Facebook, Google Overtake Yahoo In Display Ad Market Share

"Yahoo’s once dominant position with display advertising is now officially over. Research firm eMarketer released figures Wednesday showing that both Facebook and Google surpassed Yahoo last year in display-ad revenue, with $1.73 billion and $1.71 billion, respectively."

Families Living in Extreme Poverty Doubled Since 1996

"The number of families living on $2 or less per person per day for at least a month in the USA has more than doubled in 15 years to 1.46 million."

Historic Low Employment for Young Americans

"Just 54% of adults between the ages of 18 and 24 are currently employed, according to a new study released by the Pew Research Center. This figure represents the lowest level of employment since the government began collecting records in 1948."

Office Politics a Necessary Evil, Survey Finds

"In a study from staffing firm Robert Half International, nearly 60 percent of workers said involvement in office politics is at least somewhat necessary to get ahead."

Study: Colonoscopy Cuts Colon Cancer Death Risk

"Millions of people have endured a colonoscopy, believing the dreaded exam may help keep them from dying of colon cancer. For the first time, a major study offers clear evidence that it does."

More Americans Plan to Save, Not Spend, Their Tax Refund

"Of those expecting a refund, 44% said they plan to stash some of it in savings, up from 42% last year, according to a survey of more than 8,700 consumers by the National Retail Federation. That marks the highest percentage in the survey's nine-year history."

79% of Fund Managers Didn't Beat the S&P

"Last year 79% of large-cap fund managers trailed the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index, says Morningstar -- the worst showing since 1997."

Facebook Profiles Predict Job Success

". . .the findings of a new study by a trio of universities that looked at how Facebook profiles predict job success."

'Marsquake' May Have Shaken Up Red Planet

"The surface of Mars appears to have been shaken by quakes relatively recently, hinting at the existence of active volcanoes and perhaps reservoirs of liquid water on the Red Planet, a new study suggests."

Ancient Biblical City 'Blooms' Again

"An ancient royal garden has come back into bloom in a way, as scientists have reconstructed what it would've looked like some 2,500 years ago in the kingdom of the biblical Judah."

Roman Empire Ran on Camel Power

"In a forthcoming report in the Journal of Archaeological Science, Belgian archeologists Fabienne Pigière and Denis Henrotay, report on the discovery of the bones of a Roman-era dromedary camel in Arlon, Belgium. And they inventory 22 sites in Northern Europe that have turned up camel bones from the Roman era."

For Women Under 30, Most Births Occur Outside Marriage

"It used to be called illegitimacy. Now it is the new normal. After steadily rising for five decades, the share of children born to unmarried women has crossed a threshold: more than half of births to American women under 30 occur outside marriage."

Study: Negative Campaign Ads Much More Frequent, Vicious Than in Primaries Past

"If you thought you were living through a particularly nasty presidential primary season, turns out you were right. Four years ago, just 6 percent of campaign advertising in the GOP primaries amounted to attacks on other Republicans; in this election, that figure has shot up to more than 50 percent, according to an analysis of advertising trends."

Science Overturns View of Humans as Naturally 'Nasty'

"Biological research increasingly debunks the view of humanity as competitive, aggressive and brutish, a leading specialist in primate behavior told a major science conference Monday."

College Students in More Alcohol Abuse Admissions

"U.S. college students have a significantly higher rate of admissions for alcohol problems than their non-student counterparts, federal health officials found."

The Most 20 Powerful US CEOs 40 and Under

"Some of them started their own businesses, while others joined established ones and quickly ascended. There are also lucky execs who knew all the right people, and some who took over family businesses. Regardless of how they got there, these young chief executives are the heads of the country’s biggest publicly traded companies by market capitalization, as of Feb. 13, that have CEOs 40 and under."

In 200-Year Tradition, Most Christian Missionaries are American

"The United State sent out 127,000 of the world's estimated 400,000 missionaries abroad in 2010, according to Todd Johnson, director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts."

Together Apart: Commuter Marriages on the Rise

"A growing number of married couples are living apart. It's called the commuter marriage, and more than 3.5 million couples in the United States are doing it. That number has more than doubled since 1990, when the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 1.7 million married couples were living apart for reasons other than a legal separation."

Nielsen: SmartPhone Ownership by Age and Income

This information is based on a Nielsen survey in January of 20,000 Americans who own a smartphone.

The Discontented Thirties

"According to a new research study by the Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College, the people who are most satisfied with their jobs are older employees – those age 50 and up. The most dissatisfied? Those between the ages of 30 and 39."

Poll: Romney Trailing Santorum by 8 Points

"The latest Gallup daily tracking poll indicates Rick Santorum has overtaken Mitt Romney nationwide and now leads the former governor by eight-points. According to the poll, 36% of registered Republicans said they are backing Santorum, while 28% prefer Romney."

Almost Half of Abortions Are 'Unsafe': WHO

"While the overall global abortion rate has held steady at about 28 per 1,000 women, the percentage performed without trained medical help has risen from 44% in 1995 to 49% in 2008."

Bosses Who Work Out Are Nicer

". . . bosses who hit the gym tend to be less abusive to their employees. That's according to a study in the Journal of Business and Psychology."

Internet Cupids Often Miss their Mark

"Combing dating websites for that perfect love match can be very frustrating, and a group of U.S. psychology professors released a report on Monday explaining why there is no substitute for meeting face-to-face."

Employees Reveal Why They Hate Their Bosses

"A study by talent management expert DDI revealed that one in three employees don't consider their boss to be doing an effective job, while nearly half of workers think they could do their boss's job better than them."

Why You Shouldn't Make Big Decisions After 3 p.m.

"Many people feel like they do their best work -- and are most focused -- early in the morning. Willpower is strongest then, before being depleted during the day. Research also finds that we're happiest in the mornings. . ."

Puzzles Boost Learning Math-Related Skills

"Psychologist Susan Levine, an expert on mathematics development in young children at the University of Chicago, found children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills."

Hairdressers Made Ill By Clients' Depressing Stories, Study Finds

"A study of hairdressers in Victoria, Australia, found many were becoming so stressed out from listening to depressing stories they grew ill themselves."

Nanotechnology Turns Plants Into Common Plastic

"Dutch scientists have found a way of turning plant matter into the building blocks of common plastics using a nanotechnology process that offers an alternative to oil-based production."

Study: Cellphones Make Users Selfish

"A U.S. study found that cellphone use is linked to selfish behavior and may make users less socially minded, researchers said."

Humans Have About 100 Broken Genes Each

"A new analysis of 185 human genomes indicates that every one of us has about 100 'broken genes.' Some of these lost genes cause harmful effects, many seem innocuous, and some even seem to have some benefit."

Japan Tops List of Countries Deepest in Debt

"In addition to Greece, several European Union member countries now face overwhelming government debt."

It's Not Fracking's Fault, Study Says

"A university study asserts that the problems caused by the gas extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking,' arise because drilling operations aren't doing it right. The process itself isn't to blame, according to the study, released today by the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin."

Study: Wikipedia Trustworthy Health Source

"Australian researchers say a study shows Wikipedia is the most highly rated Web site for accessing information on mental-health related topics."

Study Abroad? Why American Students Head North

"Almost 10,000 American students are heading to Canada for higher education every year for the past five years, according to the Canadian Embassy in Washington, up from just 2,300 15 years ago."

Study: U.S. Schools Better Than Rankings Suggest

"The idea that U.S. public schools are falling behind the rest of the world is widely accepted, but a new analysis of international data suggests that using rankings to sort global winners from losers is often misguided, exaggerating tiny differences between countries that may be producing nearly identical results."

Home Buying: Most Affordable in Decades

"Buying a home is now more affordable than it has been in the last twenty years. Thanks to continued declines in home prices and rock-bottom mortgage rates, the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index hit a record level of affordability."

Study: Interracial Marriage, Acceptance Growing

"Forty-five years after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage in the United States, the rate of marriage across racial and ethnic lines is on the rise, according to a new study released Thursday."

'Buying Happiness' Means Different Things to Different People

"A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research finds that happiness means different things to different people, depending on whether they're focused on the future or the present. As a result, marketers that are trying to sell products based on the claim that it will make their customers happy must take a different approach depending on who their customers are."

Excavated Gold Mine Could Have Belonged To Queen of Sheba

"A British excavation has struck archaeological gold with a discovery that may solve the mystery of where the Queen of Sheba derived her fabled treasures."

Gallup: U.S. Life Rating at 11-Month High

"The U.S. Life Evaluation, a measure of how adults rate their well-being, has climbed back to near its all-time high after tumbling in 2011, Gallup Inc. said."

Study: Computers Can 'Evolve' for Defense

"U.S. researchers say findings from genetics research are inspiring them in their search for ways to combat increasing number of global cyberattacks."

Home-Schooling Demographics Change, Expand

"Secular organizations across the country report their numbers are growing. Though government records indicate religion is still the driving force in home schooling, members of these organizations say the face of home schooling is changing, not because of faith, but because of what parents see as shortcomings in public and private schools."

Pew Study: 1 in 8 Voter Records Flawed

"More than 24 million voter-registration records in the United States— about one in eight — are inaccurate, out-of-date or duplicates. Nearly 2.8 million people are registered in two or more states, and perhaps 1.8 million registered voters are dead."

For-Profit Colleges Raise Tuition to Maximize Student-Aid Revenue, Study Suggests

"The paper, by Stephanie Riegg Cellini of George Washington University and Claudia Goldin of Harvard University, says that the higher tuition at the Title IV-eligible colleges provides evidence of the 'Bennett hypothesis'—the theory, espoused by William J. Bennett, the former education secretary, that colleges eligible for federal student aid jack up their tuition to maximize the aid funds they can capture."

U.S. Jobless Rate Projected to Fall Sharply

"Economists in a survey see the unemployment rate falling much faster this year than previously expected, an improvement in the jobs market that could help President Obama's re-election chances."

Record Decline in Spending by States, Cities, and School Districts

"States, cities and school districts trimmed spending at the end of 2011 by more than any time in a decade, a USA TODAY analysis finds."

The Economics of Foreign College Students

"By the reckoning of the Institute of International Education, foreign students in the United States contribute about $21 billion a year to the national economy . . ."

Exercise as Housecleaning for the Body

"The ability of exercise to speed the removal of garbage from inside our body's cells may be one of its most valuable, if least visible, effects, a new study suggests."

Education Gap Grows Between Rich and Poor, Studies Say

"Education was historically considered a great equalizer in American society, capable of lifting less advantaged children and improving their chances for success as adults. But a body of recently published scholarship suggests that the achievement gap between rich and poor children is widening, a development that threatens to dilute education’s leveling effects."

The Himalayas and Nearby Peaks Have Lost No Ice in Past 10 Years, Study Shows

"The world's greatest snow-capped peaks, which run in a chain from the Himalayas to Tian Shan on the border of China and Kyrgyzstan, have lost no ice over the last decade, new research shows."

Diet Soda Linked to Heart Disease Risk

"Diet soda may seem to be a healthier alternative to calorie-laden regular soda, but a new study shows that people who regularly drink diet soft drinks may be putting their hearts at risk. Those who drank diet soda on a daily basis were at an increased risk of experiencing stroke, heart attack and death due to these conditions, according to the study."

US Lags Way Behind in Science, Math Graduates

"When it comes to churning out young workers with college degrees in math and science, the United States lags well behind other advanced democracies, ranking just behind Turkey and Spain, according to a new analysis."

The 6 Technologies That Will Shape Higher Education

"Game-based learning, learning analytics, and the "Internet of Things" are three of six technologies that will have a profound impact on higher education in the next one to five years, according to the latest NMC Horizon Report released by the New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Initiative."

Radical U.S. Muslims Little Threat, Study Says

"The study found that arrests of Muslim Americans in plots or violent attacks have dropped sharply since 2009."

Spanking Kids Can Cause Long-Term Harm: Canada Study

"Spanking children can cause long-term developmental damage and may even lower a child's IQ, according to a new Canadian analysis that seeks to shift the ethical debate over corporal punishment into the medical sphere. The study, published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, reached its conclusion after examining 20 years of published research on the issue."

Russian Scientists Reach Lake Under Antarctica

"After more than two decades of drilling in Antarctica, Russian scientists have reached the surface of a gigantic freshwater lake hidden under miles of ice for some 20 million years — a lake that may hold life from the distant past and clues to the search for life on other planets."

Neuroscience the New Face of Warfare: Experts

"The report, published on Tuesday by the UK's national academy of science, the Royal Society, was written by experts in neuroscience, international security, psychology and ethics. It divided the issue of neuroscience in conflict and security into two main areas - the potential to enhance performance of military forces, and the potential to degrade or diminish the enemy's performance."

Are Depressed Kids Bully Magnets?

"A new study, published this week in the journal Child Development, provides some of the strongest evidence to date for a third theory: Kids who cry easily, express negative emotions, and show other signs of depression ultimately suffer socially because they are shunned by their peers and attract the attention of bullies."

CFOs: Humor a Key Part of Workplace 'Fit'

"A sense of humor is important for fitting into a company's corporate culture and may be key to getting -- or staying -- employed, a U.S. survey says. The survey . . . was based on interviews with more than 1,400 chief financial officers . . ."

Young CEOs Offer Risks and Rewards

"The average age of incoming CEOs at S&P 500 companies has been on the decline — it was 52.9 in 2010, down from 54.7 in 2006, according to the WSJ."

Distraction Reduces Pain, Study Finds

"When you distract yourself from pain, you actually hurt less, a new study suggests."

Meetings Can Make You, Uh, Stupid

"To look at how meetings might affect our ability to think, the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to watch people’s brains as they worked in a group setting, according to the new report published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B."

Snack Bars and Junk Food Common in Schools: Study

"About half of all elementary school students can buy potato chips, ice cream or similar snacks in vending machines and at snack bars during school, suggests a new study."

Bread a Culprit in Americans Eating Too Much Salt

"Nine out of 10 American adults consume too much salt and the leading culprit is not potato chips or popcorn but slices of bread and dinner rolls, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday."

Gold Not a Reliable Inflation Hedge: Study

"Gold prices have been too volatile to play a reliable role as a hedge against inflation, a study of financial assets over the past 112 years showed on Tuesday."

Studies: Facebook Can Hurt Self-Esteem

"According to three new studies, Facebook can be tough on mental health, offering an all-too-alluring medium for social comparison and ill-advised status updates. And while adding a friend on the social networking site can make people feel cheery and connected, having a lot of friends is associated with feeling worse about one's own life."

Twitter is Harder to Resist Than Cigarettes and Alcohol, Study Finds

"Tweeting or checking emails may be harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol, according to researchers who tried to measure how well people could resist their desires."

Green Tea Drinkers Less Frail, More Independent in Old Age

"A new study looked at whether green tea consumption minimizes frailty and disability in the elderly."

Harvard Conference Seeks to Jolt University Teaching

"A growing body of evidence from the classroom, coupled with emerging research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience, is lending insight into how people learn, but teaching on most college campuses has not changed much, several speakers said here at Harvard University at a daylong conference dedicated to teaching and learning."

Survey Finds That Dwindling Financial Aid Contributes to Fewer College Options

"College freshmen entering school last fall were less likely to attend their first choice of college, a function of both competition and cost, than at any other time since 1974, and fewer received financial aid through grants or scholarships, according to an annual survey of nearly 204,000 high school students."

Skin Transformed Into Brain Cells

"Skin cells have been converted directly into cells which develop into the main components of the brain, by researchers in California."

Consumers Ignore Most Apps on their Smartphones

"Of smartphone owners, 68% open only five or fewer apps at least once a week, finds a survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. Seventeen percent don't use any apps. About 42% of all U.S. adults have phones with apps, Pew estimates."

Music Training May Help Deter Hearing Loss

"The brain can be trained to overcome, in part, some age-related hearing loss in those with musical training, U.S. researchers suggest."

Ocean Motion Could Produce 9 Percent of U.S. Electricity

"Next-generation technologies that harvest electricity from ocean waves and tides sloshing along the U.S. coasts could provide about 9 percent of the nation's demand by 2030, according to a pair of recent studies."

Japan's Population to Drop by 1 Million Each Year

"Japan's rapid aging means the national population of 128 million will shrink by one-third by 2060 and seniors will account for 40 percent of people, placing a greater burden on the shrinking work force population to support the social security and tax systems."

Only Calories Count, New Study Says

"People trying to lose weight may swear by specific diet plans calling for strict proportions of fat, carbs and protein, but where the calories come from may not matter as much as simply cutting back on them, according to a study."

Cheat Away on Taxes, More Americans Say

"The percentage of people who say you should cheat on your income taxes 'as much as possible' hit 8 percent in 2011, double what it was in 2010. That’s also higher than any other recent year in which the question was asked. Another 6 percent of those surveyed said a little cheating here and there is OK."

Mormonism Besieged By the Modern Age

"The LDS church claims 14 million members worldwide -- optimistically including nearly every person baptized. But census data from some foreign countries targeted by clean-cut young missionaries show that the retention rate for their converts is as low as 25 percent. In the U.S., only about half of Mormons are active members of the church, said Washington State University emeritus sociologist Armand Mauss, a leading researcher on Mormons."

U.S. Set for Fourth Year of $1 Trillion-Plus Deficit: CBO

"The United States is headed for a fourth straight year with a $1 trillion-plus budget deficit, congressional forecasters said on Tuesday, giving ammunition to Republicans to hammer President Barack Obama's spending record in November's elections."

Study Finds Black Segregation Lowest in Century

"Black segregation from other racial groups has hit its lowest point in more than a century — declining in all 85 of the nation's largest metropolitan areas — but social and income inequality persist."

Number of Older Inmates Grows, Stressing Prisons

"More Americans older than 55 are being imprisoned, and many prisons are unprepared to provide them with health care, Human Rights Watch said in a new report."

Today's College Freshmen Hitting Books Harder, Study Says

"This year's college freshmen are more studious than their counterparts of the past few years, says an annual survey released today on their high school academic habits."

US Economy Losing Competitive Edge: Survey

"The United States is becoming less economically competitive versus other nations, with political gridlock and a weak primary education system seen as the main drag, according to a survey released on Wednesday."

Study: Web Hinders Youth Social Skills

"Young girls who spend the most time multitasking between various digital devices, communicating online or watching video are the least likely to develop normal social tendencies, according to the survey of 3,461 American girls aged 8 to 12 who volunteered responses."

One in Five Adults Experienced Mental Illness in 2011

"Almost 46 million U.S. adults age 18 or older, about 20 percent of that age group, experienced mental illness during the past year, health officials say."

Cost of 10 Leading Causes of Death to US: $1.1 Trillion

"Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its estimated causes of death for 2010. The 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. accounted for 75 percent of the nearly 2.5 million deaths in 2010. Overall costs for the top 10 causes of death topped $1.1 trillion in 2007. . ."

States Weaken Tenure Rights for Teachers

"America's public school teachers are seeing their generations-old tenure protections weakened as states seek flexibility to fire teachers who aren't performing. A few states have essentially nullified tenure protections altogether, according to an analysis being released Wednesday by the National Council on Teacher Quality."

Couples Happier with Couples as Friends

"Married couples who form and keep friendships with other couples often have happier marriages, U.S. researchers said."

The 10 Richest Presidents

Forbes rankings, "based on relative wealth within the economy of their day."

Study: Women Feel More Pain Than Men

"According to the results of a study in which researchers examined pain scores from tens of thousands of patients in the United States, women experience more intense pain than men."

Narcissistic Men are More Stressed

"Men who are narcissistic are likely to have higher levels of a primary stress hormone called cortisol, a new study finds."

Why Some Sex Offenders Don't Stop Abusing

"A new study of single young men finds that 43 percent report pressuring or forcing a woman to do something sexual against her will at least once. But according to the results, there may be differences between those men who are sexually coercive only as teens and those who continue into adulthood."

Study: Liberals and Conservatives Don't See Eye to Eye, Literally

"According to the study, conservatives and liberals pay attention to their environments differently, meaning the two sides of the political spectrum quite literally don't see eye-to-eye."

Tablet, e-Book Ownership Soaring, Study Finds

"A report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project set to be released today finds that 29 percent of Americans owned at least one tablet or e-reader as of the beginning of this month. That's up from 18 percent in December."

YouTube Hits 4 Billion Daily Video Views

"YouTube, Google Inc's video website, is streaming 4 billion online videos every day, a 25 percent increase in the past eight months, according to the company."

U.S. Housing More Affordable Than Other English Countries: Study

"Would-be American home-buyers can take heart: U.S. housing is more affordable than in other English-speaking countries, according to a study of metropolitan areas around the world."

Fewer College Students Volunteer Their Time

"The percentage of college students who volunteer is declining, reflecting an overall drop in volunteerism nationally. In 2010, 26.1 percent of college students around the United States volunteered, about on par with the overall percentage of Americans who volunteered that year. College student volunteerism peaked at 31.2 percent in 2004, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service."

Phone, Tablet Users Spend More Time With Apps Than Web

"Phone and tablet owners used to spend most of their time surfing the Web. Now they're using apps, according to data from Flurry Analytics."

iPad a Solid Education Tool, Study Reports

"In a partnership with Apple, textbook publishers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt performed a pilot study using an iPad text for Algebra 1 courses, and found that 20% more students (78% compared to 59%) scored 'Proficient' or 'Advanced' in subject comprehension when using tablets rather than paper textbook counterparts."

Since 1980s, the Kindest of Tax Cuts for the Rich

"The effective federal income tax rate paid by the wealthiest Americans has dropped significantly during the last several decades, largely because of tax cuts on investment income."

What the Top 1% of Earners Majored In

"According to the Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey, the majors that give you the best chance of reaching the 1 percent are pre-med, economics, biochemistry, zoology and, yes, biology, in that order."

Few Cities Have Regained Jobs They Lost, Report Finds

"Less than a tenth of the nation’s metropolitan areas have regained the jobs they lost in the economic downturn, according to a report being released Wednesday by the nation’s mayors. . ."

Study Tracks Negative Effects of Nitrogen

"The global nitrogen cycle has been profoundly altered by human activities which, in turn, affects human health, air and water quality, U.S. researchers say."

Lip-Reading Helps Babies Learn to Speak

"U.S. researchers collected empirical evidence that infants engage in lip-reading when learning how to talk. . ."

US Economy Losing Competitive Edge: Survey

"The United States is becoming less economically competitive versus other nations, with political gridlock and a weak primary education system seen as the main drag, according to a survey released on Wednesday."

Long Term, Gastric Bypass Beats Out Banding: Study

"Among weight-loss surgery options, gastric bypass comes with more complications shortly after surgery than gastric banding, but makes up for it with fewer long-term side effects and repeat operations, new research suggests."

Tax Reform a Daunting Task, Report Illustrates

"Government spending does not just occur in the federal budget. Much of it occurs through tax breaks and a report on Tuesday showed how increasingly costly they are as lawmakers mull a revamp of the U.S. tax code."

Find Shows Humans Skilled Anglers 42,000 Years Ago

"Fish hooks and fish bones dating back 42,000 years found in a cave in East Timor suggest that humans were capable of skilled, deep-sea fishing 30,000 years earlier than previously thought, researchers in Australia and Japan said on Friday."

Old King Coal Stays On World Energy Throne

". . .the Medium-Term Coal Market Report 2011 has concluded coal will remain the world's dominant fuel, despite growing worries about climate change."

Facebook, AT&T Make List of Most Hated Companies in America

"Customers, employees, shareholders and taxpayers hate large corporations for many reasons. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a lengthy list of corporations for which there is substantial research data to choose the 10 most hated in America."

Study: Confidence Overrated in Markets

"The study conducted by the Swedish Institute for Financial Research found that the confident, aggressive male in his mid-30s was, statistically speaking, a pretty lousy investor. . ."

CDC: 1 in 3 Adults is Obese

"One in every three adults and one in every six children in the United States is obese, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

India's Education Dream Risks Remaining Just That

"According to a government report published last year, a massive expansion in higher education combined with a poor supply of Ph.D.’s, delays in recruitment and the lack of incentives to attract and nurture talent has led to a situation in which 40 percent of existing faculty positions remain vacant. The report’s authors, mostly academics, found that if the shortfall is calculated using the class size recommended by the government, this figure jumps to 54 percent."

Amazon Kindle Owners Are “Borrowing” Nearly 300,000 Electronic Books A Month

"According to the company, customers borrowed nearly 300,000 (295,000 to be exact) KDP Select titles in December alone, and KDP Select has helped grow the total library selection."

The Value of Teachers

". . .a landmark new research paper underscores that the difference between a strong teacher and a weak teacher lasts a lifetime."

Survey: Most Feel Guilty After Fast-Food

"Fifty-four percent admit feeling 'a bit guilty' after eating fast-food and another 16 percent say they just feel 'bad,' a U.S. survey indicates."

IBM Scientists Create Smallest Magnetic Memory Bit With 12 Atoms

"Today, to store a single bit — the most basic piece of information a computer understands –a disk drive needs one million atoms. Heinrich and his team have successfully shown that data can be stored in as few as 12 magnetic atoms. That’s 12 versus 1 million and it means a hundred times more information can be stored in the same space."

Retailers in for Steady, Modest Growth in 2012

The National Retail Federation at the start of its annual convention in New York said U.S. retail sales should rise 3.4 percent this year, down from an increase of 4.7 percent in 2011, which came after weak sales in 2010.

Study Finds No Better Odds Using 3 Embryos in IVF

"A new study of fertility treatment found that women who get three or more embryos have no better odds of having a baby than those who get just two embryos."

Why Teens Are More Prone to Addiction, Mental Illness

"By comparing the brain's response to a food reward in adult and teen rats, researchers have pinpointed some differences that might explain why adolescents take more risks and are more prone to addiction, depression and schizophrenia."

Swallowing Parasitic Worms May Heal Your Ails

"Parasitic worms may be useful in treating lung disease and healing wounds, according to a study published online today in Nature Medicine."

PC Losing Traction as Half of all Computing Devices Sold are Mobile

"The world of personal computing is changing as smaller, sleeker and more capable devices are replacing the bulky desktop towers and heavy laptops that formerly dominated. . ."

Study: Simple Measures Could Reduce Global Warming, Save Lives

"Simple, inexpensive measures to cut emissions of two common pollutants will slow global warming, save millions of lives and boost crop production around the world, an international team of scientists reported Thursday."

Study: Powerful People Tend to Overestimate Height

"The study, published in Psychological Science, looked at whether the psychological perception of power may cause people to feel taller than they truly are."

Half of Employers Say they Can't Find Skilled Workers

"More than half of U.S. employers surveyed by the staffing firm Manpower Group last year said they were having trouble filling job openings because they couldn't find qualified workers. That’s a huge 38 percentage point jump from 2010, when only 14 percent said they were having trouble filling positions."

Two Slices of Bacon a Day Increases Cancer Risk by a Fifth, Study Says

"Eating two slices of bacon or one sausage a day can increase a person's risk of a deadly form of cancer by almost a fifth, according to a Swedish study."

Poll Finds 43 Percent Of People Believe God Helps Tebow Win

"According to a national telephone survey conducted by Poll Position, 43 percent of people believe that “divine intervention” is responsible for his success compared to 42 percent of people surveyed who think that God has nothing to do with Tebow winning."

Some Countries Are More Social Than Others, Survey Finds

"In the big cities of India and China, it seems, people can't help being social. Nearly everyone who uses the Internet there is also active on social networks, according to a global survey by Forrester Research, and three out of four write blog posts or upload pictures and music."

Top 1% of Mobile Users Consume Half of World’s Bandwidth, and Gap Is Growing

"The world’s congested mobile airwaves are being divided in a lopsided manner, with 1 percent of consumers generating half of all traffic. The top 10 percent of users, meanwhile, are consuming 90 percent of wireless bandwidth."

Big Study Links Good Teachers to Lasting Gain

"Elementary- and middle-school teachers who help raise their students’ standardized-test scores seem to have a wide-ranging, lasting positive effect on those students’ lives beyond academics, including lower teenage-pregnancy rates and greater college matriculation and adult earnings, according to a new study that tracked 2.5 million students over 20 years."

Students of Online Schools Are Lagging

"The number of students in virtual schools run by educational management organizations rose sharply last year, according to a new report being published Friday, and far fewer of them are proving proficient on standardized tests compared with their peers in other privately managed charter schools and in traditional public schools."

Study: E-Textbooks Saved Many Students Only $1

"Despite the promise that digital textbooks can lead to huge cost savings for students, a new study at Daytona State College has found that many who tried e-textbooks saved only one dollar, compared with their counterparts who purchased traditional printed material."

Lifestyle Changes Can Prevent 40% of Cancers: Study

"Is there a cure for cancer? Not yet, but an eye-opening new study suggests that it can be prevented by simple lifestyle changes. These changes may ward off cancers for every 4 out of 10 people."

iTunes, Amazon help album sales rise for first time since 2004

"Album sales in the U.S. rose more than 3 percent last year for the first gain since 2004 - a sign that rising digital sales are finally stemming the decade-long decline of compact discs."

Unemployment Varies by College Major, Study Finds

"Employment rates are higher for recent college graduates than for those with less education, but job prospects vary by major, according to a report released on Wednesday by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce."

Study: 2011 was Ninth-Warmest in 33 Years

"U.S. scientists say 2011 was the ninth-warmest year on record in 33 years of satellite measurements of temperature readings for almost all regions of Earth."

Mental Sharpness Begins to Decline in Middle-Age

"The brain's abilities to reason, comprehend and remember may start to worsen as early as age 45, a new study from England suggests."

Census: Number of U.S. Youth Shrinks

"The bad economy and slowdown in immigration is shrinking the nation's youthful population for the first time in a generation, according to Census data released today."

Digital Music Sales Top Physical Sales

"For the first time in history, digital music sales topped the physical sale of music. According to a Nielsen and Billboard report, digital music purchases accounted for 50.3% of music sales in 2011. Digital sales were up 8.4% from the previous year, while physical album sales declined 5%."

Americans Make Up Half of the World's Richest 1%

"The United States holds a disproportionate amount of the world's rich people."

Study: Stradivarius' Powers Just a Musical Myth

A study suggests that even professional musicians cannot tell the difference between a Stradivarius and other violins in terms of their quality of sound.

Public Perceptions of Business Leadership

"A survey by the Public Affairs Council in September found the public has a good opinion of business in general but not of its leadership. Chief executives got low scores for fairness, honesty and ethics."

Study: Gestures Help Language Learning

"People learn a new language more easily when words are accompanied by movement or gestures, European researchers say."

More Evidence That Deep Brain Stimulation May Help Treat Mental Illness

"A new study is advancing the possibility that mentally ill patients who do not respond to conventional therapies may benefit from battery-powered electrodes surgically implanted in their brains."

Gallup: GOP Primary Contest Most Volatile in Decades

"The 2012 Republican presidential contest is the most volatile since at least 1964, Gallup has determined."