How Alcohol Increases Pain Tolerance, and Aggression

Summary: Alcohol not only raises pain tolerance but also amplifies aggression, according to a new study. Researchers found that participants who drank alcohol had higher pain thresholds and were more…

Finger Lengths May Reveal Insights Into Drinking Habits

Summary: The relative lengths of your fingers might be linked to your alcohol consumption patterns. Researchers found that individuals with longer 4th (ring) fingers relative to 2nd (index) fingers, indicating…

Alcohol Use Predicts Escalating Cannabis Vaping Among Youth

Summary: A recent study highlights alcohol as the strongest predictor of cannabis vaping initiation and experimentation among youth and young adults, regardless of demographic factors. Conducted over three years, the…

a double shot of US history

Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: “Intoxication Nation: Alcohol in American History” What prompted the idea for the…

Drinking alcohol before conceiving a child could accelerate their aging – new research in mice

The conditions within a person’s home, family and community affect their ability to stay healthy. Scientists studying these social determinants of health are trying to understand whether nature or nurture…

Memory Cues May Help Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Summary: A study suggests that recalling past alcohol experiences before drinking can slow down consumption, indicating a potential strategy to reduce alcohol intake. In the study, women who remembered a…

Hundreds of thousands of US infants every year pay the consequences of prenatal exposure to drugs, a growing crisis particularly in rural America

Nearly 1 in 12 newborns in the United States in 2020 – or about 300,000 infants – were exposed to alcohol, opioids, marijuana or cocaine before they were born. Exposure…

Think wine is a virtue, not a vice? Nutrition label information surprised many US consumers

When you reach for that bottle of wine this Valentine’s Day, do you know how healthy it is? Many people have a too-rosy view of the beverage and are surprised…

Beer Goggles Myth Busted: Alcohol Doesn’t Alter Attraction

Summary: Researchers have debunked the “beer goggles” myth, suggesting that alcohol doesn’t necessarily make people appear more attractive due to facial symmetry. In their study, participants, including intoxicated individuals, rated…

To better understand addiction, students in this course take a close look at liquor in literature

Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course: Alcohol in American Literature What prompted the idea for the course? I…