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‘You just don’t know’: Experts explain how to stay safe online, spot fake accounts

In a fast-paced digital world, information can be obtained in just a few seconds, and while the world is constantly moving forward, social media has become the forefront of communicating for many people.

Chris Barry.
Barry

Washington State University psychology professor Dr. Chris Barry said having open communication with one’s child is the most important thing to keep them safe.

“Parents, be aware of what platforms a teen is using, but also openly discussing potential risks” said Barry. “It really is about balancing monitoring a teens activity as opposed to hovering over them. Open communication is really important, parents should be aware of what teens are using, and openly explaining the risks.”

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Krem2

War songs and lullabies behind origins of music

Love is not the reason why we sing and create symphonies—at least not the primary reason, according to a new evolutionary theory of the origins of music.

Ed Hagen.
Hagen

“Sex and mating are a part of the story, but music seems to expand far beyond that particular domain,” said Ed Hagen, an evolutionary anthropologist with Washington State University and a co-author on the study. “The sexual selection hypothesis doesn’t really explain a core feature of music: that it is often performed in groups. It’s also listened to and performed by both sexes.”

The researchers also argue against the social bonding theory noting that there are many more efficient ways for groups to bond than the time-consuming process of making music, including talking and sharing a meal. The theory also does not account for the fact that music is often performed for others who take no part in the creation of it.

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WSU Insider
Fast Company
Hindustan Times

The Indian Weekender

The Hearing Review

Cannabis reduces OCD symptoms by half in the short-term

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, report that the severity of their symptoms was reduced by about half within four hours of smoking cannabis, according to a Washington State University study.

Carrie Cuttler.
Cuttler

“The results overall indicate that cannabis may have some beneficial short-term but not really long-term effects on obsessive-compulsive disorder,” said Carrie Cuttler, the study’s corresponding author and WSU assistant professor of psychology. “To me, the CBD findings are really promising because it is not intoxicating. This is an area of research that would really benefit from clinical trials looking at changes in compulsions, intrusions and anxiety with pure CBD.”

However, Cuttler said this analysis of user-provided information via the Strainprint app was especially valuable because it provides a large data set and the participants were using market cannabis in their home environment, as opposed to federally grown cannabis in a lab which may affect their responses. Strainprint’s app is intended to help users determine which types of cannabis work the best for them, but the company provided the WSU researchers free access to users’ anonymized data for research purposes.

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WSU Insider
International Business Times
New Atlas
Consumer Affairs
Hindustan Times
Forbes
Study Finds
Green Entrepreneur
Contemporary Clinic

Ask Dr. Universe: Why do we get tears when we yawn?

You’re right, a lot of people get tears when they yawn. When you yawn, you actually use lot of muscles in your face. Maybe you can feel the stretch in your jaw, cheeks and eyes.

As the muscles in your face contract, they can put a lot of pressure on the plumbing system that is in charge of making your tears.

That’s what I found out from my friend Karin Biggs, an adjunct professor of biology at Washington State University.

“When we yawn we are contracting all the muscles in our face,” Biggs said. “We are just squeezing the tears out of the gland and out of the tubes because we have squeezed all of our face at once.”

Whether your tears come from crying, sneezing, laughing or yawning, they are often a good sign your body is taking care of you and that your eyes are working well.

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Ask Dr. Universe

Oct. 27: Daily Show producer Ted Tremper to discuss socio-political comedy

Ted Tremper.
Tremper

Washington State University alumnus and award-winning writer, director, producer, and educator Ted Tremper will discuss socio-political comedy when he returns virtually to WSU as the guest presenter for the Common Reading Program at 5 p.m. Oct. 27.

“Ted is uniquely positioned to share his experiences with Mr. Noah as well as his own pathway from our university to the Daily Show and beyond,” said Karen Weathermon, director of the Common Reading Program, host and sponsor of the presentation that will be live-streamed using Zoom. “We welcome students and the community to join us for this discussion.”

Tremper graduated in 2004 magna cum laude with a BA in English with minors in film studies and professional writing. He went on to earn an MFA in writing from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. He has visited WSU to speak and teach a short course.

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WSU Insider