Avery Elizabeth Hurt

All Stories by Avery Elizabeth Hurt
- Psychology
Lying won’t stretch your nose, but it will steal some brainpower
The science of lying shows that most people don’t lie often. But when they do, it takes a surprising toll on their brains.
- Health & Medicine
In an emergency, you may want to see Dr. Dog
Emergency room visits by therapy dogs can reduce pain, anxiety and depression in patients waiting for care, a new study finds.
- Psychology
To excel at basketball, it’s mind over matter
Get your head in the game. Top basketball coaches value psychological traits more than physical ones when recruiting players, says a new study.
- Humans
Want to improve your reading skills? You might just need more space
A simple change by publishers and Web designers could help kids — both with and without dyslexia — read faster and better.
- Psychology
Will you learn better from reading on screen or on paper?
Some studies find students don’t learn as well by reading on screens as from paper. But that's not always true. Here’s how to make the most of reading in either format.
- Environment
Cheatgrass thrives on the well-lit urban night scene
Middle-grade campers team up with ecologists at Denver University to show that streetlights boost the growth of a reviled invasive species.
- Earth
Earth as you’ve never seen it before
Earth is a sphere. Flat maps distort features on that sphere, usually by a lot. Now three scientists think they may have the best solution yet for flattening the planet.
- Math
Better data lead to better forecasts
Scientists turn to mathematical models to make good predictions. But if they don’t put good data into those models, they won’t get reliable forecasts. So good data are key.
- Math
Beyond crystal balls: How to make good forecasts
Science shows mounds of data and some math are key to predicting future events.
- Archaeology
Underground mega-monument found near Stonehenge
Archaeologists used high-tech tools to uncover ancient underground pits near Stonehenge. The find may offer insights into Britain’s Stone Age culture.
- Health & Medicine
Explainer: What are Antibodies?
Antibodies are one of the major players in the immune system’s attack against germs. Learn what they are, what they do and how they keep us healthy.
- Brain
Do you sleep enough to banish unpleasant moods?
A large, long-term study in kids has linked getting too little shuteye with mood and behavior problems.