We all like to think we’re in control of our perceptions and decisions. The idea that we’ve been manipulated into buying something—be it a purse or political rhetoric—is distasteful.

Yet it happens constantly. Because we’re human. In fact, the very things that make us human—empathy, emotion, and exhaustion to name a few—give those who are unscrupulous, desperate, or egotistical an edge when it comes to distorting our thoughts and judgments.

And in certain ways the problem is getting worse. Information overload is one reason we’ve grown more vulnerable to manipulation. Research suggests that we receive five times more inf...

Learn about the causes of climate change and how you can reduce its threat.

Climate change, also called global warming, refers to the rise in average surface temperatures on Earth. An overwhelming scientific consensus maintains that climate change is due primarily to the human use of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. The gases trap heat within the atmosphere, which can have a range of effects on ecosystems, including rising sea levels, severe weather events, and droughts that render landscapes more susceptible to wildfires.

Is climate change real?

There is broad-based agreement within the scient...

Cutting sugar out of your diet will affect your body. Johner Images/Getty

• There's a difference between refined sugars and natural sugars.
• Sugar might taste good to you, but processed sugars aren't good for you.
• Eating a lot of re...

Date:January 21, 2020

Source:University of Bristol

Summary:Despite reports that global emissions of the potent greenhouse gas were almost eliminated in 2017, an international team of scientists has found atmospheric levels growing at record values.

Despite reports that global emissions of the potent greenhouse gas, , were almost eliminated in 2017, an international team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol, has found atmospheric levels growing at record values.