Digital Gems

The real reasons behind Japan's culture of kawaii, or "cute."

From Hello Kitty and ‘Lolita’ fashion to Pokemon Go, millions of adults are seeking an endless childhood.

This episode I interview Dr. Anna Lembke, MD, Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Lembke is a psychiatrist expert in treating addictions of all kinds: drugs, alcohol, food, sex, video games, gambling, food, medication, etc. Dr. Lembke is also an expert in the opioid crisis, and the author of Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence. We discuss the biology and psychology of why people become addicted to certain substances and behaviors and the key role that our "dopamine balance" plays in creating addiction. We also discuss the science and practice of how to conquer addictions, why people relapse and how to avoid relapsing. Dr. Lembke also shares her expertise on topics closely related to addiction such as community, shame and lying and she explains why telling the truth—even about the most basic things in daily life, adjusts dopamine levels in our brain. This episode is an important one for anyone struggling with addictions of any kind, for their friends and families and for health care professionals. It is also for anyone who has defeated addiction and is determined to stay clean. Last but not least, it helps explain why all humans do what we do, and how we can all maintain a healthy sense of pleasure seeking in life.

U.S. officials for the first time on Monday declared an official water shortage for the massive Lake Mead reservoir, triggering supply cuts to parts of the drought-stricken Southwest, as 10 Western governors appealed for federal drought disaster aid.

Scientists in Idaho are finding that wildfire smoke dampens milk production and coincides with increased risk of disease and even death in dairy cows.

Vaccination requirements are appearing in sectors such as software development and marketing that typically didn’t mandate vaccines.

"Labor quality" is the top overall concern of small businesses, according to the NFIB’s July Small Business Jobs Report.

While offering remote positions can open up new talent pools for employers, it can also lead to apathy in employees and a sense of disconnect from their jobs

Amid cries for greater diversity, inclusion and representation for Asian Americans across all sectors, many, including high-profile creatives and celebrities, are rethinking their names.

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Going to the gym was always part of Kari Hamra’s routine until last year’s government-ordered shutdowns forced her to replace the workouts with daily rides on her Peloton stationary bike.

Appraisers should avoid using words that lend themselves to bias judgments. Instead, the appraisal report should document objective facts. “Bias” in

In an exclusive Singapore neighborhood shaded with rain trees, a local tech billionaire plunked down $95 million for a mansion. Near an upscale shopping district, a Taiwanese family with a grocery empire spent $216 million for all the units in a condominium development.

If you started working from home in the last 16 months, you’re in good company. Over 100 million Americans transitioned from in-person to remote work during the…

Apartment List publishes monthly rent reports to examine key trends in cities and states across the nation. How have rents in your city changed recently?

The latest version of the global World Happiness Report, which is based on Gallup surveys that ask regular people in more than 90 countries to weigh in on various “life

A weekly look at how Americans' trust in major institutions is shifting

The lesson from the past year: Poverty is a policy choice.

Working motherhood is getting harder. Let’s fix that.

The Society Pages (TSP) is an open-access social science project headquartered in the Department of Sociology at the University of Minnesota

Quirky indicators can predict your chances of divorce.

Are gendered wedding traditions a thing of the past? According to wedding planners, some classic traditions are getting major makeovers.

From BofA: We look for growth of 7.0% qoq SAAR in 3Q ... We forecast retail sales fell by 2.3% mom in July, reflecting cooling service dema...

The American population grew much more diverse over the past decade, with large increases among people who identify as Hispanic, Asian and more than one race, the Census Bureau reported.

Salmon are much more likely to avoid a black bear-shaped object than a white one.