People who regularly consume caffeine are usually in a better mood after a cup of coffee or another caffeinated drink—an effect that is much more pronounced in the morning than later in the day. This finding comes from a new study by researchers at Bielefeld University and the University of Warwick, published in the journal Scientific Reports. Participants reported feeling significantly happier and more enthusiastic on those mornings compared...

Feeling lonely can do more than dampen your mood—it may speed up how quickly your memory fades, especially if you’re also struggling with hearing loss. A study analyzing data from 33,000 older Europeans found that emotional loneliness—not just social isolation—dramatically increased the risk of cognitive decline in people with hearing impairments. Hearing Loss and Loneliness: A Cognitive Threat Hearing loss can lead to more than just communication struggles and reduced awareness. It...

Scientists have developed a powerful genetic test that predicts whether a child as young as five is likely to become obese as an adult. Using data from over five million people, the tool—called a polygenic risk score—outperforms previous methods by a wide margin. It opens the door to early, targeted interventions. While genetics isn’t destiny, those with high risk responded well to lifestyle changes—though they also rebounded quickly when...