If you repeat a lie enough, people think it’s true

December 1, 2015, 2:37 am

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Want to convince someone of something entirely untrue? Just keep repeating it. Over and over.

The illusory truth effect has been flying around the world of psychology since 1977. But recently, more and more evidence has arrived to back it up.

The illusory truth effect is the idea that if you repeat something often enough, people will slowly start to believe it’s true. Sounds about right, considering all the times we’ve blindly trusted an old wives’ tale or a much-retweeted factoid.

But a new study has revealed that the illusory truth effect is much stronger than we imagined. Because it turns out that even if a person has prior… Read the full story

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Pediatrician Dr Bob shows how to calm a crying baby in seconds

December 1, 2015, 9:06 am

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Pediatrician Robert Hamilton (or Dr Bob to his friends) has been caring for newborns for over 30 years.

So, if anyone knows how to deal with a crying baby, Dr Bob does.

Sadly (for us, not Dr Bob), he’s based in Santa Monica. Which means we can’t just visit him every time a baby has a meltdown.

However, he’s helpfully shared his fail-safe method on calming a newborn, aka The Hold.

First, you take the crying baby (Dr Bob does baby immunisations so he often has one to hand).

This is Ashton. He’s not happy.

Read the full story

34 tweets that sum up the horror of working in an office

December 1, 2015, 9:23 am

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We get it. We’re grown ups. We have to go to work every day, and we’re accepting it gracefully*

*Through constant complaining, deep sighs, and occasionally crying on our commute home.

But seriously, does working in an office have to be such a horrific, soul-destroying experience? Can’t we all just admit our misery, and stop pretending we enjoy small talk and tea rounds?

Offices are the worst. They are places of sad desk lunches and seething resentment, brightened only by those times someone falls over and we can all laugh.

1. Because these are the kind of important mass emails you’ll receive on a daily basis.

Someone… Read the full story

7 things that could help you recover from an eating disorder

December 1, 2015, 9:26 am

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It’s so important for me to just clarify that I understand everyone is different, that severity of eating disorders differs and people deal with things in a different way. 

For years I struggled with bulimia nervosa. It controlled my life and it controlled the way I thought and the way I did things.

But what most people would see as ‘obscene’, at the time I really did just see as control.

Consistent food diaries, purging after meals, weighing myself after everything I ate.

I had a daily calorie limit that I had to stick to. But of course, a huge part of bulimia is also overeating and gorging yourself.

You lose the ability… Read the full story

7 pictures that sum up exactly why Christmas trees are a no-go when you have cats

December 1, 2015, 9:36 am

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Ah, Christmas. The most beautiful time of the year. 

When sleigh bells are ringing and snow is falling all around and everyone is excited to put the tinsel on the Christmas tree.

Okay, none of that stuff ever happens. Especially the tinsel part. If you have cats, that is.

Because, of course, cats have a much better idea of what ‘festivity’ means. Mess. Breakables. And bits of tinsel everywhere.

Here are 7 pictures that sum up exactly why Christmas trees are a no-go when you have cats.

Cats seem to think they’re edible

enjoy these pics of my cat eating my christmas tree pic.twitter.com/IUHY4Sv0Co

— karla loves her boys (@badboyzaynie)… Read the full story

Blind man creates incredible vibrant paintings using only his sense of touch

December 1, 2015, 9:41 am

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This video tells the story of a truly talented man with a truly incredibly talent.

Though he is blind, John Bramblitt, now 44, from Denton, Texas, has learned to paint using only his sense of touch.

Having lost his vision in 2001 due to complications with epilepsy and Lyme’s disease, his previous hopes of becoming a creative writing teacher were shattered and John sunk into a deep depression.

On his website bramblitt.myshopify.com John says how he felt alienated and alone, disconnected from family and friends,

Until he found another creative outlet – painting.

Read the full story

14 things that could help keep you healthy this winter

December 1, 2015, 3:50 pm

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It feels inevitable.

Winter arrives, and you accept your destiny of staying inside, miserable, with a sore throat and blocked nose for the next three months.

But you can beat the curse of the cold. Just try these things…

1. Wrap up warm

Seems obvious, but put on a proper coat, don’t go bare-legged, and pack on the layers. It’s easy to leave winter coat shopping too late when dropping temperatures sneak up on you, but don’t let it happen.

Don’t be the person shivering on the way to work, acting like walking around in ballet… Read the full story

8 of the most underrated animals

December 1, 2015, 11:40 pm

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Some animals. They just get all the love.

Cats and dogs, people just can’t help but flock to them and other animals risk missing out.

Well, Reddit decided to do something about it and give others some well deserved recognition.

We’ve rounded up the eight most underrated animals. Would you agree with our choices?

1) Crows

Poor… Read the full story

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You can now have a little taste of the dark side with this Star Wars ice cream

December 1, 2015, 11:42 pm

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These new ice creams will awaken your taste buds.

Ample Hills Creamery has launched two limited edition Star Wars ice creams: the Dark Side and the, um, Light Side. Imagine. Good and evil in the same bowl.

The Dark Side is, according to the ice cream makers, ‘an ultra-dark chocolate ice cream with espresso fudge brownies, cocoa crispies, and white chocolate pearls (to represent the light still hiding in the dark, waiting to burst through)’. They’ve clearly put some thought into this.

Read the full story

Selfies taken in London are the saddest

December 1, 2015, 11:55 pm

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The city of sadness. Catchy.

According to a new project created by Somerset House for its Big Bang Data exhibition, selfies taken in London are the saddest in the world.

Compared to selfies taken Bangkok, New York, São Paolo, Moscow, and Berlin, the number of selfies rated as ‘not happy’ according to facial recognition software is significantly higher in London.

Londoners are around the average for other selfie stats, including keeping our mouths closed (that stiff upper lip doesn’t work quite as well for duckface).

Read the full story

Calling all beer lovers: There is now a vending machine that sells crates of beer

December 2, 2015, 12:19 am

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No, this is not a hoax. This vending machine really does sell whole crates of beer.

This fabulous contraption is every beer lover’s dream Christmas gift. Just imagine having this in your house.

Or even better, has there ever been a better excuse to build a games room? Complete with pool table, TV and jukebox, you could build the perfect chill zone.

Unfortunately, this vending machine belongs to Kortemark, Belgium. And worryingly, it doesn’t seem to be offering much in terms of ID purposes.

Though the machine does have an ID-scanner, it wouldn’t be hard for somebody who is underage to buy the beer, by finding someone’s ID to borrow.

But although Belgium may have one-upped us this time by selling crates of beer, it seems us Brits aren’t too far behind, with a vending machine that sells bottles of alcohol.

And, the vending machine was cleverly placed in a pub, The Fox in Hackney, North London, which will prevent any under 18s… Read the full story

This woman knits cosy hats and jumpers for homeless greyhounds at Christmas

December 2, 2015, 12:27 am

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This couple takes a brilliantly awkward Christmas card every year

December 2, 2015, 12:43 am

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Put away your glittery robin stamps. Throw your festive envelopes in the bin. There’s no point sending out Christmas cards this year, because this couple has already won the game.*

*And yes, the true spirit of Christmas is competition. No one actually cares about Christmas cards unless they’re better than everyone else’s.

Redditor berjon1 (AKA Mike) has destroyed our plans to stick some Santa stickers onto red card by sharing what may be the best family Christmas cards we’ve ever seen.

Each year, Mike and his wife Laura dress up as other people, head to US department store J. C. Penney,… Read the full story

9 most annoying social media features that need to go

December 2, 2015, 1:21 am

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Social media is great.

Sometimes the people who run social media companies change their products to make our use of them easier or more fun. We really liked the gif Facebook profile photos, we really did.

But sometimes they get it horribly wrong. Or don’t change things that are really annoying.

Here are the worst social media features that cause problems to our daily lives. They just need to GTFO.

1) How easy it is to like Instagram photos

One misplaced tap of your phone when you’re 102 weeks into Instagram stalking…and then it’s too late to take it back.

The horror.

2) Twitter love hearts

Read the full story

2,500 people teamed up to create the world’s longest tattoo chain

December 2, 2015, 1:43 am

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Book lovers and body art fans, prepare to go down the rabbit hole (of obsession and temporary tattoo lust).

Literature obsessed company Litographs recently started offering literary temporary tattoos – think quotes from Hamlet, a whale print inspired by Moby Dick, and the very hipster-y ‘give me truth’ quote from Walden. To raise the money for the big launch, they created a Kickstarter project.

But rather than just saying ‘hey guys, give us money so we can make you stuff’, Litographs made things a bit more fun.… Read the full story

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Research shows couples with the biggest height differences are happiest

December 2, 2015, 1:50 am

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Are you a similar height to your partner? Yeah, bad luck.

Because researchers have found that the greater the height difference between a couple, the happier the relationship.

Well, the happier the wives are at least. No one asked the husbands.

Researchers from Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea, analysed data from 7,850 women, which was collected from a long-term population survey.

They found that a much taller husband makes a wife happier.

However, they added that the effect faded as the years went on.

Read the full story

Cat abandoned on the side of the road fulfills his dreams of becoming a massive ball of fluff

December 2, 2015, 2:31 am

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Poor little Silas the kitten was abandoned on the side of a road. He was cold, alone, and near death.

But luckily, he was noticed by a family passing by, who stopped their car and decided to take him in. They cleaned him up, gave him some food and water, and put him on the road to recovery.

He quickly looked just like a regular, adorable little kitten, all fur and tiny paws. Adorable. But then the fur kept growing.

 

The fur took over.

 

And… Read the full story

Unicorn tears gin is the most magical way to get tipsy

December 2, 2015, 2:41 am

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Note: No unicorns were harmed in the making of this product.

It’s that time of year when we want everything to sparkle, even our booze.

And as luck would have it we’ve found just the thing – Unicorn Tears Gin Liqueur.

Ok, so the sparkly bits are actually speckles of 100 per cent edible silver, but we don’t think that makes this tipple any less magical.

Firebox, who created this dreamy drink, explain: ‘The tears of this rare mythical steed make for a magnificent drinking experience’

MORE: 20 fabulous ways to celebrate world gin day without getting sloshed

 

Read the full story

This slightly terrifying robot hand will make sure you sit up straight

December 2, 2015, 3:05 am

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Hey. Are you sitting up straight? Did you just awkwardly shift your shoulders and feel a deep sense of shame?

If you’re the type of person who needs a reminder every few minutes to stop bloody slouching, this nightmare-inducing robot hand might be for you. Because really, who needs sleep when you’ve got great posture?

Yes. This is a robot arm to make sure you don’t get all hunched over at your desk (H/T to Mashable).

It’s slightly cushioned so it’s comfy, and sits on an adjustable metal base. You simply adjust the height of the arm and the angle of the hand, then use it as a tool to ensure you’re always sitting correctly.

Maybe you’ll use it to prop up your chin, like this happy man.

Read the full story

Kylie Jenner angers disability groups with ‘wheelchair S&M shoot’

December 2, 2015, 3:09 am

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Photos of Kylie Jenner posing in a gold wheelchair wearing a latex body on the pages of Interview Magazine’s December issue have sparked outrage among disability groups and people on social media.

As well as slamming the use of a wheelchair as an ‘edgy fashion prop’, many are uncomfortable with the way Kylie is being deliberately objectified in the images.

‘It’s deeply disturbing,’ Emily Smith Beitiks, associate director of the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability told CNN.… Read the full story