Washington State University

  • A dog and cat nuzzle each other while sitting on a blue couch in front of a window.
    cats

    Some cats may be good therapy animals

    "There's this perception that cats just aren't suitable for this kind of work, but our study shows that some cats may thrive in these settings."
  • A salamander crawls on glass in front of a camera.
    amphibians

    Salamanders control blood in their toes to get around easily

    "This could redefine our understanding of how salamanders move across diverse habitats."
  • A person walks on a city crosswalk.
    walking

    The right neighborhoods get people to walk more

    Adding strong evidence in support of "walkable" neighborhoods, a new study finds that the built environment can boost how much people walk.
  • An older woman in sunglasses smiles as she fans herself with a rainbow-colored fan.
    emotions

    Older adults keep their cool in hot weather

    A study found that older adults became more uncomfortable in high heat sooner, but it didn't affect their moods as much as younger folks.
  • A worker in an orange vest looks down at a tablet computer while standing next to an orange robotic arm in a factory.
    robots

    Algorithm makes robots aware of careless human behavior

    "There are a large number of accidents that are happening every day due to carelessness—most of them, unfortunately, from human errors."
  • The words "true" and "false" written in blue chalk on a black chalkboard with arrows pointing in opposite directions.
    misinformation

    Facts may not be enough to correct science misinformation

    A "just the facts" approach may may not be enough to overcome misinformation about science, researchers report.
  • A man walks in front of a yellow taxi while crossing the street.
    self-driving cars

    Trust, not just knowledge, is key to accepting self-driving cars

    New findings point to the need to build trust with the public if fully autonomous vehicles are to ever take to the roads.
  • Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson smiles slightly while walking a red carpet at a movie premiere.
    exercise

    Your mom may be a better health influencer than ‘The Rock’

    Adults who said they looked to a person they knew as a health role model rather than a celebrity had greater motivation to reach their goals.
  • A woman leans on her knees while sweating after exercise.
    sensors

    Wearable sensor checks health via sweat

    A wearable health sensor could someday provide a simple and non-invasive way to track health conditions and diagnose common diseases.
  • A pharmacist speaks with a customer from behind a counter.
    health care costs

    Pharmacists treating minor illness could cut health care costs

    Greater use of pharmacists to treat minor illnesses could potentially save millions of dollars in health care costs, researchers report.
  • A robotic arm holds a cup of coffee over a counter at a coffee shop.
    jobs

    ‘Robot-phobia’ takes a toll on food and hotel workers

    Using more robots to close labor gaps in the hospitality industry may backfire and cause more human workers to quit, researchers report.
  • A moose with large antlers stands in a forest.
    parasites

    Parasitic worm in moose brains adds to species decline

    Parasitic worms infesting the brains of moose are likely playing a role in the animal's decline in some parts of North America.