Japanese researchers have developed an edible agent capable of social interaction through vocalizations and movement, and examined mind perception of the edible agent. In an online survey with 1,094 participants, different vocalizations and behaviors modulated mind perception of the edible agent, while no significant relationship was observed between mind perception and either reluctance to eat or guilt. This study offers a new experimental tool for investigating human perception in human-food interaction and the psychological and ethical aspects of eating.

If your social media feed has suddenly filled with content about ultra-processed foods (UPFs), you’re far from alone. Since Health and Human Services tasked federal agencies last year with developing UPF guidelines, the buzz has been hard to miss. Yet, despite widespread attention, federal guidelines have not yet materialized and Americans are unsure how to make healthy choices for their families.

Researchers from the University of Kansas have shown a link between reproductive hormone exposure throughout life and brain health in 459 women aged 65 to 80. They discovered older women who had used hormonal birth control in young adulthood were more likely to have larger volumes in brain regions vital to memory, cognition and information processing.

In the wake of Dobbs, physicians who specialize in women’s health were more likely to vote in the midterms than their peers, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.