Michelle Trudeau Michelle Trudeau began her radio career in 1981, filing stories for NPR from Beijing and Shanghai, China, where she and her husband lived for two years. She began working as a science reporter and producer for NPR's Science Desk since 1982.
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Michelle Trudeau

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Monday

Turns out that humans aren't the only animals that contagiously yawn. iStockphoto hide caption

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Yawning May Promote Social Bonding Even Between Dogs And Humans

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Monday

Alex Reynolds/NPR

When The Brain Scrambles Names, It's Because You Love Them

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Sunday

Why People Take Risks To Help Others: Altruism's Roots In The Brain

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Monday

Rob Donnelly for NPR

The Biology Of Altruism: Good Deeds May Be Rooted In The Brain

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Thursday

Maria Fabrizio for NPR

Skimping On Sleep Can Stress Body And Brain

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Monday

If you've noticed that kids seem to be better at figuring out these things, you're not alone. iStockphoto hide caption

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Preschoolers Outsmart College Students In Figuring Out Gadgets

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Monday

Humans make split-second judgments about others based on the way they talk. Katherine Streeter for NPR hide caption

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Katherine Streeter for NPR

You Had Me At Hello: The Science Behind First Impressions

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Monday

Deep brain stimulation eased Shari Finsilver's tremors, but didn't stop them entirely. Here she uses both hands to stabilize a glass of water. Marvin Shaouni for NPR hide caption

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Marvin Shaouni for NPR

Involuntary Shaking Can Be Caused By Essential Tremors

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Monday

Monday

Lou Ann Schachner, 84, and Jay Schachner, 81, are volunteers with the Northwestern University SuperAging Project. They keep track of all their plans in a shared calendar. She loves to cook and study French and he is a part-time tax lawyer. Samantha Murphy for NPR hide caption

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Samantha Murphy for NPR

Monday

Though scientists have identified sleepwalking triggers, the condition is still a bit of a mystery. Victoria Alexandrova/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Victoria Alexandrova/iStockphoto.com

Lack Of Sleep, Genes Can Get Sleepwalkers Up And About

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Monday

Researchers are using MRI scans to learn more about the brains of people with extraordinary memory. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

Why Can Some People Recall Every Day Of Their Lives? Brain Scans Offer Clues

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Monday

The Other Big Deficit: Many Teens Fall Short On Sleep

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Monday

An elderly couple holds hands while walking along a Berlin street. A recent study showed that walking grows the region of the brain that archives memories. Patrick Sinkel/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Patrick Sinkel/AFP via Getty Images

Aerobic Exercise May Improve Memory In Seniors

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Monday

In this video game image from Call of Duty: Black Ops, special forces agents pilot a gunship up the Mekong River. Scientists say immersion games like this one may develop certain parts of kids' brains. Activision via AP hide caption

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Activision via AP

Video Games Boost Brain Power, Multitasking Skills

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Monday

Hand-holding causes levels of the stress hormone cortisol to drop, says Matt Hertenstein, an experimental psychologist at DePauw University in Indiana. This couple joined hands while protesting offshore oil drilling in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon spill during a Hands Across the Sand event in Gulfport, Miss. Gregory Bull/AP hide caption

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Gregory Bull/AP

Human Connections Start With A Friendly Touch

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Monday

New research finds that socializing kids to drink at the family table -- often referred to as the "European drinking model" -- doesn't necessarily translate to more responsible drinking patterns. Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images hide caption

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Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images

With Drinking, Parent Rules Do Affect Teens' Choices

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Monday

Dr. Margaret Morris at Intel Corp. is designing a cell phone app to help manage stress in everyday life, in order to improve mental health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Morris calls the app "Mobile Therapy." Courtesy of Dr. Margaret Morris hide caption

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Courtesy of Dr. Margaret Morris

Monday

Lifelong learning and brain stimulation can help increase memory and decision-making ability, according to neuroscientists. iStockphoto hide caption

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Monday

The red specks highlight where the integrity of the brain's white matter is significantly less in the teens who binge drink, compared to those who do not. Courtesy of Susan Tapert/Tim McQueeny/UCSD hide caption

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Courtesy of Susan Tapert/Tim McQueeny/UCSD

Teen Drinking May Cause Irreversible Brain Damage

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Monday

Media Should Tread Carefully In Covering Suicide

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Sunday

Thursday

Wednesday