“Is the placebo changing the way a person constructs the experience of pain or is it changing the way a person thinks about it?” The placebo effect has never been fully understood despite the studies conducted, likely because these studies usually had small sample sizes. However, a new meta-analysis of 20 neuroimaging studies, with 600 participants, has revealed the parts of the human brain that are affected by placebo effects, and have answered the placebo cliffhanger: the placebo effect can actually control the construction of pain, not just the interpretation of it. Read full article here
Technology
The First Solar-Powered Car Comes at a Hot Price
The Lightyear O is a revolutionary electric car powered by the sun. Developed by a Dutch startup, the four-door sedan has over 50 square feet of solar panels on its roof and hood, generating up to 43 miles of energy a day. With production now underway in Finland, the car does come with a hefty price tag at $262,000, but the company hopes to introduce a more affordable version, the Lightyear 2, by 2025. Read full article here
Merv
January 27, 2023
