Stripping Down Science Read Free Page A

the reverse is true.
    Some have suggested that this charted relationship reflects nothing more than a ‘lag’ effect, whereby people become ill during a recession but by the time they die, the economy is booming again. The researchers discount this theory on the grounds that the timing just doesn’t work, because the periods between boom and bust are not constant each time yet the mortalityrates change directly in step with the state of the economy.
    They point out that, although a fast-growing economy might be good for your bank balance, it’s potentially very bad for the health of the person in the street because people tend to work longer hours during a boom and have more disposable income to spend on a deleterious lifestyle, including alcohol and cigarettes, the consumption of which is known to increase at times of prosperity. There is also more traffic, more pollution, and industrial accidents are more common. People also migrate during booms in pursuit of lucrative high-paid work, which can lead to social isolation, itself a risk factor for poor health.
    Together, these factors add up to more ill-health during the so-called good times. So rather than rue the recession, welcome it with open arms … and see how long your bank manager will swallow the story that your empty account and maxed-out credit card are all part of a healthier lifestyle!

    FACT BOX
    Pointing the finger at the top market mover to get the best from boom and bust
Love it or hate it, boom and bust is part of a capitalist economy. But to whom should you entrust your money to ensure the best return? The answer would appear to be, when assessing your brokers’ credentials, take a tape measure, because scientists have revealed that the relative lengths of a person’s fingers can predict money-making ability in some financial markets.
Cambridge University Judge Business School researcher John Coates, who also made headlines by showing that testosterone levels amongst city traders were linked to their daily profits, took photocopies of the palm-prints of 44 financiers. 10 He measured the lengths of the index and ring fingers to find a strong association between finger length and profitor loss. Traders with an index finger shorter than the ring finger were more successful, on average, and the larger the ring finger relative to the index finger – known as the 2D:4D ratio – the more money they made.
‘This is an index of testosterone exposure during development,’ points out Coates. ‘Some of the same genes that control limb and hand development in the embryo are also involved in the development of the urogenital system, so finger length is an index of pre-natal testosterone levels. Testosterone therefore seems to pattern the body and behaviour later in life. We see the same relationship amongst sportsmen playing testosterone-charged sports.’
In the present study, the researchers looked at a specific group of traders who aim to profit by gambling on second-by-second and minute-by-minute fluctuations in the values of certain assets. ‘These high-frequency trades require the same testosterone-fuelled rapid reactions that benefit an athlete on the sports field,’ says Coates, ‘although not all financial roles benefitfrom high testosterone: some money-making schemes require traders to take a much longer-term view, and high testosterone is unlikely to be of benefit under those circumstances.’
The bottom line is, when making short-term bets on stocks and shares, measure your brokers’ fingers … ideally before you threaten to break them!

A common belief is that if you’re trying to lose weight or give up smoking, then buying in bulk is a bad idea. Psychologists say that big bags of food encourage you to eat more, so smaller portions should be the order of the day. However, recent research carried out on snacking Dutch students suggests that the reverse might be true.
    Working on the