What Doesn’t Kill You… Will Help With Your Allergies?

The findings of a recent mice study suggest that smoking reduces allergic reactions by inhibiting mast cell activity. This, of course, begs the question, Was tobacco giant Altria in on this?

Also in today’s links: thoughts of money, and “you Neanderthal” is no longer a putdown.

• Neanderthals, it turns out, were more sophisticated than we previously thought. The fearless hunters had to strategize to get at all their favorite snacks (rhino, bison, brown bear, yum).
• Problem-solving just keeps getting more and more fun. Yesterday we learned that we look for solutions while daydreaming, and now according to today’s research, arm-swinging and other body movements also help us problem-solve.
• In another example of the mind-body connection, research shows that handling money can relieve both physical pain and distress stemming from social rejection. On the flipside, the act of remembering spent money exacerbates both pangs. Make sure to read this one – the experimental setup is really neat.