Useful Science

Adolescent brains, legal drinking ages, and antibacterial soap

Episode Summary

This week we learn about adolescent brains, legal drinking ages, and antibacterial soap.

Episode Notes

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/9

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Show Notes

• Adolescent brains develop in a way that overemphasizes reward and underemphasizes risk, which may help explain teenager's decision making and susceptibility to peer and emotional pressures.
• Rebelling against the brain: Public engagement with the ‘neurological adolescent’
• Alcohol-Related Risk of Driver Fatalities: An Update Using 2007 Data (Voas et al)
• Case Closed: Research Evidence on the Positive Public Health Impact of the Age 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age in the United States (DeJong & Blanchette)
• Drinking and driving among college students (Wechsler et al)
• Antibacterial soap containing triclosan is no better at killing germs during hand-washing than regular soap.