Science News: Shut-ins, masturbation, bananas, measles, equality

A disease most pediatricians in the United States have never seen makes a comeback in the place least expected to cause harm, what’s really standing between equality at home for couples, why bananas could go extinct and more of the week’s most intriguing science and health news.

Young women and men seek more equal roles at work and home | NPR

“People’s current attitudes toward gender roles are likely a result of restrictive workplace policies, according to a new study published in the American Sociological Review.”

The secret to smart groups: It’s women | The Atlantic

“The single most important element of smart groups, according to the researchers, was their average social sensitivity (like reading the non-verbal cues of their teammates). And, since women score higher on this metric of emotional intelligence, teams with more women tended to be better teams.”

Is this the end of the banana? | The Guardian

“A new strain of a common fungal infection called Fusarium wilt or Panama disease, is attacking the world’s most popular banana, the Cavendish. Until recently, TR4 had been restricted to five Asian Cavendish-producing countries and Australia, but it has now been discovered in the Middle East and Mozambique, causing international concern.”

The new measles | The Atlantic

“Culturally, measles is rarely seen as a threat anymore in the United States—a misconception that the disease isn’t as dangerous as it actually is. In reality, measles never went away.”

Do happy couples masturbate? | New York Magazine

“Though the prevalence of masturbation varies by age, most men and women in all age groups say they do it, and the majority of Americans of both genders continue to indulge at least up to age 60. But contrary to what you might think about handsy adolescents, today’s most frequent masturbators are between the ages of 25 and 29 — a group very much in the relationship stage of their lives.”

The Fallacy of ‘Giving Up’ | The Atlantic

“Nearly 80 percent of Americans say they want to die outside of a hospital, at home, in comfort. And yet, close to 55 percent of older adults die in a hospital or nursing home. Fewer than one in four manage to die at home. Why does this discrepancy persist?”

Why you should take a social media sabbatical | The Next Web

“When all the small gaps in our days are filled with refreshing or sharing, there’s no room left to just sit and breathe and let whatever thoughts that want to happen… just happen. There are more ideas— not fewer — when you remove noise.”

The fight to save Japan’s young shut-ins | The Wall Street Journal

“Hikikomori is the Japanese name for a type of social withdrawal that can be so severe, people with it don’t leave their houses for years. The condition illustrates the difficulty of defining mental illness and raises questions about the role society plays in shaping, allowing or even creating problematic behavior.”