Video games may not directly induce violence, but hearing bad jokes can. Yes, telling bad jokes can seriously get you hurt. In extreme cases, as some professional comics may attest to, it could get you maimed, bruised, and maybe even bleeding. (They don't call it a "tough crowd" for nothing!) But why is this? A recent study by linguist Nancy Bell of Washington State University may shed light on this horrific punchline. Somebody gonna get a hurt...

Now, personally, my knowledge of Japan looking for aliens is basically limited to that line of toys which eventually gave birth to Optimus Prime and the rest of his Transformers crew. All that might change though, if Japan's little project bears any fruit. Don't look now, but a team of astronomers in Japan are actually planning to scan around the cosmos for aliens. [cue "You Got the Touch" theme song]

Scientists are always on the lookout for new and safer methods of controlling pain in humans. A  research team from the University of Georgia believe that the common fruit fly may hold the key to creating new pain killers. To find out more, head on over to the full article.

And once again, science provides an answer: a new study has shown that men are more likely than women to crave alcohol when depressed. The same study says that women are more prone to buy shoes. We kid, ladies (some guys also love retail therapy!). Gulp your way into the full article.

What exactly characterizes video game addiction? Writer and researcher Neils Clark recently tackled this and other related questions at the 2008 Games for Health Conference. In his talk, Clark elaborated on the problem, its elements, real world relationships and possible solutions. More on those in the full article after the jump.

A new survey from the American Lung Association has revealed the most polluted cities in America. Which cities topped the list? Pittsburgh ranked the highest in short-term pollution, but Los Angeles proved to be the most polluted on a year-round basis, as well as in terms of smog or ozone. Time to whip out the gas mask? If you want to know whether your city made the list, follow the "read more" link below.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Forget it. Play a round of Bejeweled instead. According to a new study, casual games are proven to be beneficial for your health. Details in the full article.

One distinguishing quirk of human beings is that our preferences tend to change over time. While there is usually nothing wrong with this, it can spell danger as far as end-of-life treatment decisions are concerned. False memories apparently play a part in complicating things. If you prefer, you can read more about it in the full article after the jump.

Want to boost morale in your workplace? You may wish to increase workplace flexibility. According to a recent study, a greater amount of this kind of flexibility was associated with fewer reports of illness and improved commitment. If this sounds good to you, we're flexible enough to let you turn to the full article after the jump.

Dr. Tanya Byron has raided airwaves again with her latest endeavor with video games. After her six-month review of game violence, she was able to write and front a BBC TV show wherein she linked playing video games to heroin addiction. More details can be found in the full article.