My picks from ScienceDaily

Getting Lost: A Newly Discovered Developmental Brain Disorder:

Feeling lost every time you leave your home? You may not be as alone as you think. Researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute recently documented the first case of a patient who, without apparent brain damage or cognitive impairment, is unable to orient within any environment. Researchers also believe that there are many others in the general population who may be affected by this developmental topographical disorder.

Out Of Iraq Emerges Hope For Those With Severest Of Head Injuries:

There may be more hope than has been recognized for some people with severe brain injuries, according to a U.S. neurosurgeon who earlier this year spent four months in Iraq treating soldiers and civilians. Jason Huang, M.D., this week presented his results from his experience in Iraq at the annual meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in Orlando, Fla.

Brain Imaging Study Provides New Insight Into Why People Pay Too Much In Auctions:

Auctions are an old and widely used method for allocating goods that have become increasingly common with the advent of internet auctions sites such as Ebay. Previous economic research has shown that in an auction people tend to bid "too high," or overbid, given the value of the item for sale.

Optimism Experts Handicap The Presidential Election With About 6 Weeks Remaining Until Nov. 4:

With less than six weeks until the general election, a University of Pennsylvania study analyzing the relative optimism of the 2008 presidential and vice presidential candidates has found Barack Obama and John McCain to be equally optimistic and Sarah Palin slightly more optimistic than Joseph Biden.

Risky Behaviors On TV May Be Modeled By Inexperienced Viewers:

Content analyses demonstrate that TV programming is highly saturated with sexual content and risky sexual behavior.

Do 'Light' Cigarettes Deliver Less Nicotine To The Brain Than Regular Cigarettes?:

For decades now, cigarette makers have marketed so-called light cigarettes -- which contain less nicotine than regular smokes -- with the implication that they are less harmful to smokers' health. A new UCLA study shows, however, that they deliver nearly as much nicotine to the brain.