The Mary Sue

German Researchers are Building Robots That Can Feel Pain

by Maddy Myers May 26th

Technology keeps coming up with ways to mimic the world of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy lately, what with the recent rise in universal translators, and now researchers designing a robot that can feel pain.

Scientists Created A Molecule That Can Stop You From Feeling Pain And Also Itchiness

Allergy sufferers of the world, rejoice.

by Sam Maggs May 24th

Pain in general is terrible, but there's a special kind of hell involved when things get both painful and itchy, simultaneously. Researchers at Duke University have been working hard to stop your painful itches in their tracks, and may have developed a molecule that can stop your brain from receiving that exact type of message.

What’s Worse: Having a Baby or Getting Kicked in the Balls? [Video]

by Ian Chant Apr 26th

In their latest video contribution to a better understanding of the world through YouTube cartoons, AsapSCIENCE looks to answer the number one burning question of the Internet: What hurts worse -- getting kicked in the balls or having a baby?

Feeling No Pain? Researchers Discover How Pot Provides Pain Relief

by Ian Chant Dec 21st

Medicinal marijuana has been gaining wider acceptance throughout the United States, but there are still plenty of things we don't understand about the effects of the drug. We may be a step closer on at least one angle, though -- the ability of cannabis to dull pain. Using brain imaging technology, researchers at Oxford University suggest that the drug doesn't actually lessen the intensity of pain that patients are feeling. Instead, it seems to change the perception of the sensation, helping patients find the same amount of pain more tolerable.

We Knew It! Doing Math Can Literally Hurt Your Brain

by Ian Chant Nov 1st

Warning: do not look at the image above if you have math anxiety. A new study by researchers at the University of Chicago has found that for people who get anxious at the idea of doing mathematics, just preparing to do a math problem can trigger activity in a part of your brain that registers physical pain.

New Painkillers Could Come From Naked Mole Rats

by Ian Chant Sep 24th

The next advance in pain relief may come from that noblest of all tunnel dwellers, the naked mole rat, which has a special gift for tolerating acidic environments that would be inhospitable to cuter critters. The mole rats gift for living in less than ideal environments could translate to new pharmaceuticals that ease the pain of bumps and bruises and chronic pain conditions in humans, according to research published over the weekend in the online journal PLoS ONE.

Research Suggests Violent Video Games Increase Pain Tolerance

by Rollin Bishop Sep 7th

Science has now provided yet another reason to play horrendously violent video games like Gears of War. Research released today by Keele University shows that those kind of games could potentially be used to relieve pain. In the same release, the university also confirmed that golf games don't produce the same effect, which is not surprising given that golf can sometimes be a source of pain in and of itself.

Here’s How Popular Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers Keep You Feeling Awesome

by Max Eddy Jun 28th

For most of us, our relationship with pain relievers like Ibuprofen or Aspirin begin and end at curing a malady. But the science behind that cure -- even the pain that you're trying to get rid of -- is a fascinating story in its own right. Now, with a little animated help from Augenblick Studios (who brought you such classics as Superjail!), that story can be told in about four minutes. See the video, after the break.