Today in Research: Weight Loss Could Be Contagious; Vitamin D

Discovered: Weight loss might be contagious, just thinking about kids ruins women scientists, a new black hole, the Internet does not help failing relationships.

• Is weight loss contagious? The other day science told us that we -- if we were mice -- could catch obesity. Now, it looks like it works the other way around, too. Skinny is contagious! "In our study, weight loss clearly clustered within teams, which suggests that teammates influenced each other, perhaps by providing accountability, setting expectations of weight loss, and providing encouragement and support," explained study author Tricia Leahey. "Being surrounded by others with similar health goals all working to achieve the same thing may have really helped people with their weight-loss efforts," she continued. So, if we understand correctly, science wants us to ditch our fat friends for healthy ones. Smells discriminatory to us. [Obesity]

• More reasons to play outside. Without Vitamin D humans basically disintegrate. The other month science linked deficiencies of this sun-related vitamin to depression; today we find out that mothers who don't get enough can have children with language impairments. "The logical thought is that maternal Vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy is affecting the normal course of brain development," said study author Andrew Whitehouse. Add those ailments to heart disease and spinal problems, and we think we've got a pretty compelling case for adult recess. [Reuters]

Read the full story at The Atlantic Wire.