EurekAlert posts new studies from the scientific world. Many confirm our suspicions, others turn our expectations on their ear. There are about twenty posts on the front page, plus an archive. Some highlights this week:

-- The Anatomy of Sarcasm: Researchers reveal how the brain handles this complex communication

-- Narcotic medications can safely and effectively ease severe, chronic pain in older people with little risk that these patients will seek ever-increasing doses, UCSF medical scientists have found. Younger patients, however, are likely to want to rapidly increase their medication dose, the researchers found, posing serious potential health consequences.

-- Doctors who use an empathetic voice with patients can elicit more information about their health problems and encourage them to stick to their treatment regime, a Monash researcher has found.