Heavy handed: Humans are generally rather unable to accurately gauge the weight of their own hands, according to a neurological study published in Current Biology. During the study, neuroscientists attached a series of wristband weights to the hands of participants and asked them to estimate which was heavier: Their hand or the weight. Consistently, participants underestimated the weight of their own hands, which were hidden behind screens. And that goes for amputees as well, who reportedly commonly complain of the weight of prosthetic limbs, “despite these typically weighing less than actual limbs.”

Light hands make light work? An average hand weighs some 400 grams, reports New Scientist, yet we seem to think they are lighter. Perhaps our inaccurate body awareness makes movement less difficult, suggests Birkbeck University of London’s Denise Cadete, who ran the experiment. “Our hands may feel lighter [than they actually are] so that we find it easier to move more freely in the world,” she says. Prosthetics manufacturers should bear that in mind when designing artificial limbs, she adds, to better convince wearers that the limbs are part of their own bodies.

The litany of gendered career-related terms and vocabulary could have adverse effects on the perception of women in the workforce , Andreea Papuc writes for Bloomberg Opinion. Over the past few years — particularly thanks to social media platforms like TikTok — pop culture has been coming up with catchphrases and catchy terms to describe trends and personalities in the workplace. The latest of the lot, “ queenagers,” refers to middle-aged women whose careers began in the late 1980s and have gone through the struggle of breaking through glass ceilings to reach senior, high-paying positions. The term “queenager” is meant to draw attention to women in the workforce who are in an age bracket seen as “past their prime” because they’re nearing the end of their career trajectories and juggling more family responsibilities, Bloomberg explains.

It’s well-intentioned, but stems from — and further supports — existing stereotypes: “If the aim is to acknowledge our value with catchy tags, this one misses the mark. It might be well-meaning, but it feeds stereotypes,” Papuc writes. Women employees being branded as “queenagers” typically also have a wealth of knowledge and know-how to bring to their organizations, while still being young and motivated enough to push for changes and progress, Papuc argues. Other gendered vocabulary, such as “ lazy-girl jobs ” (referencing young employees looking for job prospects that are ideal for work-life balance) have also been denounced by some as further propagating gendered stereotypes in the workplace, including that women are less career-driven than men.

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