Why does a beer taste better after a hard day's work? Why do we feel less guilty eating cake after a workout? The answer lies in the balance of effort and reward, and brands often play on the emotions formed by this dynamic. But does the amount we value something just depend on the effort we put in?

If you've ever watchedThe Notebookwhile sobbing uncontrollably, you'll know all about the cathartic effect of a good cry. And now, research has found that film-induced emotions can have positive effects on wellbeing, releasing painkillers in the body that give the viewer a natural high.

The stereotypical image of a holiday masks a much larger variety of desires and options, connected to states of mind, emotions, personal interests and idea of leisure and enjoyment. How much do we still identify with white sands and blue sea?

Water-cooler chat used to be dominated by last night's TV, but now people are discussing pop science and the latest Brian Cox viral. Over 450,000 people tune into TED Talks every day, while homemade science videos have millions of views. So how has YouTube made science sexy?