A faith in the explanatory and revealing power of science increases in the face of stress or anxiety, a study by Oxford University psychologists suggests. The researchers argue that a 'belief in science' may help non-religious people deal with adversity by offering comfort and reassurance, as has been reported previously for religious belief. 'We found that being in a more stressful or anxiety-inducing situation increased participants' "belief in science",' says Dr Miguel Farias, who led the study in the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University...

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