ScienceDaily: Society - December 12, 2023
Top society research news
Alaskan allies: Communities unite to protect the areas they love
Natural resource management decisions in protected areas impact more than the wildlife and landscapes they're charged to conserve. They also affect neighbors, who could otherwise hunt, build, or recreate as they choose on their own land. For decades, community members primarily voiced their opinions through brief and impersonal public comment periods. But an initiative led by environmental social scientists is putting a new spin on neighborly communication.
DariaGa/shutterstock.com
Rail industry urged to consider safety risks of space weather
Train accidents could be caused by solar storms switching signalling from red to green according to new research examining the impact of space weather. Solar storms can trigger powerful magnetic disturbances on Earth, creating geomagnetically induced currents which could potentially interfere with electricity transmission and distribution grids. A study of two rail lines showed that more serious 'wrong side' failures (red to green) could occur with a weaker solar storm than for 'right side' failures, posing a serious risk which the industry needs to take on board.
New study reveals latest data on global burden of cardiovascular disease
A world without cardiovascular disease (CVD) is possible, yet millions of lives are lost prematurely to heart disease each year, according to the new report. The report provides an update of health estimates for the global, regional and national burden and trends of CVD from 1990-2022 by analyzing the impact of cardiovascular conditions and risk factors across 21 global regions.
Just say no to that invitation
It may feel unforgivably rude to reject an invitation -- even one to an event you would much prefer not to attend -- but people often overestimate the social consequences of saying no, according to new research.
Nature and animal emojis don't accurately represent natural biodiversity
The current emoji library doesn't accurately represent the 'tree of life' and the breadth of biodiversity seen in nature according to a new analysis. A team of conservation biologists categorized emojis related to nature and animals and mapped them onto the phylogenetic tree of life. They found that animals are well represented by the current emoji catalog, whereas plants, fungi, and microorganisms are poorly represented. Within the animal kingdom, vertebrates were over-represented while arthropods were underrepresented with respect to their actual biodiversity.
Scholars say it's time to declare a new epoch on the moon, the 'lunar Anthropocene'
According to anthropologists and geologists, it's time to acknowledge humans have become the dominant force shaping the moon's environment by declaring a new geological epoch for the moon: the Lunar Anthropocene. They argue the new epoch may have dawned in 1959 when the USSR's unmanned spacecraft Luna 2 alighted on the lunar surface.
ChatGPT often won't defend its answers -- even when it is right
ChatGPT may do an impressive job at correctly answering complex questions, but a new study suggests it may be absurdly easy to convince the AI chatbot that it's in the wrong.
A joint research team in computer science, economics, and geography has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) technology to measure grid-level economic development within six-square-kilometer regions. This AI technology is applicable in regions with limited statistical data (e.g., North Korea), supporting international efforts to propose policies for economic growth and poverty reduction in underdeveloped countries. The research team plans to make this technology freely available for use to contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
New HS curriculum teaches color chemistry and AI simultaneously
Researchers have developed a weeklong high school curriculum that helps students quickly grasp concepts in both color chemistry and artificial intelligence -- while sparking their curiosity about science and the world around them.
Three proposals from researchers to meet EU climate goals
The ability to meet EU climate goals is enhanced by investing in new technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Although it is currently unprofitable for both companies and countries to do so, there are solutions to make it financially viable.
Fewer women pursue careers in physics than biology, and scientists from around the world believe these differences come down to personal preferences, according to a new study of international scientists. The study's researchers warn that merely chalking this imbalance up to individual choice may diminish the push for gender equality in the sciences.
Using machine learning to monitor driver 'workload' could help improve road safety
Researchers have developed an adaptable algorithm that could improve road safety by predicting when drivers are able to safely interact with in-vehicle systems or receive messages, such as traffic alerts, incoming calls or driving directions.
Ex-entrepreneurs can thrive in the right employee roles
Once an entrepreneur always an entrepreneur? Not necessarily, says a new study. Former entrepreneurs can transition from being their own boss into successful employees within an organization, especially in roles that harness their entrepreneurial spirit, according to a recent study.
Despite the Roman Empire's extensive military and cultural influence on the nearby Balkan peninsula, a DNA analysis of individuals who lived in the region between 1 and 1000 CE found no genetic evidence of Iron Age Italian ancestry. Instead, a new study has revealed successive waves of migrations from Western Anatolia, central and northern Europe, and the Pontic-Kazakh Steppe during the Empire's reign.
Sister climate cities, utility data predict future water, electricity demands
Modern-day Ciudad Mante, Mexico, could help Tampa, Florida, plan for shifting water and electricity demands due to climate change, according to an international team of researchers. Researchers used utilities data and climate analogs -- contemporary cities with climates close to what other cities are predicted to experience in the future -- to assess how climate change may impact residential water and electricity use across 46 cities in the United States.
Researchers develop grassroots framework for managing environmental commons
A team of sustainability scientists recently announced that they have developed a community-based framework, founded on extensive local and traditional knowledge, to help assess and respond to the kinds of ecological threats that are widely dispersed across a varied landscape and whose solutions are not immediately obvious. The framework, which was developed to address watershed issues in Honduras's Lake Yojoa, is widely applicable to a broad range of threats facing ecological commons wherever they may occur around the world.
More than 4 hours of daily smartphone use associated with health risks for adolescents
In a new study of more than 50,000 Korean adolescents, those who used a smartphone for more than 4 hours per day had higher rates of adverse mental health and substance use.
Top 10 climate science insights unveiled
A new report equips policymakers with the latest and most pivotal climate science research from the previous 18 months, synthesized to help inform negotiations at COP28 and policy implementation through 2024 and beyond.
Wildfires have erased two decades' worth of air quality gains in western United States
A new study concludes that wildfires originating in the western United States and Canada have erased air quality gains over the past two decades and caused an increase of premature deaths in fire-prone areas and downwind regions, primarily in the western U.S.
Powerful financial giants could play vital role in preventing the next pandemic
For the first time, researchers have mapped the financial sector's influence on the emergence of infectious diseases. They find that a relatively small number of powerful financial institutions, such as investment companies, pension funds, and banks could help accelerate actions that mitigate the risks of new pandemics, according to a new study.
Fossil CO2 emissions at record high in 2023
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have risen again in 2023 -- reaching record levels, according to new research.
