ScienceDaily: Society - February 25, 2025
Top society research news
Narcissists more likely to feel ostracized
Narcissists feel ostracized more frequently than their less self-absorbed peers, according to researchers. This may stem not only from being shunned due to their personalities but from a tendency to misinterpret ambiguous social signals as exclusion.
Arctic study urges stronger climate action to prevent catastrophic warming
Remember when 2 degrees Celsius of global warming was the doomsday scenario? Well, we're now staring down the barrel of something much worse. From the fish on your plate to the weather outside your window, everything's about to change. A new study underscores the grave risks posed by insufficient national commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Underlying rules of evolutionary urban systems in Africa
From the perspective of complex systems, the study reveals the universality, specificity, and explanatory power of underlying rules governing urban system evolution.
Telemedicine may help reduce use of unnecessary health tests
A research team has found that telemedicine may help to reduce the use of low-value tests.
Impacts of workplace bullying on sleep can be 'contagious' between partners
Workplace bullying affects not only the employee's sleep but their partner's too, according to new research published today.
The rising tide of sand mining: A growing threat to marine life
Scientists outline the urgency to better identify the significant damage sand extraction across the world heaps upon marine biodiversity.
Rooftop panels, EV chargers, and smart thermostats could chip in to boost power grid resilience
After a cyber attack or natural disaster, a backup network of decentralized devices -- like residential solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and water heaters -- could restore electricity or relieve stress on the grid, engineers find.
Researchers outline new approach for better understanding animal consciousness
A team of researchers has outlined a new approach for better understanding the depths of animal consciousness, a method that may yield new insights into the similarities and differences among living organisms.
Scientists call for efforts to protect habitats of critically endangered shark species
The whitefin swellshark has been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered for a number of years due to declines largely attributed to fishing practices. New research suggests it will be forced to move and adapt under the future ocean conditions presently forecast as a result of climate change, but that finding a new home may pose challenges.
Another way longer paternity leaves help new parents
A longer paternity leave after the birth of a child can improve the co-parenting relationship between moms and dads in a key way, a new study finds. Researchers found that mothers were less likely to discourage fathers' involvement in parenting if the dads had taken more time off after their child was born.
U.S. facing critical hospital bed shortage by 2032
The new post-pandemic national hospital occupancy average is 75% -- a full 11 percentage points higher than the pre-pandemic average, largely due to a reduction in staffed hospital beds. This puts the U.S. on track for a severe shortage of hospital beds by 2032 unless action is taken.
Advances in AI can help prepare the world for the next pandemic, global group of scientists find
Scientists across Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe outline for the first time how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can transform the landscape of infectious disease research and improve pandemic preparedness.
'Loot box' virtual rewards associated with gambling and video game addiction
Study suggests drunk witnesses are less likely to remember a suspect's face
Researchers have tested whether intoxicated people can be reliable witnesses when it comes to identifying a suspect's face after a crime is committed.
Socially dominant individuals are more confident but not necessarily more competent
Research has found that people who strive for dominance, whether in personal or professional life, are more confident in their decision-making but are no more accurate in their choices than those of a lower social status.
Ai in retail: How to spark creativity and improve job satisfaction
AI is reshaping workplaces, particularly in retail. Researchers explored how AI service quality impacts retail employees' innovation, job fit, and satisfaction. Findings show when employees perceive AI as reliable and empathetic, they are more likely to engage in innovative behavior. AI's adaptability also plays a crucial role in enhancing service quality. While reliability strongly supports innovation, transparency and responsiveness had less influence than expected. Empathy in AI systems was found to have a significant positive effect on employee innovation, creating a more engaging work environment. The study underscores AI's potential to drive service innovation in retail.
Scientific insights into how humans access deep spiritual states
Two seemingly opposite spiritual practices -- Buddhist jhana meditation and the Christian practice of speaking in tongues -- have more in common than previously thought, a new study suggests. While one is quiet and deeply focused, and the other emotionally charged and expressive, both appear to harness the same cognitive feedback loop to create profound states of joy and surrender.
New therapy reduces reoffending in male offenders with antisocial personality disorder
A new psychological therapy has been found to reduce rates of violence and aggression among male offenders with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD).
We are no longer living longer: Study across Europe
The rise in human life expectancy has slowed down across Europe since 2011, according to new research. A new study reveals that the food we eat, physical inactivity and obesity are largely to blame, as well as the Covid pandemic. Of all the countries studied, England experienced the biggest slowdown in life expectancy. It means that rather than looking forward to living longer than our parents or grandparents, we may find that we are dying sooner. The team says that in order to extend our old age, we need to prioritize healthier lifestyles in our younger years -- with governments urged to invest in bold public health initiatives.
Repeated invasions shape NZ's bird life
New esearch shows Aotearoa has been increasingly accepting new bird species from around the world since the start of the Ice Age, offering clues into future migration patterns.
Are we trusting AI too much? New study demands accountability in Artificial Intelligence
Are we putting our faith in technology that we don't fully understand? A new study comes at a time when AI systems are making decisions impacting our daily lives -- from banking and healthcare to crime detection. The study calls for an immediate shift in how AI models are designed and evaluated, emphasizing the need for transparency and trustworthiness in these powerful algorithms.
Avoiding the workplace mediocrity trap
Confidence. Persistence. Ingenuity. Conventional wisdom tells us these are some of the traits needed for success at the office. But within teams, less laudable characteristics -- maintaining the status quo, for instance -- might be just as desirable, according to new research. An expert on organizational thinking reports that teams with high rates of envy often ostracize their best performers, in turn leading those standout employees to sabotage productivity.
New research adds evidence that learning a successful strategy for approaching a task doesn't prevent further exploration, even if it reduces performance.