ScienceDaily: Society - January 09, 2024
Top society research news
Coastal populations set to age sharply in the face of climate migration
As climate change fuels sea level rise, younger people will migrate inland, leaving aging coastal populations -- and a host of consequences -- in their wake, a study finds. While destination cities will work to sustainably accommodate swelling populations, aging coastal communities will confront stark new challenges, including an outflow of vital human infrastructure such as health care workers.
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Accounting for plastic persistence can minimize environmental impacts
Researchers have developed a sustainability metric for the ecological design of plastic products that have low persistence in the environment. Adhering to this metric could provide substantial environmental and societal benefits, according to a new study.
To encourage fruit and vegetable consumption among youth, experiential food education programs such as gardening and cooking lessons have increased across both community and school settings. A recent research article revealed how this early learning positively influenced food decisions as children grew older.
Monitoring the well-being of reservoir water through an uncrewed surface vehicle
In a recent tragic incident, approximately 100 elephants in Africa perished due to inadequate access to water. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) issues a warning that around 2.5 billion people worldwide could face water scarcity by 2025. In the face of water shortages affecting not only human society but also the entire ecological community due to the climate crisis, it becomes crucial to adopt comprehensive measures for managing water quality and quantity to avert such pressing challenges.
Skin-deep resilience: Hidden physical health costs for minority youth overcoming adversity
When youth thrive despite difficult circumstances, they are usually lauded for their accomplishments. However, overcoming adversity may have a hidden physiological cost, especially for minority youth. A new study looks at physiological changes among high-striving minority youth in early adolescence.
More lives can be saved if ambulance staff receive AI-support
Assessing how seriously injured a person is, involves weighing up lots of different parameters fast. If healthcare professionals could get support making fast-paced, life-critical decisions from an AI tool, more lives could be saved.
Better mental, physical health in older people tied to living near nature
Even small differences in the availability of urban green and blue spaces may be associated with better mental and physical health in older adults, according to a new study. The study's findings showed that having just 10% more forest space in a person's residential ZIP code was associated with reduced serious psychological distress, which covers mental health problems that require treatment and interfere with people's social lives, work or school.
Acetaminophen use during pregnancy linked to language delays in children
Acetaminophen is considered the safest over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer available during pregnancy. Studies have shown that 50%-65% of women in North America and Europe take acetaminophen during pregnancy. A new study explored the relationship between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and language outcomes in early childhood. It found that increasing acetaminophen use was associated with language delays.
Chronic childhood ear infections delay language development
The temporary, repeated hearing loss caused by chronic ear infections can affect language skills years later.
Better microelectronics from coal
Coal is an abundant resource in the United States that has, unfortunately, contributed to climate change through its use as a fossil fuel. As the country transitions to other means of energy production, it will be important to consider and reevaluate coal's economic role. Coal may actually play a vital role in next-generation electronic devices.
Re-calibrating the sail plan for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders in ocean sciences
In Hawaii and across much of Oceania, Pacific Islanders celebrate the connections between their islands and the ocean that surrounds them.
Evolution might stop humans from solving climate change
Human culture has evolved to allow humans to extract resources and helped us expand to dominate the biosphere. But the same evolutionary processes may counteract efforts to solve new global environmental threats like climate change, according to a new study. Tackling the climate crisis will require worldwide regulatory, technical and economic systems supported by strong global cooperation. However, this new study concludes that the group-level processes characteristic of human cultural evolution, will cause environmental competition and conflict between sub-global groups, and work against global solutions. Adapting to climate change and other environmental problems will, therefore, require human evolution to change.
Understanding climate mobilities: New study examines perspectives from South Florida practitioners
A recent study assessed the perspectives of 76 diverse South Florida climate adaptation professionals. A new study explores the expectations and concerns of practitioners from the private sector, community-based organizations, and government agencies about the region's ability to adapt in the face of increasing sea level rise and diverse consequences for where people live and move, also known as climate mobility.
Influencers' vulnerabilities: A double-edged sword
New research finds that social media platforms and the metrics that reward content creators for revealing their innermost selves to fans open creators up to identity-based harassment.
Reducing inequality is essential in tackling climate crisis, researchers argue
Promoting climate-friendly behaviors will be more successful in societies where everyone has the capacity: financially, physically, and time-wise, to make changes.
In coastal communities, sea level rise may leave some isolated
Amid the threat of dramatic sea level rise, coastal communities face unprecedented dangers, but a new study reveals that as flooding intensifies, disadvantaged populations will be the ones to experience some of the most severe burdens of climate change.