ScienceDaily: Society - July 16, 2024
Top society research news
American diets got briefly healthier, more diverse during COVID-19 pandemic, study finds
American diets may have gotten healthier and more diverse in the months following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.
A new technique enables huge machine-learning models to efficiently generate more accurate quantifications of their uncertainty about certain predictions. This could help practitioners determine whether to trust the model when it is deployed in real-world settings.
Image: Zenzen/Shutterstock.com
Why are board games so popular among many people with autism? New research explains
Board gaming is a growing industry, and anecdotally popular among people who display autistic traits. Now new research has highlighted the science supporting the anecdote -- and the important reasons behind the link.
Greater attention needs to be paid to malnutrition in the sick and elderly, researchers say
As many as half of all patients admitted to hospital and other healthcare facilities are malnourished. This has serious consequences for the individual in terms of unnecessary suffering, poorer quality of life and mortality. Providing nutrients can alleviate these problems, but not enough attention is paid to this knowledge, according to researchers in a new article.
Charting an equitable future for DNA and ancient DNA research in Africa
The American Journal of Human Genetics recently published a perspective piece on the need for an equitable and inclusive future for DNA and ancient DNA (aDNA) research in Africa. The paper highlights the fact that, while DNA from ancient and living African peoples is increasingly critical to the study of human evolution, African scientists remain starkly underrepresented in this field.
User control of autoplay can alter awareness of online video 'rabbit holes'
A new study suggests that giving users control over the interface feature of autoplay can help them realize that they are going down a rabbit hole. The work has implications for responsibly designing online content viewing platforms and algorithms, as well as helping users better recognize extreme content.
Living near oil and gas activity linked to poor mental health during preconception
A new study suggests that people who are trying to conceive and live close to oil and gas development sites have a heightened risk of developing adverse mental health outcomes. The study found that people who lived within roughly six miles of active oil and gas development had greater development of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, compared to people living 12 to 31 miles away from this activity. High perceived stress was elevated among people living just 1.25 miles away from oil and gas development, and greater intensity of oil and gas production also contributed to high perceived stress.
Hatcheries can boost wild salmon numbers but reduce diversity, studies find
The ability of salmon hatcheries to increase wild salmon abundance may come at the cost of reduced diversity among wild salmon, according to a new study.
Introducing co-cultures: When co-habiting animal species share culture
Cooperative hunting, resource sharing, and using the same signals to communicate the same information -- these are all examples of cultural sharing that have been observed between distinct animal species. In a new article, researchers introduce the term 'co-culture' to describe cultural sharing between animal species. These relationships are mutual and go beyond one species watching and mimicking another species' behavior -- in co-cultures, both species influence each other in substantial ways.
Researchers uncover brain region's role in hearing and learning
The human brain is remarkably adept at adjusting what we hear based on contexts, like our current environment or priorities, but it's still unknown how exactly the brain helps us detect, filter and react to sounds. Now, biologists are a step closer to solving that mystery. Using an animal model, the researchers found that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a brain region associated with decision-making but not typically linked to hearing, plays a central role in helping the auditory cortex (a primary hearing center of the brain) adapt to changing contexts or situations.
How risk-averse are humans when interacting with robots?
How do people like to interact with robots when navigating a crowded environment? And what algorithms should roboticists use to program robots to interact with humans? These are the questions that a team of mechanical engineers and computer scientists sought to answer in a recent study.
Scientists call for 'major initiative' to study whether geoengineering should be used on glaciers
Scientists have released a landmark report on glacial geoengineering -- an emerging field studying whether technology could halt the melting of glaciers and ice sheets as climate change progresses.
New solutions to keep drinking water safe as pesticide use skyrockets worldwide
Water scientists have proposed a more effective method of removing organic pesticides from drinking water, reducing the risk of contamination and potential health problems.
Toddlers' brains show significant growth in cognitive skills by 16 months
Toddlers engage more regions of their brains around 16-months to help them develop important cognitive skills enabling them to follow simple instructions and control impulses. Findings from the study suggests 16 months is a critical period for brain development.
Researchers explore the role of children in community participatory planning process
Child-friendly cities prioritize safe environments, healthcare, education, green spaces, and children's participation in decision-making processes. However, children are consulted only for ideas and often excluded from public spaces. A study tackled pedestrian safety around school zones using child-inclusive participatory planning. Their approach included field work, community mapping, and collaborative solution development. Children effectively identified safety risks, shaping a robust safety plan with potential to significantly enhance community safety.
Targeted home systems to remove PFAS more cost-effective than system-wide solutions
PFAS, the potentially cancer-causing chemicals known as 'forever chemicals', have become an increasing concern in home drinking water. Solutions to reduce the risk of exposure range from mandated municipal-level water treatment to under-the-sink home treatment systems. But are consumers willing to foot the bill for an additional treatment system to help municipalities meet new federal drinking water regulations? Researchers found that they are, if it helps reduce the risk and fits their budget.
People tend to become less narcissistic as they age from childhood through older adulthood. However, differences among individuals remain stable over time -- people who are more narcissistic than their peers as children tend to remain that way as adults, the study found.
Many youths continue to take opioids months after surgical procedures
A multi-institutional study found that 1 in 6 youths fill an opioid prescription prior to surgery, and 3% of patients were still filling opioid prescriptions three to six months after surgery, indicating persistent opioid use and possible opioid dependence. The study underscores that more guidance is needed to steer clinicians away from prescribing opioids when they are not likely to be needed and recognizing patient-specific risk factors for persistent opioid use.
A new study finds four in 10 cancer cases and about one-half of all cancer deaths in adults 30 years old and older in the United States (or 713,340 cancer cases and 262,120 cancer deaths in 2019) could be attributed to modifiable risk factors, including cigarette smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diet, and infections.
Creativity starts in the cradle, new research shows
New research indicates that babies can begin grasping complex language and ideas.
AI Chatbots have shown they have an 'empathy gap' that children are likely to miss
Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have frequently shown signs of an 'empathy gap' that puts young users at risk of distress or harm, raising the urgent need for 'child-safe AI', according to a new study. The research urges developers and policy actors to prioritize AI design that take greater account of children's needs. It provides evidence that children are particularly susceptible to treating chatbots as lifelike, quasi-human confidantes, and that their interactions with the technology can go awry when it fails to respond to their unique needs and vulnerabilities. The study links that gap in understanding to recent reports of cases in which interactions with AI led to potentially dangerous situations for young users.
Holiday season already? Anticipation might make time seem to fly
Christmas or Ramadan might seem to come around more quickly each year, for people who pay more attention to time, are more forgetful of plans, and love a good holiday, according to a new study. Researchers suggest this could mean that someone's experience of time is shaped not only by what they've done, but what is left to do.
Perceived warmth, competence predict callback decisions in meta-analysis of hiring experiments
Perceived warmth and competence predict the influence of race, gender and age on callback decisions, suggesting social perceptions might underlie such hiring bias, according to a new meta-analysis.
Loneliness increases risk of age-related memory loss
About a third of Canadians feel lonely, and a study shows it has a greater negative impact on memory than even social isolation, though both present a significant risk to the aging population.
Rapid growth, persistent challenges in telemedicine adoption among US hospitals
A new study shows a significant increase in telemedicine services offered by U.S. hospitals from 2017 to 2022, while also highlighting persistent barriers to its full implementation.
There is a pressing need for countries and international organizations to understand better how existing international law can help them address serious concerns about the militarization of outer space, a new study says.
Enhancing live football broadcasts by eliminating camera operator distractions with AI
Researchers have developed an end-to-end system to enhance the viewing experience by eliminating visual distractions caused by overlapping camera angles.
Young people believe that artificial intelligence is a valuable tool for healthcare
Children and young people are generally positive about artificial intelligence (AI) and think it should be used in modern healthcare.
Trauma Medical Home: New coordinated care model for injured older adults
Older adults who suffer serious injuries from a fall or a motor vehicle accident often have impaired long-term functioning and diminished quality of life. A new study has found the new Trauma Medical Home care model has a positive impact on older patients who had a high burden of anxiety and depression prior to their accidental injury and resulting surgery, particularly those 70 and older.
New period product offers progress in women's health
Researchers have created an eco-friendly, blood absorbent biomaterial that improves the performance of menstrual products by minimizing blood leakage and spilling, while also helping prevent infection.
When there's money to lose, phone usage while driving drops
Researchers discovered that feedback plus cash incentives designed with insights from behavioral science reduces phone use while driving.
Tackling the challenge of coca plant ID: Wild vs cultivated for cocaine
A new paper reveals that it's not as straightforward as it might seem. Despite decades of data collection by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which has been valuable to monitor changes in areas occupied by illegal coca plantations in South America, there is no reliable scientific method to distinguish between different types of coca plants.
Pitch perfect: Match the message to the idea's newness
Entrepreneurs should tweak their pitches based on how innovative their idea is, researchers have found.
Researchers examine economic effects on technological advancements of blue hydrogen production
Experience from the deployment of blue hydrogen projects will be helpful in lowering future costs of hydrogen production and will remain cost competitive. Additionally, paired with extended tax incentives for carbon sequestration, costs could be significantly reduced further.
Trust, more than knowledge, critical for acceptance of fully autonomous vehicles
While not yet on the market, fully autonomous vehicles are promoted as a way to make road travel dramatically safer, but a recent study found that knowing more about them did not improve people's perception of their risk. They needed to have more trust in them too. This study adds to the evidence from other research that knowledge alone is not enough to sway people's attitudes toward complex technology and science, such as gene editing or climate change. In this case, researchers found that trust in the autonomous vehicles' reliability and performance played the strongest role in improving perceptions of the technology's risk.
Return-to-work programs may have a hidden cost to women, according to study
Despite offering a path back to careers, returner programmes leave women vulnerable to wage gaps and limited advancement, according to new research from the University of Surrey.