ScienceDaily: Society - June 11, 2024
Top society research news
The politicization of climate issues and the unsynchronized efforts of stakeholders are hindering the effectiveness of climate adaptation governance in the U.S. According to a new study the design characteristics of quasi-governmental organizations (QGOs) could provide insights on how to depoliticize climate information sources and foster multi-level stakeholder coordination.
Researchers use 3D visualization to predict, prevent hurricane damage
The researchers say 3D visualization of hurricanes and storm surges allows them to understand how flooding will impact coastal communities by allowing them to vividly see how each building and road might be impacted by a given flood.
Upstream and downstream: River study highlights cross-country inequities
New research highlights inequities between downstream and upstream countries that share the same watershed. The study outlines how international agreements can better address shared resource problems and call for greater collaboration and coordination between these international neighbors.
Peers crucial in shaping boys' confidence in math skills
Boys are good at math, girls not so much? A study has analyzed the social mechanisms that contribute to the gender gap in math confidence. While peer comparisons seem to play a crucial role for boys, girls' subjective evaluations are more likely to be based on objective performance.
Image: Alexander_Safonov/Shutterstock.com
Interventions against misinformation also increase skepticism toward reliable sources
Efforts to tackle false information through fact-checking or media literacy initiatives increases the public's skepticism toward 'fake news'. However, they also breed distrust in genuine, fact-based news sources, a new study using online survey experiments in the US, Poland and Hong Kong shows.
Benefits of failure are overrated
The platitude that failure leads to success may be both inaccurate and damaging to society, according to new research.
Online professional education works for complex topics
Online education is effective for teaching complicated topics like quantum information science (QIS) to high school science educators, according to a new article.
Basic income can double global GDP while reducing carbon emissions
Giving a regular cash payment to the entire world population has the potential to increase global gross domestic product (GDP) by 130%, according to a new analysis. Researchers suggest that charging carbon emitters with an emission tax could help fund such basic income program while reducing environmental degradation.
Secure access to food and water decreasing for US children
The number of children in the U.S. facing simultaneous water and food insecurity more than doubled between 2005 and 2020. Additionally, Black children were 3.5 times more likely than white children to simultaneously experience food and water insecurity, while Hispanic children were 7.1 times more likely than white children, according to a new study.
How $4 billion funded the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic response
New research sheds light on how federal funding helped scientists understand the COVID-19 virus, develop new treatments and deploy lifesaving vaccines in record time.
Climate crisis puts Australia's ski industry on slippery slope, but not all hope is lost
Australia's ski industry is at risk of major disruptions and shorter seasons if the current level of climate pollution continues, according to new modelling. The report found the average ski season across all resorts in Australia will be 44 days shorter by 2050 under a mid-greenhouse gas emissions scenario and 55 days shorter under a high-emissions scenario.
Climate policy: competing crises
Current crises are distracting from the climate crisis and weakening support for climate action, a Europe-wide survey reveals.
New research has found that teachers may be attributing signs of age-related immaturity in children, to conditions such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The results of the study showed that the youngest students in a class, with birth dates just before the school entry cut-off date, were overrepresented among children receiving an ADHD diagnosis or medication for the condition. Experts looked at how being one of the youngest children in a class can influence the likelihood of being diagnosed with ADHD or ASD. ADHD is a condition where individuals have significant challenges with attention and can be overly active. ASD is a complex developmental condition that relates to how a person communicates and interacts.
The unexpected origins of a modern finance tool
Surprisingly, the origins of financial discounting began with 17th-century English clergymen.
Study offers a better way to make AI fairer for everyone
Scientists show a new way of thinking about the fair impacts of AI decisions. They draw on a well-established tradition known as social welfare optimization, which aims to make decisions fairer by focusing on the overall benefits and harms to individuals. This method can be used to evaluate the industry standard assessment tools for AI fairness, which look at approval rates across protected groups.
US public opinion on social media is warming to nuclear energy, but concerns remain
The U.S. public displays more positive than negative sentiment toward nuclear energy but concerns remain about waste, cost and safety, according to an analysis of 300,000 posts on social media.
Training cognitive control in children does not change brain or behavior
Training exercises designed to improve cognitive control in children do not make a significant difference to their ability to delay gratification or to their academic achievement, nor do they lead to any brain changes.
Top IT industry managers are divided on the need for face-to-face communication in the workplace
Many managers are currently seeking a balance between digital and face-to-face communication. A recent study shows that top IT industry managers have different views on when and for what purposes face-to-face communication in the workplace is needed.
Climate change will make ozone pollution worse: Here's how
A new study finds climate change is likely to make upward spikes of ozone at ground level worse by 2050, which could result in many parts of the United States falling out of compliance with air quality standards and increasing risks to public health.
Thirty by thirty. It's an ambitious answer to growing calls for protecting more of our planet's surface. The goal is to conserve 30% of the Earth's oceans, lands and freshwaters by 2030. While this may seem a lofty aim, the diversity and coverage of conservation areas today might be greater than what's currently recognized by global tracking systems.
Rate of global warming caused by humans at an all-time high, say scientists
Global warming caused by humans is advancing at 0.26 C per decade -- the highest rate since records began, according to new research by over 50 leading international scientists.
Managing mental health should be about more than mind
Clinicians often default to treating mental health conditions with a variety of medication. This approach, however, largely ignores the role of environment, lifestyle, and social factors. Mental Health professionals must work toward a more holistic management picture, researchers argue in a new article.
Study reveals high rate of drowsy driving by teens
A new study found that drowsy driving by teenagers is a common threat to public safety on U.S. roadways.
Study shows how justice facility dogs benefit wellbeing for children facing court
A new study has revealed that having a four-legged friend at Children's Court significantly reduces stress and anxiety for young victims, witnesses, and their caregivers.
Some countries could meet their total electricity needs from floating solar panels
Floating solar photovoltaic panels could supply all the electricity needs of some countries, new research has shown. The researchers calculated the daily electrical output for floating photovoltaics (FPV) on nearly 68,000 lakes and reservoirs around the world, using available climate data for each location.
Population shifts, risk factors may triple U.S. cardiovascular disease costs by 2050
Driven by an older, more diverse population, along with a significant increase in risk factors including high blood pressure and obesity, total costs related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) conditions are likely to triple by 2050, according to recent projections. At least 6 in 10 U.S. adults (61%), more than 184 million people, are expected to have some type of CVD within the next 30 years, reflecting a disease prevalence that will have a $1.8 trillion price tag in direct and indirect costs.
How stress knocks out your cognitive reserve
While mentally stimulating activities and life experiences can improve cognition in memory clinic patients, stress undermines this beneficial relationship.
Innovative demand strategies for clean energy
A perspective piece describes innovative strategies that significantly reduce both resource consumption and fossil fuel emissions.
Medical school isn't teaching doctors much about nutrition
Current medical training focuses on weight and body mass index (BMI), exacerbating anti-obesity bias and increasing the risk of eating disorders, the authors said. And it doesn't give future doctors adequate education on how to encourage healthier eating habits.