ScienceDaily: Society - May 21, 2024
Top society research news
Electric school buses may yield significant health and climate benefits, cost savings
Replacing diesel school buses with electric school buses may yield up to $247,600 in climate and health benefits per individual bus, according to a new study. The researchers found that these benefits -- including fewer greenhouse gas emissions and reduced rates of adult mortality and childhood asthma -- and their associated savings are strongest in large cities and among fleets of old (2005 and before) buses.
'Vigorous melting' at Antarctica's Thwaites 'Doomsday' Glacier
Glaciologists show evidence of warm ocean water intruding kilometers beneath grounded ice at Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. The findings suggest that existing climate models are underestimating the impact of ocean and ice interactions in future sea level rise projections.
Image: Olga52/Shutterstock.com
Mothers live longer as child mortality declines
The dramatic decline in childhood mortality during the 20th century has added a full year to women's lives, according to a new study.
Decarbonization dynamics: New analysis unveils shifting trends in the voluntary carbon offset market
Researchers have conducted a worldwide analysis of voluntary carbon offset programs and identified trends into which types of carbon reduction technologies are selected and prioritized. Their findings provide important insights for policymakers to improve the effectiveness and credibility of the carbon offset market.
Robot-phobia could exasperate hotel, restaurant labor shortage
Using more robots to close labor gaps in the hospitality industry may backfire and cause more human workers to quit, according to a new study. The study, involving more than 620 lodging and food service employees, found that 'robot-phobia' -- specifically the fear that robots and technology will take human jobs -- increased workers' job insecurity and stress, leading to greater intentions to leave their jobs. The impact was more pronounced with employees who had real experience working with robotic technology. It also affected managers in addition to frontline workers.
Better medical record-keeping needed to fight antibiotic overuse
A lack of detailed record-keeping in clinics and emergency departments may be getting in the way of reducing the inappropriate use of antibiotics, a pair of new studies suggests. In one of the studies, about 10% of children and 35% of adults who got an antibiotic prescription during an office visit had no specific reason for the antibiotic in their record.
The latest findings forecast that global life expectancy will increase by 4.9 years in males and 4.2 years in females between 2022 and 2050. Increases are expected to be largest in countries where life expectancy is lower, contributing to a convergence of increased life expectancy across geographies. The trend is largely driven by public health measures that have prevented and improved survival rates from cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19, and a range of communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs).
Differing values of nature can still lead to joined up goals for sustainability
Recognizing and respecting the different ways nature is valued can enable better environmental decision-making, according to new research.
A new commentary paper puts forth a transformative solution to the unsustainable reliance on fossil resources by the chemical industry: catalysis to leverage sustainable waste resources, ushering the industry from a linear to a circular economy.
Under stress, an observer is more likely to help the victim than to punish the perpetrator
Being stressed while witnessing injustice may push your brain towards altruism, according to a new study.
The treatment of animals rates higher than green issues when consumers choose meat and dairy products. That's according to a new study, which suggests that while consumers consider sustainability important, other factors such as taste, quality, and animal welfare take precedence in their purchasing decisions.
Wind farms can offset their emissions within two years
After spinning for under two years, a wind farm can offset the carbon emissions generated across its entire 30-year lifespan, when compared to thermal power plants.
When saying 'please' is more strategic than magic
By kindergarten age, most children have been taught that 'please' is a magic word. 'Please' is an expression of politeness that shows courtesy and respect, turning a potential demand into a request that will -- poof! -- magically be granted. But a new study on the ways people make requests of one another suggests that 'please' might not be an all-purpose marker of politeness, but rather a more focused, strategic tool to manage frictions or obstacles among family members, friends and even coworkers. The study shows that people say 'please' much less often than expected, and mostly when they expect a 'no' response is forthcoming.
Access to gardens and citizen science helps encourage conservation among children, study shows
Access to gardens and citizen science projects at school can help promote pro-conservation behaviour among pupils, a new study shows.
Bluetooth tracking devices provide new look into care home quality
Wearable Bluetooth devices can shed light on the care that residents of care homes are receiving and which residents are most in need of social contact, according to a new study.
Singing researchers find cross-cultural patterns in music and language
Are acoustic features of music and spoken language shared across cultures? Researchers recorded themselves performing traditional music and speaking in their native language. In all 50+ languages, the rhythms of songs and instrumental melodies were slower than those of speech, while the pitches were higher and more stable.
The crystallization of memory: Study reveals how practice forms new memory pathways in the brain
A new study has shown that repetitive practice not only is helpful in improving skills but also leads to profound changes in the brain's memory pathways.
Racial disparities in childhood obesity on the rise
Among public school students in New York City, some of the greatest increases in childhood obesity in recent years were among those socioeconomic and demographic groups already bearing the greatest burden of obesity, including Black and Hispanic students and youth living in poverty, according to a new study.
John Milton's notes discovered, including a rare example of prudish censorship
John Milton's handwritten annotations have been identified in a copy of Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles (1587), a vital source of inspiration for the Paradise Lost poet. The discovery makes this one of only three known books to preserve Milton's handwritten reading notes, and one of only nine books to have survived from his library.
PES programs are currently structured in ways that could limit their participation or create incentives to drop out before the full environmental benefits are realized.
The case for sharing carbon storage risk
Even the most optimistic projections for the rapid build-out of solar, wind, and other low-carbon resources acknowledge that coal, natural gas, and other fossil fuels will dominate the world's energy mix for decades to come. If the vast greenhouse gas emissions from burning these fossil fuels continue to enter the planet's atmosphere, global warming will not be limited to sustainable levels. The capture and geologic sequestration of carbon emissions (CCS) offer a promising solution to the world's carbon conundrum.
Counterfeit coins can be detected more easily thanks to a novel approach
Researchers present a novel framework that uses image-mining techniques and machine learning algorithms to identify flaws in counterfeit coins. The researchers' framework uses fuzzy association rules mining to find patterns that are similar but 'fuzzy,' i.e., not clear enough to be exact copies. However, the framework will eventually arrive at a certain range of results where positive matches be confidently identified.to extract frequent patterns from the images. These patterns capture relationships among the blobs' attributes, such as color, texture, shape and size. The patterns help researchers to better understand the images and tell whether a coin is real or fake.
Study tallies heatwave deaths over recent decades
Between 1990 and 2019, more than 150,000 deaths around the globe were associated with heatwaves each year, according to a new study.
90% of Floridians believe climate change is happening
The latest 'Florida Climate Resilience Survey' found that 90% of Floridians believe that climate change is happening. Belief in human-caused climate change has surged among Florida Independents while slipping among Republicans in the state since last fall. But despite these changes, the survey found enduring support among Floridians for increased government action to address the consequences of a warming planet. The survey found 68% of all respondents want state government to do more and 69% want the federal government to do more to address climate change.
New transit station in Japan significantly reduced cumulative health expenditures
A research team assessed the impact of a train station's opening on health expenditures. The natural experiment study revealed that a new mass transit station is significantly associated with decreased average health expenditures per capita.
What motivates preschoolers to prepare for the future
Adults spend an average of 59 times a day thinking about the future. This helps them to cope with upcoming challenges. But what do children do?
Giving lessons to your teenage-self could boost your wellbeing
Asking young adults to advise their younger selves could have a positive impact on their self-esteem, resilience and mental health.
People without an inner voice have poorer verbal memory
The vast majority of people have an ongoing conversation with themselves, an inner voice, that plays an important role in their daily lives. But between 5-10 per cent of the population do not have the same experience of an inner voice, and they find it more difficult to perform certain verbal memory tasks, new research shows.
Mixed public opinion on polygenic embryo screening for IVF
Survey reveals nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults support using emerging technology to screen embryos during IVF for risk of developing certain health conditions or traits that arise from more than one gene. Only about one-third of respondents approved of using the technology to predict traits unrelated to disease. Nearly all expressed concerns about potential negative outcomes for individuals or society. Findings underscore need for public education about benefits, limitations, ethical hazards of polygenic risk scores for embryos.
Today, there are dozens of large language model (LLM) chatbots aimed at mental health care -- addressing everything from loneliness among seniors to anxiety and depression in teens. But the efficacy of these apps is unclear. Even more unclear is how well these apps work in supporting specific, marginalized groups like LGBTQ+ communities.
Chatbots tell people what they want to hear
Chatbots share limited information, reinforce ideologies, and, as a result, can lead to more polarized thinking when it comes to controversial issues, according to new research. The study challenges perceptions that chatbots are impartial and provides insight into how using conversational search systems could widen the public divide on hot-button issues and leave people vulnerable to manipulation.