ScienceDaily: Society - November 26, 2024
Top society research news
Political opinions influence our choice of chocolate
We distance ourselves from completely neutral products if they are liked by people who have political views that we find disagreeable. Even chocolate can be political, according to new research from Sweden. The behavior is reinforced if we have to make a decision when others are watching.
Image: Dmitr1ch/Shutterstock.com
'Biodiversity is not a luxury': Connection between wealth and ecosystem health
This study examines the positive correlation between an area's wealth and biodiversity, known as the 'luxury effect.' The authors present an alternative framework for understanding links between socio-economic factors and ecosystem health which emphasizes the agency of less-wealthy communities in promoting healthy ecosystems where they live.
Managing forests with smart technologies
Deforestation has remained a significant issue globally, with primary forests contributing to 16 per cent of the total tree cover loss in the last two decades, driven by climate change and intensive human activity. This threatens natural resources, biodiversity, and people's quality of life. To protect forests, scientists have developed Forest 4.0, an intelligent forest data processing model integrating blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The system enables real-time monitoring of forest conditions, sustainable resource accounting, and a more transparent forest governance model.
Researchers develop tools to examine neighborhood economic effects on spinal cord injury outcomes
A new study emphasizes that neighborhood conditions significantly shape recovery opportunities for individuals with SCI and advocates for environmental interventions to reduce health inequities.
Social networked friendship quality can be means of combating loneliness
Spending too much time social networking appears to be a key driver in loneliness, but a new article suggests motivated uses of social networking sites for connecting with people and feeling companionship can also play a role in alleviating it.
Women who suffer pregnancy complications have fewer children
Women who suffer severe complications during their first pregnancy or delivery are less inclined to have more babies, a study reports. Given the recent steady decline in birth rate in Sweden, the researchers propose monitoring in antenatal care to address the problem.
Online health care reviews turned negative following COVID pandemic
Researchers showed online reviews of health facilities took a negative turn after COVID and remain that way.
Need a landing pad for helicopter parenting? Frame tasks as learning
Parents are much less likely to intervene when their young children are getting dressed or performing other simple chores if those tasks are framed as learning opportunities, according to a new study.
Standing at work can be detrimental to blood pressure
A new study found that prolonged standing at work had a negative impact on the research participants' 24-hour blood pressure. In contrast, spending more time sitting at work was associated with better blood pressure. The study suggests that activity behavior during working hours may be more relevant to 24-hour blood pressure than recreational physical activity.
Simplicity is key to understanding and achieving goals
People's preference for simple explanations of any situation is connected to their desire to execute tasks efficiently, finds a new study from the University of Waterloo.
Your child, the sophisticated language learner
Sentences contain subtle hints in their grammar that tell young children about the meaning of new words, according to new research.
Hear this! Transforming health care with speech-to-text technology
Researchers study the importance of enunciation when using speech-to-text software in medical situations.
Snoring linked to behavioral problems in adolescents without declines in cognition
Adolescents who snore frequently were more likely to exhibit behavior problems such as inattention, rule-breaking, and aggression, but they do not have any decline in their cognitive abilities, according to a new study. This is the largest study to date tracking snoring in children from elementary school through their mid-teen years and it provides an important update to parents struggling with what medical measures to take to help manage snoring in their children.
Confidence drives feedback-seeking behavior: Insights into learning and motivation
New research reveals how low confidence drives feedback-seeking, enhancing learning with insights for education and rehabilitation strategies.
Fewer than 7% of global hotspots for whale-ship collisions have protection measures in place
A new study has quantified the risk for whale-ship collisions worldwide for four geographically widespread ocean giants that are threatened by shipping: blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales. Researchers report that global shipping traffic overlaps with about 92% of these whale species' ranges. Only about 7% of areas at highest risk for whale-ship collisions have any measures in place to protect whales from this threat. These measures include speed reductions, both mandatory and voluntary, for ships crossing waters that overlap with whale migration or feeding areas.
Math-selective US universities reduce gender gap in STEM fields
Nationally, men in colleges and universities currently outpace women in earning degrees in physics, engineering, and computer science (PECS) by an approximate ratio of 4 to 1. To better understand the factors driving these gaps, researchers analyzed bachelor's degrees awarded in the US from 2002-2022, and found that the most selective universities by math SAT scores have nearly closed the PECS gender gap while less selective universities have seen it widen dramatically.
Climate-driven hazards increases risk for millions of coastal residents, study finds
A new study estimates that a 1-meter sea level rise by 2100 would affect over 14 million people and $1 trillion worth of property along the Southeast Atlantic coast.
Tantrums in young children could be linked to ADHD, study finds
Preschool children who struggle to control their emotions and behaviour have more symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- known as ADHD -- at age seven, a study suggests. Children aged between three and seven who are slower at acquiring skills to manage their intense emotions were also found to be at risk of displaying more conduct issues. They were also more likely to show internalising behaviours, such as sadness and worries, at age seven, experts say.
Environmental impacts of plastics: Moving beyond the perspective on waste
The fact that plastics pollute the environment and generate problems has been well-researched in many areas. However, there is little information on the impacts of plastics on climate and biodiversity. Researchers have analyzed the impacts of plastics on the three planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. They are calling for plastics regulations that account for the multifaceted impacts of plastics in these three crises.
Here's something Americans agree on: Sports build character
In a polarized nation, there is one thing that nearly all Americans agree on, according to a recent study: sports are good for us. Researchers found that more than 9 out of 10 Americans agreed that sports build character and improved one's health, while 84% agreed playing sports makes one popular in school and 85% said it makes one more well-known in the community.
Design and imagination as essential tools during the climate crisis
Researchers advocate the use of imagination in tackling the climate crisis. They focus specifically on urbanizing river deltas, which are of great social and economic importance and highly vulnerable to climate change.
Research highlights the pressures human activities place on tropical marine ecosystems
The tropical coastlines of Southeast Asia are home to some of the most important and biodiverse marine ecosystems on the planet. But as well as being essential to communities along these coastlines, fishing and tourism were found -- in new research conducted by an international study team -- to be among the most damaging from an environmental perspective.
The factors behind the shifting trends of ischemic heart disease and stroke
Incidence of stroke and ischemic heart disease are declining around the world, except for in a handful of regions, according to a new study. Researchers find that in East and West Sub-Saharan Africa, East and Central Asia and Oceania, ischemic heart disease is increasing, which may be attributed to eight factors that include diet, high BMI, household air pollution and more.
How educational attainment may impact memory and dementia risk later in life
Historical policies shaping educational attainment have enduring benefits for later life memory and risk of dementia, according to a new study. The study compared the differences in years of education based on variations in state schooling mandates with cognitive performance outcomes in residents decades later.
Study raises concerns about the climate change and global conflict crises
Researchers are looking at the impact of climate change in communities affected by conflict and have found that many countries most impacted by these crises are being overlooked.
People from Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin and the north-east of England are better at detecting someone imitating their accent than people from London and Essex, new research has found.
Athletes have significantly better working memory than sedentary people
A recently published meta-analysis reveals an advantage in sports-related information processing compared to non-athletes. The data consisted of 21 studies involving a total of 1455 participants. Athletes had better working memory than non-athletes and this advantage was further enhanced when athletes were compared to sedentary people.
Study calls for city fashion-waste shakeup
With most donated clothes exported or thrown away, experts are calling for a shakeup of how we deal with the growing fashion waste issue.
Virtual reality could be gamechanger in police-civilian crisis encounters
Traditional police training lacks practical tools for handling mental health crises, leaving officers underprepared. New research provides a promising avenue for addressing this gap using VR training by immersing officers in realistic scenarios. Results show moderate to high engagement in the VR environment, which enhances empathy and highlights its potential as a complement to traditional training. Improving immersion, engagement, and VR familiarity can enhance emotional connections, making well-designed simulations more effective for fostering empathy and sympathy.
War impacts the function of children's DNA and slows development
Children living in war-torn countries not only suffer from poor mental health outcomes, but war may cause adverse biological changes at the DNA level, which could have lifelong health impacts, according to a ground-breaking study.
R sounds are rough, and L sounds are smooth, according to cross-cultural study
People around the world associate a trilled R sound with a rough texture and a jagged shape, and an L sound with smooth texture and a flat shape, according to the findings of a new study. Researchers believe this association may be more universal than the famous bouba/kiki effect.
Revitalizing neighborhoods in the wake of aging populations
Researchers examined the Senboku Hottokenai Network Project through a combination of case study and action research methodologies. The results of this study shed new light on the importance of community-led co-creation in transdisciplinary projects.
How flood risk affects home values
Houses for sale in a flood zone are around 10% cheaper than surrounding areas, according to new research. However, the reduced price tag is not worth the extra risk and can burden buyers with long-term insurance costs, according to new research.
Populations overheat as major cities fail canopy goals
A new study measuring access to nature for eight major global cities found most still have inadequate canopy cover, despite access to an abundance of trees.
How children learned for 99% of human history
Unlike kids in the United States, hunter-gatherer children in the Congo Basin have often learned how to hunt, identify edible plants and care for babies by the tender age of six or seven. This rapid learning is facilitated by a unique social environment where cultural knowledge is passed down not just from parents but from the broader community. The research helps explain how many cultural traits have been preserved for thousands of years among hunter-gatherer groups across a wide range of natural environments in Africa.
Bioeconomy in Colombia: The race to save Colombia's vital shellfish
Along Colombia's Pacific coast, a small shellfish called piangua has been a crucial part of local communities for generations. This humble mollusk is a vital source of income and nutrition for many coastal residents. As a regional resource that can be sustainably utilized, it represents a bioeconomy opportunity and is an example for other regions. But now, scientists are raising the alarm about its future.
Political shadows cast by the Antarctic curtain
The scientific debate around the installation of a massive underwater curtain to protect Antarctic ice sheets from melting lacks its vital political perspective. A research team argues that the serious questions around authority, sovereignty and security should be addressed proactively by the scientific community to avoid the protected seventh continent becoming the scene or object of international discord.
AI algorithm successfully matches potential volunteers to clinical trials
Researchers have developed an AI algorithm that could successfully identify relevant clinical trials for which a person is eligible and provide a summary that clearly explains how that person meets the criteria for study enrollment. The tool can help make it easier for both clinicians and patients to find and connect with the right clinical trial opportunities.