ScienceDaily: Society - September 10, 2024
Top society research news
A new psychology study shows that framing the need to address climate change as patriotic and as necessary to preserve the American 'way of life' can increase belief in climate change and support for pro-environmental policies among both groups.
A new study has found the pastoral practices of the Indigenous Maasai people of Kenya had almost no discernible positive or negative effect on the ecological well-being of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Belief in academic ability key factor in academic success for low-income students
A strong belief in their own academic ability can help children from low-income families defy the odds and achieve academic success, according to new research.
Image: Elena Babanova/Shutterstock.com
COVID-19 lockdowns prematurely aged teenage brains, study shows
New research has found that lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unusually accelerated brain maturation in adolescents. This maturation was more pronounced in females.
Air pollution exposure in infancy may limit economic mobility in adulthood
Higher exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) during infancy was associated with lower economic earnings in adulthood, according to a new study. The association was most pronounced in the midwestern and southern U.S.
'Out-of-body' research could lead to new ways to promote social harmony
Out-of-body experiences, such as near-death experiences, can have a 'transformative' effect on people's ability to experience empathy and connect with others, new research explains.
Protecting just 0.7% of world's land could help save a third of most unique and endangered species
Conservation efforts directed towards just 0.7% of the world's land mass could help protect one third of the world's threatened and unique tetrapod (four-limbed vertebrate) species.
Five lessons to level up conservation successfully
Conservation needs to scale successfully to protect nature. A new paper takes lessons from around the world to show how that might be done.
New RSV vaccine for older adults can result in individual and societal cost savings, benefits
Vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus for adults over 60 is likely cost-effective by preventing illness, hospitalizations, lost quality of life and deaths, according to new research.
Study shows long term-effects of immigration on Chinese Americans' cardiovascular health
A new study found that cardiovascular disease risk among Chinese American immigrants increases with length of residence and varies by location in the U.S.
People facing life-or-death choice put too much trust in AI, study finds
In simulated life-or-death decisions, about two-thirds of people in a study allowed a robot to change their minds when it disagreed with them -- an alarming display of excessive trust in artificial intelligence, researchers said.
Study shows that 'super spikes' can increase track running speed by 2%
Research shows that super spikes, scientifically described as advanced footwear technology (AFT) spikes, can give runners about a 2% edge in middle-distance track races, like the 800- and 1,500-meters.
New tool to analyze embodied carbon in more than 1 million buildings in Chicago
The impact of embodied carbon in the built environment has been difficult to assess, due to a lack of data. To address that knowledge gap civil and environmental engineers have created a new tool to analyze the embodied carbon in more than 1 million buildings in Chicago. Their recently published research identifies 157 different architectural housing types in the city and provides the first ever visual analysis tool to evaluate embodied carbon at a granular level and to help inform policymakers seeking to strategically plan for urban carbon mitigation.
EV charging stations boost spending at nearby businesses
Electric vehicle charging stations bring spending increases for nearby businesses, according to a new study.
Both cats and dogs often enjoy playing fetch with their owners
Although more common in dogs, 4 in 10 pet cats also choose to play fetch with their owners, researchers report.
A diverse and abundant flower planting that provides flowers in bloom all season may be more important to bees and other pollinators than whatever is surrounding the flower garden, according to a new study.
Traditional infrastructure design often makes extreme flooding events worse
Much of the nation's stormwater infrastructure, designed decades to a century ago to prevent floods, can exacerbate flooding during the severe weather events that are increasing around the globe.
A new role for intelligent tutors powered by AI in brain surgery?
Researchers are designing real-time, intelligent tutors powered by AI. These systems mimic human surgical instructors in brain surgical training. Intelligent tutors help the learner acquire excellent skills by continuously assessing hand movements during simulated brain procedures and providing personalized verbal feedback.
At-risk butterflies more likely to survive with human help
Some of the butterflies most in danger of fluttering out of existence fare better when their habitats are actively managed by humans, a recent study found. Scientists have long warned that insect populations worldwide are falling rapidly due to the combined effects of climate change, habitat loss and pesticides. The study analyzed data on 114 populations of 31 butterfly species in 10 U.S. states. Overall, the research team found that these at-risk butterflies are particularly vulnerable, with populations declining at an estimated rate of 8% a year, which translates to about a 50% drop over a decade. However, the study findings offer hope that habitat management can slow or even potentially reverse those sharp declines.
AI food tracking apps need improvement to address accuracy, cultural diversity
A study has found that improved artificial intelligence (AI) training is required when developing nutrition apps that are used to track food intake or manage weight.
Banning friendships can backfire: Moms who 'meddle' make bad behavior worse
Bad behavior often occurs away from home, leading parents to blame and limit contact with peers. However, a new study shows that banning friendships can backfire, worsening behavior instead of improving it. When moms disapprove of their kids' friends in an effort to curb misbehavior, it often alienates the child from their peers, exacerbating the very issues they aimed to prevent. Meddling in friendships can harm a child's social standing and lead to greater adjustment difficulties.
Older women more vulnerable to heat than their male peers, researchers find
Older individuals are at the greatest risk during heat waves, and older women die more often than older men, a study found. It was not previously known whether this was due to physiological differences or population differences. The study found that older women are at greater risk than older men and that middle-aged women are as vulnerable as older men.
Researchers published a study detailing their work implementing the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction in 15 schools. They found the schools that received training and coaching for educators on the model had higher outcomes for students with disabilities and their peers without when the students were given ownership in their educational goals and the approach was provided in general education stettings.
Uncollected waste and open burning leading causes of the plastic pollution crisis
A new study shines a light on the enormous scale of uncollected rubbish and open burning of plastic waste in the first ever global plastics pollution inventory. Researchers used A.I. to model waste management in more than 50,000 municipalities around the world. This model allowed the team to predict how much waste was generated globally and what happens to it.
H5 influenza vaccines: What needs to be done to reduce the risk of a pandemic
As the global threat of H5N1 influenza looms with outbreaks across species and continents including the U.S., three international vaccine and public health experts say it is time to fully resource and support a robust strategy to address this and future potential pandemic influenza threats, including to consider voluntary vaccination for those now at exposure risk.
Reef tourism encourages climate action
New research has revealed that informing tourists visiting the Great Barrier Reef about climate impact doesn't negatively affect their experience and can help encourage climate action.
Children's behavioral problems are linked to higher hair cortisol levels
In a study involving 11-year-olds, researchers have concluded that greater behavioral problems are linked to higher hair cortisol levels. The study also concluded that exposure to certain factors that can simultaneously cause chronic stress may determine the concentration of cortisol in the hair.
Communication helps parent relationships with new college students but has limits
When young adults first go off to college, more communication with parents generally leads to better relationships, but parents should avoid always initiating it, according to a new study. Researchers found that phone, text, video or in-person communication made first-year students feel better about the relationship with their parents. Students also felt better about the relationship when parents offered support or advice, and when they discussed important topics, such as studying and friendships. However, researchers found negative associations when parents initiated nearly all of the communication.
How cheerful is that water bottle?
New research shows consumers use 'happier' words to search for products when they are in a good mood. Researchers have connected those positive search terms with an increased likelihood of clicking on search engine ads.
Researchers compared data from two national surveys and found that individuals who had pre-existing disabilities had experienced long COVID at much higher rates than their peers. More than 40 percent of the former had long COVID, while only 18 percent of the latter did. The researchers argue that disparity shows better policy is needed to address health challenges for people with disabilities.
Artificial intelligence likely to play an increasing role in scientific publications
In the coming years, AI is poised to transform the writing of scientific manuscripts, assist in reviewing them, and help editors select the most impactful papers.
How do new words arise in social media?
The more centrally connected someone is within their social media network, the more likely that new words they use will become adopted into mainstream language, according to a new study.
Explaining the mechanism of social evolution driven by gift giving
New findings provide quantitative criteria for classifying social organizations in human history, together with potential explanatory variables that can be empirically measured for anthropology, history, and archaeology, according to a new study.