ScienceDaily: Society - September 17, 2024
Top society research news
Lower neighborhood opportunity may increase risk for preterm birth
A new study has found that more than half of Black and Hispanic infants were born into very low-opportunity neighborhoods, and that babies born into these neighborhoods had a 16-percent greater risk of being born preterm. The study sheds new light on the health consequences of structural racism and historically discriminatory practices -- such as redlining and disproportionate exposures to pollutants -- that continue to shape modern-day neighborhood conditions and circumstances.
Researchers test ChatGPT, other AI models against real-world students
An experiment tested six generative large language models against students in an online introductory biomedical and health informatics course. The models scored higher than as many as three quarters of the real-world students in the class.
Contrary to common perceptions and years of research that autistic people can't describe their emotions or often have muted emotional responses, a new study concludes that many autistic adults are in fact acutely aware of their feelings and can label them in vivid, often colorful detail.
Contrail avoidance is less likely to damage climate by mistake than previously thought, study finds
A new study allays fears that rerouting flights to avoid forming climate-warming contrails could result in inadvertently making climate warming worse.
Image: Russ Heinl/Shutterstock.com
Dams built to prevent coastal flooding can worsen it
The common practice of building dams to prevent flooding can actually contribute to more intense coastal flood events, according to a new study. By analyzing data and measurements from Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, dating back more than a century, researchers determined that coastal dams don't necessarily mitigate flooding. Dams can either increase or decrease flood risks, depending on the duration of a surge event and friction from the flow of water.
Global warming's economic blow: Risks rise more rapidly for the rich
Researchers analyzed how erratic weather events, increasingly intensified by global warming, affect global production and consumption across different income groups.
New method for fingerprint analysis holds great promise
Overlapping and weak fingerprints pose challenges in criminal cases. A new study offers a solution and brings hope for using chemical residues in fingerprints for personal profiling.
Unveiling the math behind your calendar
In a world where organizing a simple meeting can feel like herding cats, new research reveals just how challenging finding a suitable meeting time becomes as the number of participants grows. The study dives into the mathematical complexities of this common task, offering new insights into why scheduling often feels so impossible.
New discovery about ice layer formation in ice sheets can improve sea level rise predictions
A newly discovered mechanism for the flow and freezing of ice sheet meltwater could improve estimates of sea level rise around the globe. Researchers have found a new mechanism that explains the process of how impermeable horizontal ice layers are formed below the surface, a process critical for determining the contribution of ice sheet meltwater to sea level rise.
New study reveals food waste bans ineffective in reducing landfill waste, except in Massachusetts
Of the first five U.S. states to implement food waste bans, only Massachusetts was successful at diverting waste away from landfills and incinerators, according to a new study.
Supported youth become supportive adults, researchers find
A new suggests that Mexican-Origin adolescents' physiology and emotional support from family and friends makes them more likely to be helpful and have empathy for others.
Personal carbon footprint of the rich is vastly underestimated by rich and poor alike, study finds
The personal carbon footprint of the richest people in society is grossly underestimated, both by the rich themselves and by those on middle and lower incomes, no matter which country they come from. At the same time, both the rich and the poor drastically overestimate the carbon footprint of the poorest people.
Doctors and patients interested in environmental impact of health care decisions, study finds
In a series of focus groups conducted in different areas of the United States, doctors and patients expressed openness to considering environmental factors when discussing treatment options. The findings suggest that educating physicians about the environmental costs of treatment -- and how those costs may be reduced while continuing to deliver excellent care -- can be a first step toward that goal.
Path to prosperity for planet and people shrinking rapidly, scientists warn
Our planet will only remain able to provide even the most basic standard of living for everyone in the future if economic systems and technologies are dramatically transformed and critical resources are more fairly used, managed and shared, a new report shows.
In a new article, reesearchers report an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases associated with the consumption of foods that rank less favorably on the Nutri-Score scale (new 2024 version) within the European cohort EPIC.
Path to prosperity for planet and people if Earth's critical resources are better shared
Earth will only remain able to provide even a basic standard of living for everyone in the future if economic systems and technologies are dramatically transformed and critical resources are more fairly used, managed and shared, according to an international research team.
Smartphone-based microscope rapidly reconstructs 3D holograms
Researchers developed a new smartphone-based digital holographic microscope that enables precision 3D measurements. The highly portable and inexpensive microscope could help bring 3D measurement capabilities to a broader range of applications, including educational uses and point-of-care diagnostics in resource-limited settings.
Many clinical trials of new cancer drugs may be inappropriately excluding some people with Duffy-null phenotype, a trait found predominantly in people of African or Middle Eastern descent, researchers report in a new study.
Hot streets, historic bias: Effects on neighborhood walking in older adults
Redlining from the 1930s, marked minority and low-income neighborhoods as 'hazardous,' which influenced mortgage and insurance decisions. Results show that redlined areas have less greenspace and more pavement, intensifying urban heat. While higher temperatures generally decreased walking in 'still desirable' or 'best' neighborhoods, this effect was not significant in 'definitely declining' or 'hazardous' areas, possibly due to greater reliance on walking for essential activities. Findings underscore the lasting impact of discriminatory policies on environmental vulnerability and physical activity.
Sterilization rates among women rose after U.S. Supreme Court abortion ruling
Researchers found an increase in surgical sterilization among women after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion.
Brain-wide decision-making dynamics discovered
Neuroscientists have revealed how sensory input is transformed into motor action across multiple brain regions in mice. The research shows that decision-making is a global process across the brain that is coordinated by learning. The findings could aid artificial intelligence research by providing insights into how to design more distributed neural networks.
Flexibility of containers, and how fast they drain
A new article examines how the flexibility of containers affect how fast they drain.
Variety is the spice of learning, memory study suggests
Researchers found that older adults learned a memory task best after practicing multiple related tasks, suggesting that diverse cognitive training supports mental sharpness as we age.
Screening tool to improve telehealth access and equity
Novel approach will inform interventions to overcome barriers to telehealth adoption in diverse patient populations.
Methane emissions are rising faster than ever
Methane concentrations in Earth's atmosphere increased at record speed over the past five years. At least two-thirds of annual methane emissions now come from human activities, including fossil fuel use, agriculture, and landfills and other waste.
Conscientiousness, not willpower, is a reliable predictor of success
According to two psychologists, the field of psychological science has a problem with the concept of self-control. It has named self-control both a 'trait' -- a key facet of personality involving attributes like conscientiousness, grit and the ability to tolerate delayed gratification -- and a 'state,' a fleeting condition that can best be described as willpower. These two concepts are at odds with one another and are often confused, the authors report.
Early exposure to diverse faces helps babies overcome prejudices later in life
Babies who have more diverse social contacts in the first years of their life can get over their prejudices more easily by the age of 17, according to new research.
What's really 'fueling' harmful algae in Florida's lake Okeechobee?
Historically, Lake Okeechobee was thought to be impaired only by phosphorus, focusing efforts on reducing agricultural runoff. However, new comprehensive sampling across the Lake Okeechobee Waterway and its connected estuaries shows that toxic algal blooms also are driven by rising nitrogen levels from human waste and urban runoff. Increased nitrogen, worsened by extreme rainfall, significantly fuels bloom severity. Findings underscore the need for integrated nutrient management and improved wastewater treatment to protect the lake and its estuaries.