ScienceDaily: Society - September 26, 2023
Top society research news
New method can improve assessing genetic risks for non-white populations
A team led by researchers has developed a new algorithm for genetic risk-scoring for major diseases across diverse ancestry populations that holds promise for reducing health care disparities.
Varavin88/shutterstock.com
Family planning and the fear of missing out
Among regretful parents, fear of missing out is a key motivator for having children.
Greenwashing a threat to a 'nature positive' world
Researchers have identified the threat greenwashing poses to a 'nature positive' world, one where environmental decline halts and biodiversity outcomes improve.
Chicago's West Side is air pollution hotspot
The western edge of Chicago -- including the North and South Lawndale, East Garfield Park, Archer Heights and Brighton Park neighborhoods -- experiences up to 32% higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution compared to the rest of the city.
Predicting the sustainability of a future hydrogen economy
As renewable energy sources like wind and solar ramp up, they can be used to sustainably generate hydrogen fuel. But implementing such a strategy on a large scale requires land and water dedicated to this purpose.
Curiosity about religion is viewed as morally virtuous, new research finds
People from diverse religious backgrounds in the United States view curiosity about religion as morally virtuous, according to new research. Atheists also view this curiosity as moral, although less moral than a lack of religious curiosity.
Shape-changing smart speaker lets users mute different areas of a room
A team has developed a shape-changing smart speaker, which uses self-deploying microphones to divide rooms into speech zones and track the positions of individual speakers.
How to tackle the global deforestation crisis
New research examines the 'revolution' in the study of deforestation brought about by satellites, and analyzing which kinds of policies might limit climate-altering deforestation.
Socially vulnerable populations are disproportionately exposed to wildfires in the Western US
People experiencing a high degree of social vulnerability are also more exposed to wildfires in Oregon and Washington as wildfire risk increases, a new study shows.
Young children do better at school if their dads read and play with them
Fathers can give their children an educational advantage at primary school by reading, drawing and playing with them, according to a newly published report.
Effective visual communication of climate change
The consequences of a warming climate frequently dominated the news this summer, from devastating wildfires and floods to deadly heat waves across the globe. Reducing harm from climate change is a challenging endeavor, and it requires comprehensive public education. Thus, the question arises: How can climate change science be made most accessible to the general population, as well as decision-makers and educators?
Most people rely on parents for material support into adulthood
A new study finds that only a third of adults in the United States did not rely on their parents for some form of material support between their late teens and early 40s.
Upgrading iron and steel plants could save equivalent of two years of global carbon emissions
Upgrading, or retrofitting, the world's iron and steel processing plants early could reduce carbon emissions by up to 70 gigatonnes by 2050, roughly equivalent to two years' worth of net global carbon emissions, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.
Breaking in the black box of pedagogical authority
How does pedagogical authority operate in the classroom? A team has produced one of the first in-depth field studies on this subject. By filming teachers in training over a period of several months, the researchers identified different ways of exercising teaching authority and assessed their effectiveness. They found that strategies based on double addressing -- i.e. addressing several students or groups of students simultaneously, using two different communication channels -- were particularly effective.
How to keep people out of the emergency room
New research shows helping immigrants schedule primary-care appointments lowers their number of emergency-room visits.
Dopamine regulates how quickly and accurately decisions are made
Computer models provide new insight into how the neurotransmitter dopamine controls learning and decision-making processes.
Predictive model could improve hydrogen station availability
Consumer confidence in driving hydrogen-fueled vehicles could be improved by having station operators adopt a predictive model that helps them anticipate maintenance needs, according to researchers.
