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Top Society News -- ScienceDaily Top stories featured on ScienceDaily's Science & Society, Business & Industry, and Education & Learning sections.

  • The megadroughts are upon us
    on January 16, 2025 at 9:12 pm

    Increasingly common since 1980, persistent multi-year droughts will continue to advance with the warming climate, warns a new study. This publicly available forty-year global quantitative inventory seeks to inform policy regarding the environmental impact of human-induced climate change. It also detected previously 'overlooked' events.

  • Study finds gender gap with children when it comes to negotiating
    on January 16, 2025 at 6:33 pm

    Studies have shown a persistent gender gap when it comes to wages -- disparities that stretch over decades. Past analyses have pointed to various causes for this discrepancy, but often overlooked is how such divides may surface early in life. In a related new study of boys and girls, a team of psychology researchers has found that despite holding similar views on the purpose and value of negotiation, boys ask for bigger bonuses than girls do for completing the same work. The findings indicate that these outcomes are linked, in part, to differences in perceptions of abilities.

  • How improving education could close maternal heart health gaps
    on January 15, 2025 at 9:52 pm

    Research has established a clear link between racial and ethnic disparities in maternal heart health and higher risks of preterm birth, preeclampsia and cardiovascular issues for Black and Hispanic mothers and their babies.

  • A new research program is Indigenizing artificial intelligence
    on January 15, 2025 at 9:49 pm

    A new initiative is challenging the conversation around the direction of artificial intelligence (AI). It charges that the current trajectory is inherently biased against non-Western modes of thinking about intelligence -- especially those originating from Indigenous cultures. Abundant Intelligences is an international, multi-institutional and interdisciplinary program that seeks to rethink how we conceive of AI. The driving concept behind it is the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge systems to create an inclusive, robust concept of intelligence and intelligent action, and how that can be embedded into existing and future technologies.

  • From caring touch to cooperative communities
    on January 15, 2025 at 5:54 pm

    An international research team concludes that gentle touch is not only good for mental health, but also for the evolution of cooperation.

  • Calls to curb invasive species spread via untreated water transfer
    on January 15, 2025 at 5:50 pm

    Experts are warning of the risks of spreading invasive and non-native species when moving large volumes of untreated lake, reservoir and river water.

  • Small-scale fisheries essential to global nutrition, livelihoods
    on January 15, 2025 at 5:49 pm

    Small-scale fisheries play a significant but overlooked role in global fisheries production and are key to addressing hunger and malnutrition while supporting livelihoods around the world, according to new research. The study rigorously quantified how marine and inland small-scale fisheries contribute to aquatic harvests and nutritional and socioeconomic security on a global scale.

  • Ancient genomes reveal an Iron Age society centred on women
    on January 15, 2025 at 5:44 pm

    A groundbreaking study finds evidence that land was inherited through the female line in Iron Age Britain, with husbands moving to live with their wife's community. This is believed to be the first time such a system has been documented in European prehistory.

  • Floating solar panels could support US energy goals
    on January 14, 2025 at 11:15 pm

    Federal reservoirs could help meet the country's solar energy needs, according to a new study. Geospatial scientists and senior legal and regulatory analyst quantified exactly how much energy could be generated from floating solar panel projects installed on federally owned or regulated reservoirs.

  • Ecologist highlights critical gaps in global wildlife trade monitoring
    on January 14, 2025 at 5:54 pm

    Using 22 years of LEMIS data, a recent study explores the dimensions of wildlife trade and obtain one of the most comprehensive overviews to date. The study reveals striking findings: between 2000 and 2022, the US traded almost 30,000 wild species and over 2.85 billion individuals, with over 50% of individuals from most taxa sourced directly from the wild. These findings are significant as the impact of trade on most of these species has never been assessed.

  • To mitigate impact of wildfires on communities' water, report fills gaps in guidance to public drinking water system staff
    on January 13, 2025 at 9:11 pm

    Wildfires increasingly threaten public drinking water systems, but guidance on how to address damage to these systems from a wildfire has been insufficient, conflicting or inaccurate. A new publication offers the first comprehensive guidance for public drinking water system staff, outlining the decision-making process for testing and recovering water distribution systems after a wildfire.

  • Atop the Oregon Cascades, team finds a huge buried aquifer
    on January 13, 2025 at 9:11 pm

    Scientists have mapped the amount of water stored beneath volcanic rocks at the crest of the central Oregon Cascades and found an aquifer many times larger than previously estimated -- at least 81 cubic kilometers. The finding has implications for the way scientists and policymakers think about water in the region -- an increasingly urgent issue across the Western United States as climate change reduces snowpack, intensifies drought and strains limited resources.

  • Ecologists reveal key genetic insights for the conservation of iconic cockatoo species
    on January 13, 2025 at 6:46 pm

    Ecologists have made valuable discoveries that could transform the conservation of two iconic cockatoo species: the Sulphur-crested cockatoos and the critically endangered Yellow-crested cockatoos -- with only 2,000 individuals remaining in the wild for the latter. Until now, no whole-genome research had been conducted on either species, which were identified solely by subtle morphological differences.

  • Sodium-ion batteries need breakthroughs to compete
    on January 13, 2025 at 6:44 pm

    A thorough analysis of market, technological, and supply chain outcomes for sodium-ion batteries finds that significant advances are needed before commercialization.

  • How households can cut energy costs
    on January 13, 2025 at 6:43 pm

    Giving people better data about their energy use, plus some coaching, can help them substantially reduce their consumption and costs, according to a new study.

  • Differences in strength by position among football players
    on January 13, 2025 at 6:41 pm

    It's long been known that different positions on the football field fit different body types. A study led by the University of Kansas has gone beyond knowing that linemen are bigger with more body mass than receivers and tested a team of college football starters, finding differences in strength, power, jumping ability and more. The findings could help improve strength training designed to optimize performance for different types of players, researchers argue.

  • Changes in opioid use outcomes after passage of medical marijuana laws
    on January 13, 2025 at 6:41 pm

    A new study found no changes in opioid outcomes among the general population with the states' passage of medical and recreational marijuana laws. However, the findings also show decreases in opioid outcomes after medical marijuana laws existed among people reporting cannabis use.

  • New research highlights trends in ADHD diagnoses
    on January 13, 2025 at 6:41 pm

    New research identifies differing trends in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among adolescents and adults, including an increase among adults from 2020 to 2023. The study found a significant downward trends in ADHD incidence among adults from 2016 to 2020 and adolescents from 2016 to 2018. The ADHD incidence rate remained stable for adolescents in subsequent years.

  • Immunotherapy against cancer: How therapeutic antibodies do their job
    on January 10, 2025 at 5:20 pm

    A look at cancer cells: Thanks to an innovative method of super-resolution microscopy, researchers observed with molecular resolution in 3D how therapeutic antibodies attack and alter B cells, thereby inducing their destruction. Their research presents the new type of molecular 3D visualization of antibody-cell interactions. The visualization of the molecular interaction between antibody and tumor cell opens up new avenues for improved immunotherapies against cancer.

  • Climate fee on food could effectively cut greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture while ensuring a social balance
    on January 10, 2025 at 5:17 pm

    Greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture could be significantly reduced in a socially equitable way through a climate fee on food, combined with climate dividends. A new study suggests that pricing greenhouse gas-intensive foods could help meet climate targets for agriculture while generating over 8.2 billion Euros annually. If these funds were redistributed to households through a lump-sum compensation scheme, it would ease the financial burden on households, especially those with lower incomes and at the same time encourage sustainable consumption.

  • Medicare rules may reduce prescription steering
    on January 10, 2025 at 5:17 pm

    Researchers have found that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) -- organizations that negotiate access to medicines for most patients in the United States -- steer patients to use their own pharmacies. However, these pharmacies appear less used in Medicare than in other market segments. These PBMs are part of integrated health care conglomerates that own insurance companies and pharmacies, which may create conflicts of interest.

  • Researchers find betrayal doesn't necessarily make someone less trustworthy if we benefit
    on January 9, 2025 at 11:33 pm

    Both intuition and past research suggest that whether people deem someone trustworthy depends on that person's past behavior and reputation for betrayal. In a series of experiments, psychologists found that subjects regarded those who previously exhibited that behavior as less trustworthy. However, when the betrayal benefited them or had no effect on them, participants regarded the betrayer as trustworthy. This pattern was largely consistent across the types of relationships studied: friendships, romantic relationships and professional relationships.

  • Is there really a mid-career crisis? Job satisfaction follows a U-shaped curve only among highly skilled workers, according to new study
    on January 9, 2025 at 7:12 pm

    Contrary to the long-held belief that the mid-career crisis plagues everyone, new research suggests that job satisfaction follows a U-shaped trajectory only for managerial and professional workers. This provocative finding challenges societal perceptions surrounding midlife and calls for a revaluation of workplace support for individuals in their 40s and 50s.

  • Realistic emission tests for motorbikes, mopeds and quads
    on January 9, 2025 at 6:00 pm

    Researchers have developed new measurement techniques and methods to measure emissions from category-L vehicles in realistic operation and to determine corresponding limit values.

  • Nearly 30,000 wild species identified in US trade data
    on January 9, 2025 at 6:00 pm

    International research has found almost 30,000 wild species have been traded in the United States, according to data captured by US wildlife trade monitoring organization Law Enforcement Manage Information System.

  • States struggle to curb food waste despite policies
    on January 9, 2025 at 5:58 pm

    Current state policies aren't enough to curb food waste. Study shows states are falling short of the reduction goals set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

  • PCT blood test does not lower antibiotic treatment duration for hospitalized children, study shows
    on January 9, 2025 at 5:56 pm

    A study has examined whether an additional blood test called procalcitonin (PCT) could safely shorten the time children spend on intravenous (IV) antibiotics in hospitals. Despite promising previous analysis, the study, found that using the PCT biomarker to guide treatment decisions did not reduce antibiotic duration when compared to usual care.

  • Dense human population is linked to longer urban coyote survival
    on January 9, 2025 at 5:56 pm

    Tracking coyote movement in metropolitan areas shows the animals spend lots of time in natural settings, but a study suggests the human element of city life has a bigger impact than the environment on urban coyote survival.

  • A Sustainable Development Goal for space?
    on January 9, 2025 at 5:55 pm

    An international team of scientists has called for the creation of an 18th addition to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which would aim to mitigate against the accumulation of space junk in Earth's orbit. They believe a new SDG18 could draw direct inspiration from one of the existing goals -- SDG14: Life Below Water -- with lessons learned in marine debris management being used to prevent another planetary crisis before it is too late.

  • What is the average wait time to see a neurologist in US?
    on January 8, 2025 at 10:31 pm

    Older people wait an average of just over a month to see a neurologist for specialty care after being referred by their primary care physician or another physician, according to a new study. The study, which looked at people who have Medicare insurance, also found some people wait more than three months to see a neurologist.

  • Synthetic chemicals and chemical products require a new regulatory and legal approach to safeguard children's health
    on January 8, 2025 at 10:31 pm

    Nations must better safeguard health and reduce childhood diseases linked to exposures to toxic chemicals, according to researchers. Governments need to test and regulate chemicals and chemical products as closely as they safeguard prescription drugs, the researchers write.

  • Mediterranean sharks continue to decline despite conservation progress
    on January 8, 2025 at 7:43 pm

    New research has found more than 200 measures to protect sharks and rays across the 22 coastal states of the Mediterranean region. However, while elasmobranchs have made it onto many policy agendas, the study found considerable differences in how effectively any legislation was being monitored with no single source for tracking progress in the conservation and management of sharks at national levels.

  • Rethinking population management in zoos
    on January 8, 2025 at 7:43 pm

    Until now, contraception has been the method of choice for zoos to avoid surplus animals. Researchers are now calling for a paradigm shift: zoos could preserve their breeding populations, raise awareness of conservation challenges and improve animal welfare and their carbon footprint by allowing animals to reproduce naturally and culling surplus animals.

  • The 'red advantage' is no longer true for Olympic combat sports
    on January 8, 2025 at 7:41 pm

    Wearing a red outfit in combat sports has been believed to provide an advantage for athletes, but a new study suggests there is no longer any truth in the claim.

  • Efforts to reduce kids' screen time weakened by unequal access to green space
    on January 7, 2025 at 12:56 am

    When children have a place to play outside, programs aimed at reducing their screen time use are more successful.

  • Study reveals rising interest in permanent contraception after Roe v. Wade was overturned
    on January 7, 2025 at 12:56 am

    A new study has found a significant increase in the number of U.S. young adults seeking permanent contraception, specifically tubal sterilization and vasectomy, following the Supreme Court's June 2022 decision which overturned Roe v. Wade.

  • How we classify flood risk may give developers, home buyers a false sense of security
    on January 7, 2025 at 12:56 am

    Traditional methods of communicating how likely an area is to flood focus on designating which zones are 'high risk.' This study suggests that this framing may give developers and homeowners a false sense of security when settling directly outside of 'high risk' zones, believing them to be safe. This phenomenon is known as the 'safe development paradox,' and results in an over-concentration of development right next to areas most likely to flood.

  • Acoustic sensors find frequent gunfire on school walking routes
    on January 6, 2025 at 6:29 pm

    A new study used acoustic sensors that detect the sound of gunfire to show how often children in one Chicago neighborhood are exposed to gunshots while walking to and from school. Results showed that nearly two-thirds of schools in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago had at least one gun incident within 400 meters (about one-quarter mile) of where children were walking home during the 2021-22 school year.

  • 'Heartbreaking' impact of COVID on treatment of children with brain tumors
    on January 6, 2025 at 6:23 pm

    Research into the impact of the COVID pandemic on children and young people with brain tumors has revealed how investigations or treatments were frequently postponed as key people or resources were not available.

  • Multilingualism improves crucial cognitive functions in autistic children, study finds
    on January 3, 2025 at 8:09 pm

    A new study adds to the growing body of evidence on the cognitive benefits of speaking multiple languages, finding that multilingualism not only enhances general cognitive abilities but also may help reduce certain symptoms and bolster control of daily thoughts and actions in children with and without autism.

  • One of the world's largest social programs greatly reduced tuberculosis among the most vulnerable
    on January 3, 2025 at 5:50 pm

    Brazil's Bolsa Fam lia Program, one of the world's largest conditional cash transfer programs, was responsible for the reduction of more than half the number of tuberculosis cases and deaths among those living in extreme poverty and indigenous groups.

  • Growing divide: Agricultural climate policies affect food prices differently in poor and wealthy countries
    on January 3, 2025 at 5:50 pm

    Farmers are receiving less of what consumers spend on food, as modern food systems increasingly direct costs toward value-added components like processing, transport, and marketing. A study shows that this effect shapes how food prices respond to agricultural climate policies: While value-added components buffer consumer price changes in wealthier countries, low-income countries -- where farming costs dominate -- face greater challenges in managing food price increases due to climate policies.

  • People find medical test results hard to understand, increasing overall worry
    on January 3, 2025 at 5:49 pm

    In April 2021, a provision in the 21st Century Cures act took effect which required that all medical test results be released to a patient's electronic medical record as soon as they become available. As a result of this newer law, many patients are seeing and reading their test results even before their doctor has. The problem is that many medical reports aren't written with patients in mind.

  • Modeling tool affirms critical role of testing in pandemic response
    on January 3, 2025 at 5:49 pm

    A study found public-private partnerships to develop, produce and distribute COVID-19 diagnostic tests saved approximately 1.4 million lives and prevented an estimated 7 million patient hospitalizations in the U.S. during the pandemic.

  • How good are AI doctors at medical conversations?
    on January 2, 2025 at 9:26 pm

    Researchers design a new way to more reliably evaluate AI models' ability to make clinical decisions in realistic scenarios that closely mimic real-life interactions. The analysis finds that large-language models excel at making diagnoses from exam-style questions but struggle to do so from conversational notes. The researchers propose set of guidelines to optimize AI tools' performance and align them with real-world practice before integrating them into the clinic.

  • Africa: Better roads promote greater dietary diversity
    on January 2, 2025 at 9:26 pm

    A balanced diet is important for reducing hunger and malnutrition. Researchers thus advocate that small farmers in low- and middle-income countries should try to produce as many different foods as possible for their own consumption. However, a study is now questioning this recommendation to some extent. It suggests that good access to regional markets is more important than farmers growing a large diversity of crops on their own smallholding. Better-functioning markets increase the variety of foods available locally, which benefits the population as a whole.

  • Too many men or too few women? New study finds how the gender gap is framed affects perceptions of it
    on January 2, 2025 at 9:26 pm

    Recognizing that news coverage may have influence in forming attitudes and in driving action, a team of psychology researchers examined whether reframing this gender gap in terms of 'men's overrepresentation' -- rather than as 'women's underrepresentation' -- would have an impact on perceptions of the issue and on motivations to address it. Its findings showed that framing the gap as 'men's overrepresentation' -- as opposed to 'women's underrepresentation' -- in political leadership elicited more anger at the disparity among women and increased perceptions that the gap is unjust. Moreover, the results showed that anger at the disparity leads women to take action to address it.

  • Study finds physical activity reduces chronic disease risk
    on January 2, 2025 at 9:25 pm

    A study underscores the value of physical activity. Researchers found patients who responded in a survey that they are physically active have a statistically significant lower risk of having 19 chronic conditions.

  • Expanding the agenda for more just genomics
    on January 2, 2025 at 9:23 pm

    A special report outlines opportunities to enhance justice in genomics, toward a world in which genomic medicine promotes health equity, protects privacy, and respects the rights and values of individuals and communities.

  • Addressing gender issues strengthens peace agreements
    on January 2, 2025 at 9:23 pm

    When it comes to peace processes and negotiations, U.N. Women highlights a stark reality: All too often, women remain invisible and excluded. But a new study draws on evidence from Colombia to show that addressing gender-related issues helps peace agreements succeed.

  • 11- to 12-year-olds use smartphones mainly to talk to family and friends
    on December 26, 2024 at 8:38 pm

    A research group has analyzed the digital ecosystem of 11- to 12-year-old children across the Basque Autonomous Community, and concluded that two out of three own a smartphone. They use smartphones mainly to talk to family and friends. The researchers also point out that, at that age, access to social media mainly focuses on watching videos and not on generating content.

  • Adoption of 'hospital-at-home' programs remains concentrated among larger, urban, not-for-profit and academic hospitals
    on December 23, 2024 at 6:44 pm

    Hospitals that have adopted the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) 'hospital-at-home' program, which serves as an alternative to admission to brick-and-mortar facilities, are concentrated in large, urban, not-for-profit, and academic hospitals, highlighting need for targeted incentives to expand program to smaller, rural, and non-teaching hospitals.

  • Economic burden of tooth decay is highest in deprived groups, new study reveals
    on December 20, 2024 at 6:30 pm

    The economic impact of dental caries (tooth decay) is disproportionately higher in the most deprived groups, new research finds.

  • Mitigating animal-vehicle collisions with field sensors, artificial intelligence and ecological modelling
    on December 20, 2024 at 6:29 pm

    Using field sensors, various ecological modelling technologies and deep learning algorithms, a French research team has developed a method for mapping the risk of collisions between animals and vehicles along transport infrastructures. In the future, it could contribute to collision management in autonomous vehicles thanks to connected infrastructures.

  • Construction materials and household items are a part of a long-term carbon sink called the 'technosphere'
    on December 20, 2024 at 6:26 pm

    We know a lot about how much fossil-derived carbon is emitted to the atmosphere but less about how much is stored in human-made products. Ecological economists estimate that each year, humans add around 400 million tons of fossil carbon to long-lasting products such as plastics, buildings, and human infrastructure. Although these products could be considered a 'carbon sink,' proper waste management is essential to prevent them from becoming environmental hazards.

  • Advancing a trustworthy quantum era: A novel approach to quantum protocol verification
    on December 19, 2024 at 8:29 pm

    The future of data security depends on the reliable application of quantum technology, but its widespread adoption requires rigorous verification. Researchers have developed a novel approach to verify quantum protocols, ensuring their reliability in safety- and security-critical applications. This advancement addresses the need for trustworthy quantum systems, which is essential for the secure deployment of quantum technologies in high-reliability systems.

  • More people living without running water in U.S. cities since the global financial crisis, study reveals
    on December 19, 2024 at 8:25 pm

    More American cities -- even those seen as affluent -- are home to people living without running water as people are being 'squeezed' by unaffordable housing and the cost-of-living crisis, new research finds.

  • Study finds slowing of age-related declines in older adults
    on December 19, 2024 at 8:24 pm

    A new study reveals significant improvements in the health of older adults when compared to previous generations.

  • Human-like artificial intelligence may face greater blame for moral violations
    on December 18, 2024 at 10:49 pm

    In a new study, participants tended to assign greater blame to artificial intelligences (AIs) involved in real-world moral transgressions when they perceived the AIs as having more human-like minds.

  • Researcher defines 'kindness' in healthcare
    on December 18, 2024 at 6:23 pm

    A researcher has defined 'kindness' and believes this could hold the key to better communication within healthcare teams and improve care for patients.

Sarah Ibrahim