Forest-rich playgrounds: greater variety in some skin bacteria
At four Finnish day-care centers with forest soil and lawn, a signal involved in regulating immune defenses also rose in the children.
childhood microbiome natureResearch papers.
Plain English.
Swap doomscrolling for a question worth exploring. 200 readings with a study's findings, its limits and its source in view.
Find your next reading
200 readings available
Without saying a word, their steps already showed whether they hit it off
Among women meeting for the first time, a better first impression went with more synchronized walking. The same pattern did not appear among men.
body language first impressions social interaction
A short break: less fatigue, but no improvement in performance
Across 19 publications and more than 2,300 people, breaks brought a little more energy, but overall performance did not improve.
breaks fatigue performance
One-third of reported moments included both pleasant and difficult emotions
More than 11,000 people used a French-language app to report how they felt at random times. Joy, love, and anxiety were among the most frequent emotions.
emotions well-being everyday experience
Remembering who helped you brought warmth and a wish to give back
People who wrote about someone who helped them felt more moved and connected, and also more indebted. Guilt was less consistent.
gratitude help reciprocity
Reappraisal and distraction eased feelings similarly, but with different patterns of attention
Twenty-five students viewed unpleasant photos. Both strategies reduced negative emotion, while pupils dilated more during reappraisal.
emotion regulation attention laboratory
People who found meaning in boring tasks said they felt more motivated
People who made their tasks more interesting reported greater motivation in the area that mattered most to them, in a Danish survey. The association did not hold in another survey.
motivation tasks autonomy
More procrastination went along with more stress and less satisfaction
More than 2,500 people in Germany reported how much they procrastinated. Younger people did so more, and the survey cannot show what causes what.
procrastination stress life satisfaction
A phone sound slowed responses by about three milliseconds
Students searched for letters on a screen while phone-like or control tones played. There were no more errors, but a brain signal changed.
notifications attention brain activity
Social media and gaming, not total screen time, went along with preferring the immediate option
Among 101 iPhone users, social media and gaming use went along with choosing a smaller immediate reward. Total screen time did not.
phone use social media rewards
People with a firm opinion chose more texts that supported it
People who were confident in their opinion opened more like-minded texts in a simulated search about psychotherapy. In the end, learning was similar.
confirmation bias information seeking opinions
Students chose to view more scenes of harm between people
Interpersonal harm attracted more choices than neutral scenes in three experiments using image pairs. Isolated injuries and dangerous animals did not.
attention curiosity interpersonal conflict
Optimism and pessimism were not mirror images of each other
Among 929 students, pessimism was weakly associated with imagining a change controlled by others. Optimism did not show the reverse pattern.
optimism pessimism expectations
Refuting the claim did not fully erase it; counterarguments helped
After a text about firefighters was identified as invented, some of its impression remained. Reading prepared counterarguments reduced it the most.
misinformation beliefs counterarguments
People who reached deeper sleep were more likely to find the hidden rule
Of 28 people who reached the second sleep stage, 24 found the rule; among 18 who stayed awake, 10 did.
sleep implicit learning memory
While viewing an image, the brain represented the next category
After learning 50 images in sequence, brain activity revealed the next image’s category. Nap rhythms were associated with that signal.
nap memory brain activity
Before attention lapsed, slow waves like those in sleep appeared
In 26 well-rested adults, slow waves appeared before mind wandering or blanking out; their locations coincided with different errors.
attention mind wandering slow waves
Future scenes imagined from rewarded words felt somewhat more vivid
Future scenes felt more vivid with rewarded words than with new words. With neutral words, the difference was smaller.
napping memory brain activity
Models that store summaries reproduced several human memory errors
Using chess, text, and drawings, the models filled in missing details with what they had learned. This was a simulation, with no new participants.
computational models memory artificial intelligence
More money at stake did not make visual memory more accurate
In three online experiments, a larger reward did not appear to improve memory for a figure’s orientation. Remembering more figures did make it harder.
visual memory incentives attention
When people chose what to practice, they stayed with the same topic
People who set their own sequence repeated the same concept 64% of the time; only in that group was repetition associated with a slightly better score.
practice study strategies statistics
Grading peers and being graded raised scores slightly
In a statistics course, each student tried both approaches in randomized order; the final advantage was two or three percentage points.
peer assessment higher education statistics
Pauses in handwriting described writing better than pressure
A tablet tracked the strokes of 853 first graders: pauses and changes in speed mattered more than how hard they pressed.
handwriting childhood fine motor skills
With review in both formats, the flipped class did not have higher grades
Among 42 physical therapy students randomly assigned to one section or the other, average scores were similar. Students in the flipped class felt more confident.
flipped classroom higher education review
By mail or with a nurse, a walking plan added steps a year later
A year later, participants who received the plan in London walked over 600 extra steps per day. Nurse support had no advantage over mail.
physical activity walking public health
One goal reduced sitting time; another added standing breaks
In a 30-adult pilot, the standard sensor counted about 13 extra stand-ups; detailed counting in a subgroup found about 40.
sedentary behavior movement habits
A brief supported routine improved mobility tests in older adults
Among 97 older adults with walking difficulty, those in the routine improved more on chair rises and balance. Six had discomfort or injuries.
older adults mobility balance
People who ended showers with cold water missed fewer days of work
By self-report, there were 29% fewer days absent. No difference was observed on days participants felt ill.
cold water habits workplace health
Calorie labels in walking minutes did not show a clear change in purchases
Across ten workplace cafeterias in England, the average barely moved. By site: four decreased, one increased, and five showed no difference.
labeling food purchasing decisions
Receiving fruits and vegetables improved vitality; receiving a voucher did not
Over two weeks, young adults who ate little fruit reported more vitality when food was delivered directly. With messages and a voucher, they ate more but did not show this change.
nutrition young adults well-being
Four cups of coffee a day hydrated similarly to water
Fifty healthy men used to drinking coffee had each drink for three days: body water and urine were similar. Coffee produced more urinary sodium.
coffee hydration nutrition
Sugary-drink sales rose overall but fell per person
In Mexico, total sales after the tax exceeded the prior average. Adjusting for population and the economy, the model estimated a per-person decrease.
taxes sugary drinks public policy
Washing hands before cooking went along with less diarrhea in children
In rural Bangladesh households where both hands were washed before cooking, children had less diarrhea. Researchers observed practices; they did not assign them.
handwashing childhood public health
Text-message reminders did not show a clear difference in vaccination
Vaccination was slightly higher among families sent SMS reminders, but the difference was not clear when all randomized families were analyzed.
vaccination SMS messages families
Average blood pressure was lower with education and salt substitutes
No clear difference was seen with self-help materials. By strategy, 44 trials (over 30,000 people) were combined, and results varied greatly.
salt blood pressure prevention
Experts and machines recognized faces similarly but made different errors
Forensic experts, super-recognizers, and neural networks performed similarly on average, but each group made different mistakes.
facial recognition artificial intelligence identification
A small joystick on the screen distinguished five textures
One piece with a magnet and coil pushes and vibrates. Ten people distinguished five textures in about 97% of trials.
touchscreens haptics accessibility
Warned in time, people manually checked more when the drone failed
With a simulated drone that failed more often, people given a verbal warning manually checked 63% of the time; without a warning, 22%.
drones automation human oversight
Faces instead of distorted letters: people were correct about 94% of the time
In 42,000 responses in a 2014 study, people were correct about 94%, but blending faces heavily with the background reduced human accuracy.
CAPTCHA facial recognition digital security
A 3D-printed orthosis with materials costing $15 to $20
Among three people with spinal cord injuries, one task showed more blocks transferred in a minute. Other tasks had mixed results.
3D printing rehabilitation spinal cord injury
A phone distinguished glows that faded at different rates
Bands created by the camera reading the image row by row made it possible to separate materials that stopped glowing quickly from those that persisted.
cameras sensors materials
When they heard a real recording alongside it, people were better at spotting the fake voice
Listening to each clip alone, 529 people identified 73% of fake voices. Hearing paired versions of the same sentence raised that figure to about 86%.
speech synthesis audio deepfake detection
A €700 camera powered by a solar panel recorded visiting insects
Five cameras recorded insects in German meadows. A computer classified hoverflies well, but beetles and true bugs less well.
insects biodiversity monitoring
After reading on a bright screen, participants reported more visual fatigue
Twelve people read for over an hour on three media. They blinked less on the bright screen, and fatigue rose clearly only there.
reading visual fatigue screens
People who were more satisfied with their home workspace felt more productive
In a survey of 1,002 Dutch workers, those satisfied with their chair, equipment, and Wi-Fi also said they felt more productive.
remote work productivity work environment
Where resources were more unequal, the shared fund received less
In a laboratory game, the average contribution was nine units under less inequality and five under more. Outsiders preferred proportional contributions.
inequality cooperation distributive justice
Before graduating, men already expected to earn more than women
Among 865 students in Switzerland, men expected salaries nearly 10% higher at graduation. These were expectations, not wages received.
gender pay gap students career expectations
Reviewing one complete option before moving to the next led to more correct answers
With four options containing four numbers each, accuracy was about 77% this way and 49% when comparing one attribute across all options. With two options, there was no clear difference.
decision-making comparison cognitive strategies
A memory exercise increased a sales offer, but not a salary offer
Business students who recalled when being a woman and a professional went together made higher offers in a hypothetical sale, but not in a salary negotiation.
negotiation gender salaries
Similar applications with another name received a different response
Before May 2020, names perceived as White received more responses. In the following six weeks, the pattern reversed, with weak evidence.
discrimination employment race
Sharing a desk for one semester made friendship more likely
With randomly assigned seats in rural Hungarian schools, mutual friendship rose from just over 15% to just over 22%.
friendship school relationships seating
Showing that you helped others brought more yeses to hosting requests
Study-created profiles with references describing help received more immediate yeses on an online hospitality network. Neutral praise drew fewer acceptances.
hospitality reputation helping
An invitation from a neighbor did not change how many people came to clean
Most people who answered the phone in three Tunis neighborhoods said they would attend, but about 3% of recruited households showed up.
civic participation neighborhoods volunteering
Women spent more time on housework at every age
Time-use diaries from ten industrialized countries. In Italy, women spent 226 minutes a day and men 50; in Finland, the figures were 163 and 110.
domestic work gender time use
A rental inquiry with an Arabic male name received fewer replies
The estimated response probability was 16% with an Arabic male name and 42% with a Finnish female name, across 800 listings in Finland.
renting discrimination housing
Eating better was associated with more food wasted and more irrigation water used to grow it
A U.S. estimate found that producing discarded food required less land but more water and pesticides.
food waste water sustainability
Near more beehives, wild insects made fewer flower visits
In Paris, beetles, large solitary bees, and bumblebees visited flowers less where more hives were nearby.
pollinators biodiversity cities
Twice as many young fish arrived where a healthy reef played
Speakers played healthy-reef sounds over dead coral. After 40 days, those patches had more fish and more species.
reefs fish ecological restoration
Fibers captured by treatment plants can end up in soil
A global estimate found that 92% of microfibers estimated to reach land traveled in treatment-plant sludge.
microplastics textiles pollution
In Boston, the hottest areas were not the most vulnerable
The tool combines temperature, vulnerability, and space for trees. In Boston, one map was not enough.
urban heat islands urban trees social vulnerability
Asia accounted for nearly half of rooftop solar potential
Asia had the largest share of potential, followed by North America and Europe, with differences across months.
solar energy rooftops energy potential
Curtailing turbines to protect bats cut electricity generation by up to 15%
Over 78 days, curtailed turbines generated 5% to 15% less electricity. With wind-only curtailment, even a reduction in deaths remained uncertain.
wind energy bats conservation
With more warming, lake ice would take longer to support weight
In simulations with 4°C more warming, waiting for usable thickness took nearly 20 extra days with white ice and about three with black ice, relative to historical black ice.
climate change lake ice safety
Nearly a century of counts points to fewer earthworms in the UK
Combining more than 100 studies, the decline appeared for earthworms, especially in forests and farmland, but not for cranefly larvae.
earthworms soils biodiversity
Fire brought tree numbers closer to historical levels, but not species composition
In simulations of dry forests in Oregon, moderate-severity fire came closest to historical tree abundance. Species composition did not.
wildfires forests ecology
Oxygen consumption in young oysters responded to heat and CO₂
Young oysters from a Chilean estuary were studied for two months. Estimated energy available for growth did not differ between treatments.
oysters ocean warming carbon dioxide
Two studies, two timelines: 59 and 66 days for a habit to become automatic
The review covered eating and health habits, with estimates that varied by behavior and person.
habits health behavior systematic review editorial-selection
More correct answers after questions than after rereading
Psychology undergraduates applied concepts to new topics one week later: 64% answered correctly after practice, compared with 40% after rereading alone.
learning questions rereading retrieval practice editorial-selection
Stories with AI ideas: higher ratings, but more alike
Among 293 writers and 600 evaluators, the improvement was greater for those who started with lower scores on a creativity test.
artificial intelligence creativity diversity GPT-4 editorial-selection
A kindergarten program with play and self-regulation: 33% read at a first-grade level, versus 10%
With schools randomly assigned, the program also combined reading and writing: 30% wrote an original sentence, versus 10% in the other group.
early literacy writing executive function
Moving while counting improved math, but other outcomes did not change.
Twelve Danish schools were randomly assigned: after nine months, improvement was greater in math. No change was seen in mental control, aerobic fitness, or weight.
active learning primary education cluster randomized trial
Chess instead of math: the clearest signal was in pattern recognition
The clearest signal appeared in pattern recognition. There was no firm evidence of improvement on other tests.
learning transfer mathematics primary education
An online course on learning math improved scores
In California middle schools, the average student in classes taking the course scored higher than 63% of the group scheduled to receive it later.
digital education growth mindset secondary math
After about 28 game sessions, children matched sounds with letters better
Progress was not the same in Belgium and Finland. In the Belgian sample, children who did better in the game also read more fluently.
reading phonological awareness adaptive assessment
With ABRA, the clear improvement was in letters and sounds
In Canadian classrooms, the clear advantage appeared in connecting letters and sounds. Results on other measures were less firm.
early reading school trial digital intervention
With PASSI, the initial gap between bilingual and monolingual households was no longer detectable
Scores increased with the program; no improvement was seen with usual instruction. The initial gap was no longer detectable only with the 30-week program.
early childhood education notation language intervention
No advantage for three reading programs was seen in second grade
Reading was reassessed for 2,700 children from early-childhood centers randomly assigned to three programs or none. No difference was seen in second grade.
longitudinal follow-up early education randomized trial
A formative-assessment routine improved understanding of motion
In Swiss secondary schools, teacher training with questions, discussion, and follow-up outperformed frequent questions alone and usual instruction. The advantage remained after three months.
secondary school science concepts classroom assessment
More correct answers with explanations than with a right-or-wrong mark
Medical students answered correctly more often with explanations (56% and 59%) than with a mark (51%). With new questions, neither explanation was better.
retrieval practice medical education transfer
A message of encouragement did not change first-exam grades
Average grades for more than 15,000 university students in Hungary did not improve. In a voluntary survey, confidence rose slightly.
field experiment university preregistered experiment
After a virtual lab, scores rose from 64% to 82%
Most participants were health-science and biomedical-engineering students who described their virtual-reality experience: motivation, willingness to repeat it, and eye discomfort.
virtual reality university education science lab
After naps longer than half an hour, students remembered the lesson better
Fifth-graders had a chance to sleep after science or history lessons. No difference in recall was seen after short naps.
declarative memory science history primary education
Split sleep with a nap: participants recognized previously seen items better
With the same total opportunity to sleep, adolescents ages 15 to 19 recognized previously seen images better when sleep was split between night and a nap.
episodic memory secondary education experimental design
Immersive technology and regular classes led to similar knowledge
Across 29 trials with 2,722 health students, satisfaction, confidence, and engagement tended to be rated more highly with immersive technology.
systematic review medical education nursing immersive technology
Groups that discussed answers understood a little more physiology
This occurred in first-year medical seminars, compared with students who explained answers on their own. No advantage was seen on very different problems.
collaborative learning medical education transfer
Students who added a lesson with breaks to physics made greater gains
In physics as a separate subject at six English schools, adding it before the usual class was associated with gains 50% to 90% greater.
secondary school science rest intervals delayed follow-up
People accepted the same pay less often when the distribution was more unequal
In a short online task, a person’s own pay stayed the same. Even so, people accepted less often when group rewards were more unequal.
experimental economics; inequality; motivation; digital work
In Sweden, women’s résumés received more responses
With fictional profiles, the advantage was greater in jobs where women were the majority. No difference was seen in male-majority or mixed jobs.
hiring; gender; correspondence experiments; Sweden
Managers chose the in-office profile more often for promotion
With fictional profiles, hybrid and remote workers trailed in-office workers for promotions and raises, with no clear difference between hybrid and remote.
remote work; promotion; wages; managerial decisions
When job search cost less, people searched more; a message made them set a higher minimum
In a simulated job search, lower costs led to more effort and more pay per round. With a message, the minimum accepted was higher.
labor economics; behavioral economics; unemployment; online experiment
With broad goals in mind, people said they would save more of an unexpected sum
Students in Poland divided an imaginary lottery prize: 59% for saving when thinking about broad goals, and 43% when thinking about concrete actions.
behavioral economics; saving; self-control; experimental financial decisions
A gap in work history reduced selections by about 20%
Fictional hospitality résumés with a pandemic-era gap also received lower ratings for commitment and readiness.
unemployment; stigma; hiring; COVID-19; survey experiment
More people found work, and sooner, with job-search support
For people with severe mental health conditions, employment increased, but there was no overall improvement in health or quality of life.
supported employment; meta-analysis; mental health; work inclusion; randomized trial
General risk questions predicted better than money questions
Among 304 adults in North Carolina, discussing risk across several areas predicted a financial task better than asking about money alone.
preferences; economic risk; DOSPERT; incentivized choice
As a couple, they preferred to wait for money more than when deciding alone
Among 134 married couples in Vietnam, deciding together was associated with less preference for immediate rewards, but no relationship appeared for actual savings.
saving; couples; Vietnam; economic experiment; household finance
The reference price mattered less when a purchase could be real
Across three tests in Poland, the earlier figure tended to shift what people said they would pay. With a possible purchase, the effect was smaller or absent.
experimental economics; prices; willingness to pay; hypothetical bias
Water and development mattered more when a price was shown
New Zealand council members chose among hypothetical urban plans. Cultural impacts, described only in words, did not have a consistent effect.
environmental economics; public policy; decisions; New Zealand
Wages rose alongside the minimum wage, but less in agriculture
In the United States from 1990 to 2014, each 1% rise in the minimum wage was associated with about 0.4% higher hourly pay. The link was weaker in agriculture.
minimum wage; agriculture; wages; hours worked; United States
After a minimum-wage rule, investment in research increased
In China, from 2004 onward, that investment grew after several years in more exposed firms, but not under every measure of exposure.
labor economics; innovation; R&D; China; minimum wage; difference-in-differences
Higher pay brought more people back, but not better answers
With higher pay, more workers on an online platform completed follow-up. Response quality did not improve.
crowdwork; performance pay; retention; data quality; digital work
In a hurry, people chose safety for gains and risk for losses
In two lab experiments with young adults, 37 and 36 participants returned to the option they had chosen more often as rounds went on.
behavioral economics; defaults; time pressure; decisions under risk
Managers paid less when they could keep what was left over
In a German lab, those acting as managers offered just over €8 when they could keep the surplus, and just over €10 when they could not.
wages; experimental economics; management; pay fairness
Swedish-origin résumés received more responses than several foreign-origin profiles
At restaurants and cafés in Sweden, fictional profiles born in the country received a positive response in 21% of cases, compared with 5% for Somali-origin profiles.
discrimination; immigration; hiring; field experiment
A Red Cross donation and pay prompted different forms of cooperation
In an online game with groups of five, donation was associated with full cooperation, while pay was associated with fewer people refusing to cooperate.
cooperation; public goods; online experiment; Japan
Learning German for six months was associated with brain changes
Young Arabic speakers improved in German during an intensive course in Leipzig, while some brain connections increased and another decreased.
adult neuroplasticity languages neuroimaging white matter
Six months of piano or music listening: no piano advantage was seen
Across both groups, healthy older adults remembered tones better after six months. The brain showed local changes and a more general reduction.
healthy aging brain plasticity cerebellum music training working memory
Exercise, challenges, and social activity improved a memory test
Older adults with mild cognitive impairment were randomly assigned. The program group improved on a memory-and-thinking test while the routine group declined.
aging randomized trial cerebral blood flow MRI memory
Pain was lower with placebo, but one brain signal did not follow
Nearly 400 people reported less pain from heat and pressure. One brain measure fell, while another, more closely tied to pain signals, did not.
pain placebo fMRI expectation neural signatures preregistration
When people heard happy or fearful music, auditory areas did not act alone
As 24 young adults listened to music in a scanner, auditory signals coincided with those from areas linked to emotion, vision, and movement.
music emotion fMRI functional connectivity brain networks
After guiding a brain signal, a connection changed the next day
Using a visual display, 20 people tried to direct their brain signal in opposite directions. The next day, one pathway between the two sides showed a localized change.
neuroplasticity neurofeedback motor system fMRI diffusion MRI
Accurately noticing a heartbeat showed no link to momentary anxiety
Healthy students attending to their hearts showed responses in three parts of a brain region. With unsettling situations, the response appeared in just one.
interoception anxiety fMRI insula body awareness
Videos with more movement can feel longer
Adults estimated video durations. A program that added up image changes reproduced some of those trends, but not every estimate.
time perception vision computational modeling natural scenes attention
An alpha rhythm already pointed to the attended side before the target appeared
In 33 healthy adults, this rhythm coincided with size differences between the two sides of two deep brain structures.
attention MEG structural MRI alpha oscillations basal ganglia
More confidence after choosing, but similar accuracy when remembering
Young adults felt more certain about their memories after making a choice themselves than after watching someone else choose. Overall accuracy was similar.
reinforcement learning prediction error memory risk-taking
The brains of hearing-aid users showed which voice they were attending to
Two analyses distinguished the attended voice in 31 hearing-aid users. The newer one reduced a distortion in the coherence measure.
hearing speech in noise EEG selective attention hearing aids coherence
Block practice was faster during training, but varied practice performed better later
Among 48 healthy men, those who alternated conditions performed better later and with the other hand. Sleep showed no advantage over staying awake.
motor learning sleep EEG consolidation adaptation
Which species returned explained little about restored ecosystem functioning
At recovering sites, species composition explained only 2% of differences in ecosystem functions. The relationship was stronger for biomass and structure.
biodiversity restoration meta-analysis vegetation soil functions
A solar future would use 0.3% to 5.2% of each region’s land
By 2050, the model estimated the smallest land share in India and the largest in Japan and South Korea; results also varied with solar’s share of electricity.
renewable energy photovoltaic panels indirect emissions land-use planning integrated models
Protecting habitats when planning clean energy would cost about 3% more
In models of 11 western U.S. states, stronger protections kept solar and wind projects out of intact landscapes.
biodiversity habitats electricity transmission renewable energy scenarios
Homes with tips or comparisons had smaller increases in electricity use
In Stockholm student housing, the seasonal increase was smaller with both messages. Among higher-use homes, the difference was clearer with practical tips.
environmental behavior household energy social norms randomized intervention
In containers, plants and microbes together supported productivity
Both kinds of diversity went along with ecosystem functioning across 101 grasslands. In containers, they jointly supported production and nutrients.
soil ecology drought productivity nutrient storage experiment
Forest soil differed between summer and fall, with or without warming
In plots warmed for years, an index of processes and nutrients was higher in fall. Warming did not detectably change it.
climate change microbiome forest soil field experiment carbon cycle
With warming, more phytoplankton types appeared, but total abundance did not rise
After five years in experimental ponds four degrees warmer, diversity was 67% higher and production increased. Larger types became more common.
aquatic ecosystems metacommunity temperature primary productivity experiment
Heat-related phytoplankton decline depended on the food web
In freshwater containers, its mass fell by 85% to 95% with predators or without herbivores. The decline was smaller with herbivores and no predators.
warming phytoplankton predation metabolism microcosms
Drought and nutrients had different effects by stream depth
Across 28 tanks, drought affected algae, invertebrates, and leaves in shallow areas. Combined with nutrients, it increased one fish species’ survival.
freshwater biodiversity eutrophication macroinvertebrates mesocosms
After drought, vegetation declined where plots were cut four times a year
Where plots were cut four times a year, vegetation declined after drought. No decline was detected with two cuts. Species number had little effect.
restoration biodiversity agriculture drought field experiment
Legumes and tall herbs had more new carbon in their shoots
In chambers with grassland blocks, species number showed no marked differences. Carbon went along with leaf nitrogen and height.
carbon roots plant diversity Ecotron experiment Jena
Two substances discharge battery cells from within
In the lab, ferrocene and phenothiazine lowered charged-cell voltage to about 0.1 V. In another test, phenothiazine mobilized deposited lithium.
critical materials recycling electrochemistry storage laboratory experiment
At many sites, a dry spring coincided with more photosynthesis
Less spring rain did not always coincide with less photosynthesis. The response depended on water availability: at many sites without strong water limitation, dry springs coincided with greater carbon uptake. The opposite pattern appeared where water was scarce.
drought carbon photosynthesis flux towers land models remote sensing
A brief electrical pulse recovered metals from used batteries
In the lab, 94% to 97% of measured metals were recovered from cathode waste. Water and energy savings came from a model.
recycling lithium cobalt nickel manganese Joule heating life cycle
Trillions of plastic pieces float at sea; large pieces account for most of the weight
By combining samples, shipboard observations, and a model, microplastics made up 92% of pieces while large pieces accounted for 75% of the mass.
marine pollution plastics ocean sampling particle model microplastics
Viewing social media content did not predict well-being a year later
Among 3,205 Australian adolescents, more posting coincided with more distress and more messaging with greater well-being, measured in the same survey.
scrolling passive browsing adolescence mental health longitudinal cohort
Browsing social media was followed by slightly more negative emotion
In 154 adolescents followed for two weeks, the prompt after browsing showed slightly higher negative emotion. Posting did not.
passive browsing posting experience sampling emotions adolescence
Two weeks of gratitude lists led to more positive emotion
Among adults in Brazil, the difference appeared right after the lists ended. Two weeks later, it was no longer distinct from the neutral-list group.
positive psychology affect subjective happiness life satisfaction randomized trial
After a task that reduced their sense of control, students bet differently
After solving increasingly difficult patterns, they chose fewer sectors when betting. In another test, perceived risk showed no firm difference.
locus of control decisions risk aversion behavioral experiment
An apology after an offensive comment increased willingness to forgive
The apology mattered more when the new relationship seemed less valuable, in an online scenario involving 971 adults.
forgiveness relationship repair preregistered experiment social behavior
Stress fell in both groups, whether they used a digital program or a book
Among 200 adults in Germany, neither format had an advantage. Without a no-support group, it is unclear how much of the decrease was due to the support.
self-criticism stress self-help digital intervention bibliotherapy
They slept well, but negative emotions weighed more heavily in their dreams
Among 50 healthy adults, those who said they slept well rated negative emotions in their dreams as more intense. Among those who slept worse, the two were more evenly matched.
dreams affect sleep self-report individual differences
Three weeks of doing favors did not lift mood
Among more than a thousand participants, those who intentionally helped others ended with well-being similar to that of the others.
altruism anxiety depression well-being Registered Report
In London, most people sustained support to reconnect with others
Twenty-four of 30 people with complex anxiety or depression attended at least the program’s minimum number of meetings. This was a pilot trial of 40 adults.
loneliness social connection community service feasibility study
Nurse visits left modest improvements at age five
At age five, behavior and parenting improved slightly. The main analysis found no language advantage, although small signals appeared among complete cases.
child development home visiting parenting maternal well-being longitudinal follow-up
With a breathing cushion, students reported less anxiety before an exam
Of 129 students, those who used the cushion or listened to a meditation reported less anxiety before a simulated exam than the others.
situational anxiety exam breathing haptic prototype students
In appearance comparisons, feeling worse off went with negative emotions
Adults in Germany reported whether they compared themselves with others, their past, or an ideal. Whether they felt better or worse off mattered more than the reference.
body image social comparison self-perception well-being psychological scale
A year and a half of meditation improved one part of well-being, not all of it
Among 134 healthy older adults, mindfulness improved compared with both groups, and connection only compared with English classes. Overall well-being showed no difference.
healthy aging mindfulness compassion well-being randomized trial
Five online lessons showed no advantage among health workers
Only 52 of 554 health workers in Chicago finished the course. Without random assignment, those 52 showed a greater change in positive emotions.
emotion regulation burnout resilience digital intervention health workers
After one night without sleep, it was harder to calm reactions to distressing images
In a lab, 60 adults stayed awake overnight or rested. The difference disappeared after accounting for mood and sleepiness.
emotion regulation attention affect laboratory experiment sleep
Walking left fewer depression symptoms than doing nothing
The review found fewer depression and anxiety symptoms with walking than in inactive groups. There was no firm advantage over other interventions.
physical activity; mental health; systematic review; meta-analysis.
A little over an extra hour of sleep, about 270 fewer calories per day
Researchers randomized 80 adults with overweight who slept little; those given advice to sleep more ate less over two weeks, according to an estimate.
sleep; diet; energy; randomized trial.
Eight thousand steps one or two days a week were associated with lower mortality
Among 3,101 adults in the United States followed for ten years, people who reached that level on some days had lower mortality. The study was observational.
walking; steps; mortality; cohort; cardiovascular health.
Inactive women using an app and advice added about 2,000 steps a day
They continued walking more over the next six months, but keeping the app offered no advantage over stopping it.
digital health; steps; accelerometry; behavioral intervention; adult women.
Adjustable desks reduced sitting time by almost an hour
Added to a program to sit less, across 24 workplaces and 630 employees. A combined metabolic-risk measure showed no firm change.
work; sedentary behavior; sit-stand workstations; cluster trial.
Squeezing a hand device at home lowered systolic pressure
In Thailand, 30 older adults with hypertension were randomized. After eight weeks, systolic pressure fell more with grip exercises than with no-resistance gripping.
exercise; blood pressure; hypertension; older adults; randomized trial.
The full app reduced drinking by about two and a half more drinks per week
Among 761 Canadian adults with risky drinking, reported drinking fell with both versions. It fell somewhat more with the full version.
alcohol; digital health; behavior change; clinical trial; Canada.
The mindfulness group reported less lower-back pain
In Spain, the group receiving nine sessions reported less stress and a better physical SF-36 subscale score than with usual care.
chronic pain; mental health; stress; clinical trial; Spain.
A month of kombucha changed the mix of microbes, but not most health measures
After four weeks, groups differed in some gut species, but most metabolic and inflammatory measures were similar.
microbiome; fermented foods; metabolism; controlled trial; digestive health.
A year of a supported Mediterranean diet slightly lowered systolic pressure
Among people who completed the year and had valid data, systolic pressure fell modestly. Diastolic pressure showed no firm difference.
nutrition; aging; blood pressure; multicenter trial; Europe.
Adding exercise or counseling showed no change in pregnancy weight gain
Gestational diabetes also showed no difference. 219 healthy, inactive pregnant women in Denmark were randomized to three groups.
pregnancy; exercise; gestational weight gain; maternal and infant health; randomized trial.
The exercise program added no advantage for quitting smoking
Everyone received patches and counseling; 392 adults were assigned to exercise or a wellness program, and similar proportions remained smoke-free.
tobacco use; exercise; behavior change; clinical trial; United States.
A digital therapy reduced insomnia more than a sleep-habits guide
The advantage over the guide lasted through 24 weeks in 336 U.S. adults with confirmed insomnia.
sleep; insomnia; digital health; cognitive behavioral therapy; randomized trial.
An integrated program begun during radiotherapy reduced visceral fat
Among 95 women with breast cancer, the program group also improved more on a physical-capacity test at three months.
breast cancer; physical activity; nutrition; mindfulness; survivorship.
Video-supervised exercise improved movement tests, but not blood sugar
Among 33 adults with type 2 diabetes, those who trained remotely improved more on movement and sleep tests. Blood sugar did not differ.
type 2 diabetes; exercise; telehealth; physical fitness; sleep.
Same exercises in water and on land produced similar results
Among 30 women with knee osteoarthritis, the only between-group difference favored land exercise on a walking test.
osteoarthritis; rehabilitation; aquatic exercise; pain; mobility.
Four years of exercise: a small advantage on one cognitive test
The advantage on the primary cognitive test appeared among those who started without difficulties. The comparison was not convincing among those with memory complaints.
aging; exercise; memory; attention; cognition.
Confidence-building strategies increased confidence, but not strength
In older adults with overweight or obesity in Thailand, both groups improved on physical tests. Confidence increased more with the strategies.
aging; overweight; obesity; strength training; self-efficacy.
When deprivation was added, diversity was less consistently linked to lower cohesion
In Great Britain, after accounting for each area's material disadvantage, most negative associations weakened or disappeared.
ethnic diversity; religion; trust; material inequality; community
Lower-income people had fewer high-income friends than expected
On Facebook, about half of that gap was associated with less exposure to one another. The other half was associated with fewer friendships forming when they did meet.
social capital; segregation; friendship; digital networks; economic mobility
Each account's politics was more closely linked to what it shared than to the source
On U.S. Twitter, accounts' estimated political orientation aligned more with what they shared than with the reliability of the sites.
social media; polarization; COVID-19; retweets; news
Average trust did not change with social assistance in Kenya
Among informal-economy households, there was no average change. In counties with restrictions, some estimates pointed to greater trust.
social protection; institutional trust; cooperation; COVID-19; East Africa
People who talked more with others reported less psychological distress
Across 40 disadvantaged London neighborhoods, more personal contact was associated with fewer symptoms, while civic participation was associated with more.
social capital; neighborhoods; London; mental health; neighborhood participation
When groups mixed, shared cooperation was rewarded more
In a game with 366 people, cooperation across groups rose when cross-group meetings were assigned or chosen, although most people chose their own group.
cooperation; indirect reciprocity; experiment; social groups
Older adults had more social support in areas with community initiatives
Social support was higher in areas with initiatives. Models also associated both initiative categories with greater mental well-being.
older adults; social connection; community assets; Catalonia; local services
Among refugees in Germany, each kind of support had its own network
Almost half of those providing practical help were new contacts. Emotional support came mainly from family.
forced migration; Germany; practical support; companionship; personal networks
Trust in institutions went along with feeling safer
In surveys from Italy and 16 European countries, it also went along with greater trust in strangers. An experiment found no direct change.
perceived safety; public trust; multinational survey; experiment
In German classrooms, refugees were named as friends less often
They also faced more rejections as desk partners: 31% versus 21%. Rejection was lower in more diverse classrooms.
friendship networks; school integration; Germany; adolescence; social climate
Receiving financial support from their children went along with less work
They reported what they had done the previous day and what financial and caregiving support they gave to or received from their children. The team then looked for patterns.
rural China; families; intergenerational support; domestic work; community participation
Counties with greater community trust recorded fewer infections
Across more than 2,700 US counties, they also recorded fewer deaths. Institutional trust showed no such link with infections.
neighbor trust; norms; COVID-19; counties; United States
Greater exposure to false messages, but similar willingness to share them
With more connections among like-minded people in artificial networks, over 70% saw congenial false messages. In integrated networks, just over 35% did.
misinformation; network experiment; ideology; diffusion
In a disaster, neighbors combined memory, relationships, and technical knowledge
Close ties provided practical and emotional help, while outside contacts expanded available resources, according to three Colombian communities.
social capital; prevention; response; recovery; local governance
People who connected different groups were more involved with politicians
This pattern appeared among members of associations in a French town of about 2,000 residents. Among politicians, the standout factor was how much they participated.
voluntary associations; networks; civic participation; municipal politics
Older adults said a lack of transport could mean missing social gatherings
Shops, streets, and meaningful roles created opportunities to meet, according to accounts from 15 Australians aged 60 or older.
aging; community; public spaces; digital technology; local policy
Valuing inclusion was more closely linked to colleagues than to training
Among 2,043 employees who had already received training, leaders’ support was also associated with believing that one’s own actions can make a difference.
diversity; organizational climate; workplace interactions; attitudes
Nearly 80% saw libraries as potential places to meet
Among 605 complete responses to an open survey in England, lack of funding was the most frequently cited barrier.
public space; social connection; community health; digital literacy
A more human-sounding voice went along with greater stated willingness to use the assistant
Biometric authentication also went along with greater stated willingness. The combination had the highest average, with no detectable interaction in usage intention.
voice assistants anthropomorphism biometrics human-computer interaction technology adoption
Resistance to an assistant was linked to risk more than to intrusiveness
Among 419 people in China, perceived intrusiveness was not directly linked to resistance. A relationship appeared through perceived risk.
privacy perceived risk voice assistants technology adoption survey
After helping a robot, people responded faster near its robotic hand
Thirty people helped a robot cut soap before an attention task. Among 22 others who did not collaborate beforehand, the pattern did not appear.
social robotics human-robot collaboration spatial attention perception experiment
Only a minority rejected risky permissions on their phones
Some 26% rejected at least one privacy permission and 33% at least one security permission. For privacy, people who deliberated more rejected more often.
cyber hygiene privacy app permissions mobile security informational intervention
While searching for assistive-technology funding, ten people got stuck
They completed 120 of 164 tasks in a Canadian funding database. After revisions, the second round rated it easier to use.
accessibility assistive technology user-centered design web usability Canada
Broadband: more internet access and use, with no clear improvement in skills
In rural Chinese households, broadband coincided with greater access and use. With technical training, there was a favorable association with skills.
connectivity broadband digital divide rural infrastructure China
Labeling an image as AI-made did little to change willingness to share it
People who saw labels believed a misleading post less. Deception warnings also lowered some intentions to engage.
generative AI social media misinformation labeling experiment
Being able to adjust the algorithm made it more popular, but slightly less accurate
When predicting students’ math performance, human oversight increased algorithm choice by 7 percentage points and slightly increased error.
automation human oversight decision-making experiment automation bias
Some content changed, but opinions showed no consistent change
Nearly 9,000 US adults used a YouTube-like platform with altered recommendations, and researchers measured their political attitudes.
YouTube recommendation systems political polarization naturalistic experiment digital media
A visible, alarming notice: six in ten rejected cookies
About 22% rejected cookies with the comparison notice. Greater visibility and a stronger threat each separately went along with more rejections.
information security notices visual design cookies online experiment
Fewer employees opened the fake link after information or practice
At a Dutch ministry, about one-third visited the test link without intervention. Informed or trained groups were 7 to 9 points lower.
cybersecurity phishing training field experiment organizational security
Fewer megabits, similar internet use, and more frustration
In rural British Columbia communities, people reporting less than 50 Mbps had fewer devices and watched less streaming content.
broadband digital divide infrastructure rural connectivity Canada
The more useful an app seemed, the more people wanted to install it
With fictional apps, choosing permissions went along with greater willingness to install the weather app, but not the messaging or puzzle apps.
mobile privacy permissions user control data security apps
Older adults tried home sensors: few chose a camera
In the second phase, 19 of 22 older adults chose the smart speaker. Three of 22 chose the IP camera.
Internet of Things smart home aging sensors privacy
Transparency and control shaped trust in home sensors
Sixteen people in a Bristol project described what mattered to their trust. Some had trouble recalling or understanding the consent information.
smart home privacy informed consent data qualitative study
Mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen: none won every Word task
Of 56 tasks, the mouse was fastest in 27, the touchscreen in 23, and the touchpad in six. The mouse had fewer errors in 32.
usability interfaces office software touchscreen adaptive design
Password managers: convenient for users, concerning for nonusers
Of 248 US adults, 137 used a manager and 111 did not. Users emphasized usefulness; others worried about concentrating all their passwords in one place.
authentication passwords usable security trust privacy
Feeling in control of data and trust were linked through understanding
Among 68 Brazilian students who tested a simulated smart building, control and trust were linked through privacy awareness, not directly.
personal data store granular consent privacy connected sensors interface experimentNo readings match this search. Try another word or choose a topic.