Have you ever noticed how easily people can see the meaning in other’s behaviour? We seem to intuitively know why our child drags us towards the shop window, why our friend steers clear of the spider, or why our partner hands us a drink after a workout. Sometimes, however, this tendency leads us to cling...
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Is It Really ‘Dry Clean Only’?
Knowing the do’s and don’ts of washing your clothes can be difficult, but chemistry has got your back. With a quick lesson in textile chemistry, you’ll be able to understand the different fabrics that make up your clothes. This week on Reactions, we’ll explore whether it’s safe to wash your favorite new shirt at home...
The Secret to a Stable Society? A Steady Supply of Beer Doesn’t Hurt
A thousand years ago, the Wari empire stretched across Peru. At its height, it covered an area the size of the Eastern seaboard of the US from New York City to Jacksonville. It lasted for 500 years, from 600 to 1100 AD, before eventually giving rise to the Inca. That’s a long time for an...
How Partisan Politics Could Take a Bite Out of Your Wallet
When individuals lack the skill or time to build an investment portfolio, they frequently invest in mutual funds. Ideally, mutual funds maximize client wealth by investing their clients’ assets in funds that best match the client’s investment strategy (low-risk, short-term, etc.). However, research by SDSU finance professor, Dr. Yaoyi Xi, and Dr. M. Babajide Wintoki...
Every Third Housing Estate Resident Feels Trapped
Involuntary staying, a type of housing trap, is a common experience among people living on housing estates, since around one in three residents feel that they are trapped in their current residential arrangements. More than half of them would like to move away from their current neighbourhoods. According to the residents own estimation, the most...
At Last, Acknowledging Royal Women’s Political Power
The narratives we tell about the past often feature a cast of familiar main characters: kings and rulers, warriors and diplomats — men who made laws and fought wars, who held power over others in their own lands and beyond. When women enter our stories, we rarely afford them much agency. But across the globe...
Men Sometimes Act Less Interested in Sex — in Order to Get It
When heterosexuals have casual sex, previous research indicates it is typically the woman who sets the boundaries. If she’s not interested, usually nothing will happen. “When men and women in the study met, about half of the men said they were interested in having sex with the woman, whereas most women were uninterested initially,” says...
The Sword of a Hispano-Muslim Warlord Is Digitized in 3D
At age 90, Ali Atar, one of the main military chiefs of King Boabdil of Granada, fought to his death in the Battle of Lucena in 1483. It was there that his magnificent Nasrid sword was taken away from him, and researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia and a company from Toledo have now...
Women Are 30 Percent Less Likely to Be Considered for a Hiring Process Than Men
Women are on average 30% less likely to be called for a job interview than men with the same characteristics. In addition, gender bias is higher if the candidates have lower qualifications than if, in addition to what is required, they have knowledge of an additional language and more work experience. These are the conclusions...
Crisis Management: When Your Celebrity Advertising Endorser Generates Negative Publicity
Key Takeaways: If a brand handles negative publicity surrounding its celebrity endorser it can actually gain value. Some definitive action is always better than no response. Firing the celebrity endorser isn’t the only corrective action available to brands. Researchers from the University of Connecticut and Free University of Berlin published new research in the INFORMS...