The sudden emergence of witch trials in early modern Europe may have been fueled by one of humanity’s most significant intellectual milestones: the invention of the printing press in 1450. A recent study in Theory and Society shows that the printing of witch-hunting manuals, particularly the Malleus maleficarum in 1487, played a crucial role in spreading persecution across Europe. The study...
Researchers from Western University, Stockton University, and University of Massachusetts Amherst published a new Journal of Marketing article that examines if firms benefit from adopting popular nicknames in their branding efforts. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled “BMW is Powerful, Beemer is Not: Nickname Branding Impairs Brand Performance” and is authored by Zhe Zhang, Ning Ye, and Matthew Thomson....
Conventional food and agricultural production systems employ a linear “take, make, waste” approach: taking natural resources from the Earth to make food and fuel, generating waste that contaminates the soil and water, and emitting harmful pollutants. More recently, a new model of production is gaining traction in the scientific and business community: a “circular bioeconomy”...
Rates of obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are lower among British adults in their 30s and 40s compared to their counterparts in the US, according to a new study led by UCL researchers. However, people in Britain are more likely to be regular smokers and to judge their health as poor. Published in the International...
Key Takeaways: A new systematic review led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute examined a wide body of evidence documenting pediatric mental health outcomes in the period following FDA Black-Box Warnings that antidepressants may be associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors among youth. The data indicate that these warnings, meant to increase monitoring of...
Key points: Among more than 15,000 SNAP participants across 35 states, food insufficiency increased by 8.4% after pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments expired. Emergency allotments provided participants up to $250 additional support per month. Emergency allotment expiration also led to a 2.1% increase in use of food pantries and a 2% increase...
America’s obsession with grades is failing students and jeopardizing the future of education, a University of Mississippi professor argues in his new book. Josh Eyler, director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, recently released “Failing Our Future: How Grades Harm Students, and What We Can Do About It” (Johns Hopkins University Press), in which he argues...
C-suites are filled with strong personalities that can help drive new and exciting offerings. But when it comes to breakthrough technological innovations, a new study published in Strategic Management Journal found it’s essential that CEO overconfidence is balanced by a board of directors with expertise and power. Prior studies have shown that overconfident CEOs are more likely to pursue...
Magic tricks make the impossible seem possible. Magicians have long captivated audiences with visual tricks, such as pulling a bunny from a hat or sawing someone in half, but tricks that rely on sound are scarce. A new article published in the Cell Press journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences on October 4 explores why creating a magical...
Humans and dogs have been birds of a feather for millennia. But how can such distant species understand each other? A recent study published in PLOS Biology by researchers from the University of Geneva and the Hearing Institute, an Institut Pasteur Center, reveals that the pair meets halfway between their differences to communicate together. From their findings,...
