Harmful drinking among adults increases the longer they spend at home in lockdown, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. The research, based on a survey of nearly 2,000 over-18s in the US, is the first to highlight the relationship nationally between hazardous drinking and life stresses triggered...
Culture
Men Feel Less Powerful in Their Private Lives
Men perceive themselves as having less power in their private than in their public lives, a new study from Lund University has suggested. Furthermore, both men and women agree: power in your private life matters more than that in public life. Power is often associated with men who possess visible status and money. But it...
The Beauty and Brilliance of Baxsan, One of the Most Popular Somali Singers of All Time
Seynab Haji Ali Siigaale, widely known as Baxsan, passed away on 19 October 2020 and was buried a day later in Sheikh Sufi Cemetery behind the Somali National Theatre building in the capital Mogadishu. Along with the likes of Halima Khalif Omar ‘Magool’, Baxsan was one of the most popular female Somali singers of all...
How The Gringos Stole Tequila, a Review
Judge a book by its title and its cover; you’ll infer that the author has something powerful to convey. Book titles can be sensationalistic, and certainly How The Gringos Stole Tequila has a whiff of sensationalism, controversy, and cheekiness at the least. “Gringos”? “Stole”? Even the choice of the word “How” is sure to be...
What Day of the Dead Tells Us About the Aztec Philosophy of Happiness
Growing up in the United States, I remember on Halloween my mother used to say, “Honey, this is not just a day for costumes and candy. You must also remember your relatives. Know their names.” She would show me pictures of great-aunts, uncles and other deceased relatives. Meanwhile, my family members in Mexico observed Day...
Undocumented Immigrants May Actually Make American Communities Safer – Not More Dangerous
The big idea Undocumented immigration does not increase the violent crime rate in U.S. metropolitan areas. In fact, it may reduce property crime rates. These are the key findings from our recently published article in the Journal of Crime and Justice, co-authored by Yulin Yang, James Bachmeier and Mike Maciag. Research shows that the American...
Seeing No Longer Believing: the Manipulation of Online Images
A peace sign from Martin Luther King, Jr, becomes a rude gesture; President Donald Trump’s inauguration crowd scenes inflated; dolphins in Venice’s Grand Canal; and crocodiles on the streets of flooded Townsville – all manipulated images posted as truth. Image editing software is so ubiquitous and easy to use, according to researchers from QUT’s Digital...
1 in 12 Parents Say Their Teen Has Attended a Demonstration About Racism or Police Reform
A growing number of demonstrators taking to the streets to protest police brutality and racial injustice may include teenagers, a new national poll suggests. One in 12 parents say their teen has attended an event about racism or police reform this year, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at...
Ancient Maya Built Sophisticated Water Filters
Ancient Maya in the once-bustling city of Tikal built sophisticated water filters using natural materials they imported from miles away, according to the University of Cincinnati (UC). UC researchers discovered evidence of a filter system at the Corriental reservoir, an important source of drinking water for the ancient Maya in what is now northern Guatemala....
Turbulent Era Sparked Leap in Human Behavior, Adaptability 320,000 Years Ago
For hundreds of thousands of years, early humans in the East African Rift Valley could expect certain things of their environment. Freshwater lakes in the region ensured a reliable source of water, and large grazing herbivores roamed the grasslands. Then, around 400,000 years ago, things changed. The environment became less predictable, and human ancestors faced...