A survey of 5,500 Brazilian and Italian school students aged 14-16 pointed to nationality, social perceptions of science and household income as more influential than religion. The findings are published in PLOS ONE (photo: Taylor Flowe/Unsplash) Religion influences secondary school students’ understanding and acceptance of evolutionary theory, but social and cultural factors such as nationality,...
Culture
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New MIT Sloan Research on Identity Cues in Social Media Shows It’s Not Just What Is Said but Who Says It That Matters
One of the first and most controversial policy changes Elon Musk proposed after taking the helm at Twitter last week, was to overhaul Twitter’s verification and identity systems by making users pay for Twitter’s blue verification checks. After claiming that “widespread verification will democratize journalism and empower the voice of the people,” Musk also suggested applying identity cues to...
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TikTok Perpetuates Toxic Diet Culture Among Teens and Young Adults
New research from the University of Vermont finds the most viewed content on TikTok relating to food, nutrition and weight perpetuates a toxic diet culture among teens and young adults and that expert voices are largely missing from the conversation. Published today in PLOS One, the study found weight-normative messaging, the idea that weight is the most...
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Japan’s ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ Philosophy Has Deep Religious and Cultural Roots, from Monsters and Meditation to Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up
The word “waste” is often frightening. People fear not making the most of their time, whether at work or at leisure, and failing to live life to the fullest. Warnings against waste run especially deep in Japanese culture. Many Americans are familiar with the famous decluttering technique of organization guru Marie Kondo, who wrote “The...
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In Mexico, Day of the Dead Is Actually a Celebration of Life
During the Day of the Dead celebrations that take place in late October and early November in Mexico, the living remember and honor their dearly departed, but with celebration — not sorrow. Marigolds decorate the streets as music blares from speakers. Adults and children alike dress as skeletons and take photos, capturing the annual joy-filled festivities. It...
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Sacheen Littlefeather and Ethnic Fraud – Why the Truth Is Crucial, Even It It Means Losing an American Indian Hero
When Sacheen Littlefeather died on Oct. 2, 2022, obituaries reflecting on the actress and activist’s life held her up as a Native American trailblazer. But there is serious issue with this assessment: A suspicion among those who knew her – myself included – that her claims to American Indian heritage were not what they seemed...
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Romeo and Juliet – Miami City Ballet
Few stories are as well-known as the classic Romeo and Juliet, and unless you are the most jaded individual, it touches you in ways familiar and new, if you give it a chance. The play, film versions, the orchestral music score by Prokofiev, the opera, even the original poem; all have their special charms. Add...
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Dating Profile Text Perceived as More Original May Spark More Attraction
A new study involving users of online dating sites has revealed a link between the perceived originality of text in dating profiles and better impressions of attractiveness. Tess van der Zanden and colleagues at Tilburg University in The Netherlands present these findings in PLOS ONE and reveal the features of “original” profiles. Previous research has...
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Powerful Women Heading Up Dating Apps Are Framed as Young and Sexy
People are swiping on dating apps in record numbers and roughly half of these individuals identify as women, which may be the reason why the dating app industry recently assigned the top leadership roles to women. Indeed, this past year, the most powerful dating apps in the world — Bumble and Tinder — were both...
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Diwali: A Celebration of the Goddess Lakshmi, and Her Promise of Prosperity and Good Fortune
This year Diwali, a popular festival for Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs, will be celebrated on Oct. 24, the Amavasya, or new moon day, of the month of Kartik in the traditional Indian lunar calendar. Devotees across around the world will bring festivities into their homes by lighting earthen lamps called diyas, setting off fireworks,...
