The introduction of communication technologies appears to bias historical records in the direction of the content best suited for each technology, according to a study published in PLOS ONE by C. Jara-Figueroa and colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. Studying the societal impact of new communication technologies is challenging, due to limited data on historical...
A frosty mug of beer or ruby-red glass of wine just wouldn’t be the same if the liquid was murky or gritty. That’s why producers of alcoholic beverages usually filter them. But in a study appearing in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers report that a material often used as a filter could be...
Smartphones have become a constant companion for many of us. In a recent study by the Pew Research Center, nearly 50 percent of adults reported they “couldn’t live without” their phones. Whether at the supermarket, in the doctor’s office, or in bed at night, it can be tempting to pick up the device and start...
Few years from now, students in schools all over the world will receive part of their education in virtual learning environments. Wearing VR-goggles the students will be able to enter dimensional, simulated places and situations that they would normally not have access to because it would be too expensive, too dangerous or physically impossible. Teaching...
The chili pepper, from an evolutionary perspective, is the tomato’s long-lost spitfire cousin. They split off from a common ancestor 19 million years ago but still share some of the same DNA. While the tomato plant went on to have a fleshy, nutrient-rich fruit yielding bountiful harvests, the more agriculturally difficult chili plant went defensive,...
Teams that come from behind do not have a greater chance of winning in overtime, according to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers in a study published in the Journal of Economic Psychology, debunking theories of how psychological momentum in sports and in life lead to success. “People talk about momentum as an indicator for...
For years, the American Academy of Pediatrics had suggested a limit of two hours a day of TV for children and teens. But after screen time started to include phones and tablets, these guidelines needed an update. So last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics changed its recommendations: No more than one hour of screen...
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London have developed an app to understand why some rhythms are more difficult to perform than others. They collected and analyzed a huge dataset of more than 100,000 people and found that changing rhythm is more difficult than playing a complex individual rhythm. The app challenges users to play Clapping...
Many critics have denounced smartphone manufacturers in recent years for producing devices that quickly become obsolete, creating a “planned obsolescence” that is costly for consumers and the global environment. Yet while many consumers clamor for increased “repairability” — and thus longer lifespans — for these devices, a new Yale-led study finds that there is a...
Scientists have discovered that regular use of the party drug GHB, and especially unconsciousness following GHB use, is associated with brain changes including negative effects on long-term memory, working memory, IQ, and higher levels of stress and anxiety. This work is presented at the ECNP conference in Barcelona, following partial peer-review publication*. GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), also...
