In a new study, participants tended to judge faces appearing against backgrounds featuring houseplants or bookcases as more trustworthy and competent than faces with a living space or a novelty image behind them. Gender and facial expression also appeared to influence judgments. Research led by Paddy Ross, Abi Cook and Meg Thompson at Durham University,...
Commerce
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The Alexander McQueen Fashion House and Sarah Burton Announce the End of Their Collaboration
The Alexander McQueen fashion House and Creative Director Sarah Burton today announce the end of their collaboration after two decades together. The Spring-Summer ’24 fashion show in Paris in September will mark the conclusion of a highly successful partnership that began when Sarah Burton became Creative Director of the fashion House in May 2010, having...
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Employee Surveys May Miss Out on Uncovering Toxic Leadership Practices
Standardized and overly simplistic questionnaires are only scratching the surface of what employees think of their leaders, according to new research from Binghamton University’s School of Management (SOM), and negative behavior may be slipping through the cracks. As a result, the research finds, organizations may be missing out on critical information that could be keeping toxic...
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New Study Uncovers the Causes of the Qing Dynasty’s Collapse
The Qing Dynasty in China, after over 250 years, crumbled in 1912. Led by the Complexity Science Hub (CSH), an international research team has pinpointed key reasons behind the collapse, revealing parallels to modern instability and offering vital lessons for the future. China is considered today to be the world’s largest economy (in terms of...
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Prisoners ‘Trading Rare Jaguar Parts for Fashion Items’
Prisoners in Bolivia are trading in jaguar skins and other wild animal body parts to produce wallets, hats, and belts for sale in local markets. The fangs and bones of jaguars are being illegally exported for use as traditional Asian medicine. The trade, which further threatens the future of this species, has been uncovered by...
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Inside the Grogue Wars of Cabo Verde
At what point does a craft spirit no longer qualify as craft? For centuries on the archipelago nation Cabo Verde off Africa’s west coast, farmers have produced a sugar cane-based craft spirit known as “grogue.” The liquor – an effervescent spirit with light grassy notes – has a rich cultural legacy and has historically been...
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Flexible, Supportive Company Culture Makes for Better Remote Work
The pandemic made remote work the norm for many, but that doesn’t mean it was always a positive experience. Remote work can have many advantages: increased flexibility, inclusivity for parents and people with disabilities, and work-life balance. But it can also cause issues with collaboration, communication, and the overall work environment. New research from the...
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Allies Seek Big-Business Investment to Rebuild Ukraine at London Conference
Diplomats from dozens of countries are meeting Wednesday in London to drum up funds to rebuild Ukraine, a mammoth task whose cost is estimated by the World Bank at more than $400 billion – a figure rising daily alongside the human toll of the 16-month war. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to...
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Big Money Bought the PGA Tour, but Can It Make Golf a Popular Sport in Saudi Arabia?
The recent merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi-funded LIV Golf – now being reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice over antitrust concerns – stunned the golf community. A year ago, the idea that Saudi Arabia – an absolute monarchy with few golf courses, scant public interest in the sport and...
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Meat Processing Plants: What Factors Are Critical for Survival?
Meat processing plants in the U.S. have garnered considerable public attention in recent years, often focusing on production and labor issues. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the vulnerability of large, concentrated plants, as major shutdowns led to reduced output and higher meat prices for consumers. Policy makers have launched initiatives at the state and federal levels...
