Social systems as a research area investigates structured patterns of social relationships, interactions, and institutions using formal theories and empirical methods drawn from sociology, systems theory, network science, and related fields. It focuses on the dynamic organization of individuals, groups, and organizations into interdependent networks, analyzing feedback processes, emergence, stability, and change. Researchers model social systems at multiple scales, from micro-level interactions to macro-level structures, often employing mathematical modeling, agent-based simulations, and quantitative data analysis to study phenomena such as coordination, cooperation, inequality, diffusion, governance, and resilience in complex, adaptive social environments.
Female sweat bees need to make a pivotal life decision: remain in the nest to help their mother raise more offspring or leave to establish nests of their own. New research from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 28, 2026
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Swidden agriculture—often called "slash-and-burn"—has been practiced on every inhabited continent throughout human history, and for decades it has been blamed for the destruction of the world's rainforests. However, a new ...
Environment
Jul 25, 2026
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As the climate becomes increasingly variable and extreme events become more frequent, accelerating the use of innovations that can strengthen agricultural resilience has become a priority for agrifood systems. Science has ...
Agriculture
Jul 24, 2026
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In mammals, males are usually stronger and more competitive than females. Males also show greater inequality in reproductive success—the number of offspring they produce—than females. In spotted hyenas, the opposite is true: ...
Evolution
Jul 23, 2026
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When talking about Hawaiʻi's food security, the conversation often focuses on physical infrastructure—warehouses, cold storage and doubling crop production to reduce the need to import 90% of food. A new policy article by ...
Agriculture
Jul 21, 2026
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Imagine a future where everyone has enough, on a planet that stays livable. A new report makes the case that it's within reach.
Environment
Jul 21, 2026
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How do bees make group decisions without a leader? Math experts have determined that the best strategy is for a few to assume the risk of foraging under all conditions while the majority stay safely back and forage only when ...
Ecology
Jul 10, 2026
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Digital technologies—from artificial intelligence to smartphones and data centers—are often described as "clean" innovations. Yet every device depends on minerals, electricity, labor and global supply chains, raising important ...
Environment
Jul 9, 2026
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According to a new study by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), most European citizens consider economic growth a necessary condition, rather than an ...
Environment
Jul 2, 2026
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Five carmakers are involved in a case at the High Court in London over claims that they cheated on emissions tests. A decade ago, the "dieselgate" scandal broke, eventually forcing Volkswagen to pay billions of euros in fines ...
Environment
Jun 24, 2026
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