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Move over, heartfelt chats, it's the gift that counts

The next time you're looking to cheer up a friend or loved one, giving them a small gift—flowers, candy, a homemade treat—may lift their spirits faster and better than a supportive talk.

People infer the past better than the future, study finds

If you started watching a movie from the middle without knowing its plot, you'd likely be better at inferring what had happened earlier than predicting what will happen next, according to a new Dartmouth-led study published ...

Survey reports on Jewish students' experiences at US colleges

The percentage of Jewish students on U.S. college campuses who said their Jewish identity was very important to them increased significantly from 2022 to 2024, according to a new study by a Tufts political scientist. An increasing ...

Scientists unlock secret of 'Girl With Pearl Earring'

Johannes Vermeer's "Girl With The Pearl Earring" is one of the world's most popular paintings—and now scientists believe they know why, by measuring how the brain reacts when the work is viewed.

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Social Sciences
Study: Conservative users' misinformation sharing drives higher suspension rates, not platform bias
Social Sciences
Climate shocks associated with higher rates of intimate partner violence against women
Social Sciences
London Standard's AI-generated review, by late art critic Brian Sewell, exposes a significant philosophical threat
Social Sciences
Networking doesn't have to be a chore. Here are three ways to make it more enjoyable and effective
Social Sciences
Solidarity drives online virality in a nation under attack, study of Ukrainian social media reveals
Social Sciences
Seven years on, study reveals #MeToo's unexpected impact on consumer behavior
Social Sciences
Being 'mindful' about your bank account can bring more than peace of mind: A researcher explains the payoff
Social Sciences
'Iyashikei' healing manga comforts readers with attention to small joys
Social Sciences
State mandates requiring genocide education lack standards to guide teachers, study finds
Social Sciences
School 'social structures' perpetuate inequalities for children with disabilities, study says
Social Sciences
Why being like your boss still matters—especially if you share political views
Social Sciences
Social media experiment shows prosocial nudges fail to reduce online hate
Social Sciences
Public discourse promotes socially responsible market behavior, finds study
Social Sciences
Intergeneration research shows immigrants to the US assimilate as well now as they did over a century ago
Social Sciences
Western media outlets are trying to fix their coverage of Africa. Is it time African media did the same?
Social Sciences
Street harassment of women in Spain: Frequency increases anxiety and lowers self-esteem, finds study
Social Sciences
Why pay tax? African study finds trust in government is key
Social Sciences
Online misinformation most likely to be believed by ideological extremists, study shows
Social Sciences
Ride-hailing apps reduce racial discrimination impact, new study suggests
Social Sciences
Fathers with low incomes are emotionally resilient, finds study

Other news

Molecular & Computational biology
Phage cocktail shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria
Condensed Matter
Harnessing magnetic relaxation: 'Pac-Man effect' enables precise organization of superparamagnetic beads
Space Exploration
Investigating the possibility of using asteroid material to grow edible biomass for astronauts
Superconductivity
Direct measurement of a subtle current phase relation shows potential for more stable superconducting qubits
Earth Sciences
Antarctic 'greening' at dramatic rate, satellite data show
Materials Science
Innovative method targets removal of PFAS from wastewater
Space Exploration
Solar flares may cause faint auroras across top of Northern Hemisphere
Evolution
Study determines when and how pterosaurs went from tiny tree-climbers to towering terrestrial titans
Earth Sciences
Better monitoring of mining remediation: Selenium isotopes are good gauge of clean-up efforts
Space Exploration
ESA's Hera spacecraft set for asteroid 'crime scene investigation'
Astronomy
The earliest galaxies formed amazingly fast after the Big Bang. Do they break the universe or change its age?
Superconductivity
Niobium-tin magnet could be key to unlocking potential of heavy-ion accelerator
Astronomy
Traces of antimatter in cosmic rays reopen the search for 'WIMPs' as dark matter
Plants & Animals
Drier winter habitat impacts songbirds' ability to survive migration
Analytical Chemistry
Electricity-driven catalyst offers climate-neutral methane production
Biotechnology
X-ray scattering technique pinpoints new targets for antibiotic drug development
Soft Matter
Scientists achieve unprecedented control of active matter
Earth Sciences
Extensive afforestation and reforestation can brake global warming
Environment
Addressing climate change and inequality: A win-win policy solution
Archaeology
Archaeologists shed light on the Tartessos culture's sustainable construction skills

Disinformation may reinforce polarization in society

With over 4 billion people eligible to vote in elections, 2024 is the largest election year ever. At the same time, disinformation and polarization on social media pose unprecedented challenges to the democratic process.

New methods to improve the accuracy of cross-national surveys

Research by Social Statistics has highlighted new methods to improve the accuracy of cross-national surveys. Cross-national surveys run the risk of differential survey errors, where data collected vary in quality from country ...

What drives us to be anonymous online?

University of Queensland researchers have found there are two key reasons people choose to be anonymous online—self-expression or toxic behavior.

AI meets citizen science to unlock the nature of storytelling

A new project led by McGill University researchers seeks to understand one of humanity's oldest practices and most powerful tools—storytelling. From ancient oral traditions to modern-day literature and digital narratives, ...