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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
Street harassment of women in Spain: Frequency increases anxiety and lowers self-esteem, finds study
Social Sciences
Western media outlets are trying to fix their coverage of Africa. Is it time African media did the same?
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

Space Exploration
Nuclear rockets could travel to Mars in half the time, but designing the reactors that would power them isn't easy
Astronomy
Large radio bubble detected in galaxy NGC 4217
Analytical Chemistry
Using AI to figure out the chemical composition of paints used in classical paintings
Plants & Animals
Study of global primate populations reveals predictors of extinction risk
Earth Sciences
Limestone and iron reveal puzzling extreme rain in Western Australia 100,000 years ago
Molecular & Computational biology
Phage cocktail shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria
Astronomy
The earliest galaxies formed amazingly fast after the Big Bang. Do they break the universe or change its age?
Evolution
Study determines when and how pterosaurs went from tiny tree-climbers to towering terrestrial titans
Earth Sciences
Extensive afforestation and reforestation can brake global warming
Cell & Microbiology
Dietary zinc inhibits antimicrobial resistance gene transmission in lab tests
Condensed Matter
Harnessing magnetic relaxation: 'Pac-Man effect' enables precise organization of superparamagnetic beads
Nanophysics
Theoretical physicist uncovers how twisting layers of a material can generate mysterious electron-path-deflecting effect
Space Exploration
ESA's Hera spacecraft set for asteroid 'crime scene investigation'
Space Exploration
Investigating the possibility of using asteroid material to grow edible biomass for astronauts
Earth Sciences
Antarctic 'greening' at dramatic rate, satellite data show
Superconductivity
Direct measurement of a subtle current phase relation shows potential for more stable superconducting qubits
Astronomy
Traces of antimatter in cosmic rays reopen the search for 'WIMPs' as dark matter
Materials Science
Innovative method targets removal of PFAS from wastewater
Plants & Animals
Scientists uncover auditory 'sixth sense' in geckos
Superconductivity
Niobium-tin magnet could be key to unlocking potential of heavy-ion accelerator

Joking apart: What men and women find funny

Men rate visual jokes more highly than women do, whereas women prefer jokes that involve political commentary or the dynamics of close relationships, a new study of print cartoons dating from 1930-2010 finds.