The world according to Itskov: Futurists convene at GF2045 (Part 1)
As many Phys.org readers undoubtedly know, Einstein famously said that imagination is more important than knowledge – but there's more to it.
Social Sciences news
What is the best way to measure a researcher's scientific impact?
(Phys.org) —From a qualitative perspective, it's relatively easy to define a good researcher as one who publishes many good papers. But quantitatively measuring these papers is more complicated, since they can be measured ...
The enemy of my friend: Altruistic punishment in humans called into question
(Phys.org) —That Homo sapiens exhibits both cooperative and competitive behavior is a topic that continues to be the subject of ongoing discussion. In terms of cooperation, altruism (a selfless type of prosocial behavior ...
Cooperation vs. Competition: Greed is good -- but only a moderate amount
(PhysOrg.com) -- Relationships between cooperation, competition, and society have long been pondered by psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, economists, philosophers, and mathematicians. While (as might be expected) ...
Why Things Become Unpopular
(PhysOrg.com) -- "Why is everybody suddenly wearing those new sandals and listening to that new band? It's so trendy!" A recent study has investigated this sentiment in order to understand why some cultural products and styles ...
First archaeological case of cleft lip identified in China reveals inclusive care in Qing dynasty community
Orofacial clefts (OC; cleft lips and/or palates) require intense care immediately after birth and can lead to lifelong difficulties with eating and speaking, leading to social marginalization, stigmatization, and exclusion. ...
First physical evidence of Peruvian Hairless Dogs at Wari site uncovered in Peru
A study published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology combined zooarchaeology with multi-isotopic analysis to reveal the diverse life histories of ancient dogs in the Wari Empire (ca. 600–1050 CE). Not only has ...
Do you see faces in the clouds? Researchers examine pareidolia
Humans are masters of seeing faces in any old thing—a handbag, TV static, toasted white bread. Scientists want to know why. A few years ago, as the category 5 Hurricane Milton bore down on the Florida coast, the internet ...
Social Sciences
Apr 7, 2026
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Alignment during conversations is highly situation-dependent, study finds
When people are talking, they can start to unconsciously mirror each other, for instance, in the words they use, their sentence structures and even hand gestures. This tendency to mirror others can lead to smoother conversations, ...
Did you hear the one about scientists telling jokes? Not many did, according to a study of humor at conferences
To engage audiences and help keep their attention, many public speakers sprinkle their speeches with a little humor. It's a useful tool, but something that scientists rarely use, according to a report into humor at science ...
