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Iowa State University


Study shows quizzes improve academic performance

A meta-analytic study of existing research found that frequent quizzes help students better grasp classroom material, leading to improved academic performance. The study discovered a strong link between quizzing and student success, with students who took quizzes performing better on midterm and final exams.

SourceIowa State University·JournalEducational Psychology Review·DateSep 17, 2020

New study on migration success reinforces need for monarch butterfly milkweed habitat

A recent analysis of tagged monarch butterflies' migration from the US to Mexico found no decline in migration success and contradicts the theory that increased mortality during migration is driving population decline. The study highlights the importance of creating new habitat for milkweed, a crucial plant for monarchs' survival.

SourceIowa State University·JournalFrontiers in Ecology and Evolution·DateSep 2, 2020

Tendency to select targeted retirement fund ending in zero may impact wealth

A new study by Iowa State University researchers reveals that individuals tend to select retirement funds ending in zero, leading to an incompatible level of risk and potentially lower total wealth at retirement. The findings suggest that demographic factors such as age, income, and education can influence the likelihood of this 'zero'...

SourceIowa State University·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·DateJul 27, 2020

More Americans struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep

A new study from Iowa State University found that nearly 1 in 6 adults experience difficulty falling or staying asleep, with those reporting healthy sleep length struggling the most. The research suggests that targeting factors influencing initiation and maintenance of sleep could be key to improving sleep health.

SourceIowa State University·JournalSleep Health·DateNov 12, 2019

The benefits of updating agricultural drainage infrastructure

A new study from Iowa State University highlights the need to update agricultural drainage infrastructure, which can benefit crop production and the environment. The research recommends installing higher capacity pipes and implementing long-term conservation practices, such as denitrification wetlands, bioreactors, and saturated buffers.

SourceIowa State University·JournalNature Sustainability·DateOct 7, 2019

No evidence that power posing works

Iowa State University researcher Marcus Credé found nearly all power posing studies were poorly designed and failed to compare power poses to normal poses. Only four studies met the criteria, showing that feelings of power diminished when compared to neutral pose.

SourceIowa State University·JournalMeta-Psychology·DateOct 1, 2019

New study could reset how scientists view sex determination in painted turtle populations

A new study from Iowa State University analyzed decades of data on painted turtle populations and found a wide variation in temperature sensitivity within local populations, defying theoretical expectations. The findings suggest that temperature-dependent sex determination may be more resilient to changes in temperature than previously...

SourceIowa State University·JournalFunctional Ecology·DateAug 6, 2019

Family experience influences diabetes risk, management for African-Americans

Research reveals that African American families' cultural acceptance of larger body size and optimistic bias can limit their perceived risk for Type 2 diabetes. The study found that open communication within families and with medical professionals is essential for effective management of the disease. Parents who openly discuss their di...

SourceIowa State University·JournalGlobal Qualitative Nursing Research·DateJul 24, 2019

How the mosquito immune system fights off the malaria parasite

A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that mosquitoes employ a multi-stage immune response to combat malaria parasites, involving a complement-like pathway and phenoloxidases. This understanding could lead to opportunities to eliminate malaria parasites in the mosquito, reducing human cases.

SourceIowa State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 10, 2019

Physicists use light waves to accelerate supercurrents, enable ultrafast quantum computing

Researchers at Iowa State University have demonstrated the ability to control macroscopic supercurrents using terahertz light, a breakthrough that could lead to faster and more efficient quantum computers. This discovery opens up new avenues for electromagnetic design of emergent materials properties and collective coherent oscillations.

SourceIowa State University·JournalNature Photonics·DateJul 1, 2019