Digital twins simulate real-world objects or systems, allowing researchers to explore unexplored scenarios and gain insights. Complexity data science combines techniques from complexity science and data science, providing novel capabilities for society's challenges.
Researchers analyzed Twitter posts and Google searches from 2016-2020 to identify seasonal allergy patterns across the US. They found a strong national pulse of allergy symptoms in March-May, with significant regional variations.
The Energy Transition Vulnerability Index (ETVI) measures a nation's susceptibility to adverse effects of transitioning away from fossil fuels. Countries in the Global South face greater challenges than those in the Global North, with global vulnerability decreasing but interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers propose a bi-threshold model to explain the decline of trends and information sharing, identifying two adoption thresholds for behaviors. The model outperformed traditional linear threshold models in testing with Twitter conversations around the Higgs boson and Weibo discussions on COVID-19 vaccinations.
Research suggests that cognitive effort enhances the perceived reward of unhealthy choices, such as overeating potato chips or seeking cocaine. This link may be adaptive in certain contexts and has significant implications for understanding addiction and other unhealthy behaviors.
A study found plastic mulch contaminates soil with up to 25 kg of macroplastic debris per hectare, affecting critical soil functions even under best management practices. Microplastics were also detected, with concentrations positively correlated with macroplastic levels.
Researchers identified ways in which partisans mistrust and inaccurately perceive their opponents, as well as ineffective interventions to combat misinformation. A Perspective proposes redesigning digital media platforms to combat polarization, with tools like generative AI to promote consensus across ideological divides.
A survey of nearly 10,000 Americans found that election delays cause distrust in the electoral process. Reassuring voters before polls close about normal delays can prevent distrust from taking root.
A study on attine ants reveals that beneficial bacteria live on the surface of their exoskeletons, which nourish these bacteria. The researchers found that these bacteria, including Pseudonocardia, are thought to have initially been gut symbionts and became cuticular symbionts around 20 million years ago.
Researchers developed a system to continuously monitor factory workers for signs of physical fatigue, using wearable sensors and machine learning. The system uses data from heart rate, skin temperature, and locomotor patterns to predict fatigue levels in real-time, with universal trends identified across individual variations.
Researchers found that people rate AI-generated headlines as less accurate and share them less, regardless of truthfulness. The effect is smaller than labeling false content, suggesting skepticism due to assumptions of full AI automation.
A new study links the construction of Nan Madol to sea level rise and ENSO variability, revealing two major construction phases. The site's history may hold lessons for today's Pacific Ocean communities struggling with coastal protection.
A pre-registered experiment found that seven nudges aimed at reducing hateful speech online had no effect, but unexpectedly increased engagement with harmless posts. The study recruited over 4,000 Americans and showed participants one of the nudges before engaging with a website featuring varied content.
A mathematical model suggests vaccinating children and teens against the flu can protect the elderly in tropical countries. Vaccination strategies focus on age-specific groups, with a particular emphasis on protecting older adults when vaccine supplies are limited.
Research suggests that immigrant assimilation patterns have remained consistent over the past century, with immigrants still working low-paying jobs and their children entering the middle class. Attitudes toward immigration are more positive than ever before, but also more polarized by political party.
A study links droughts in Southern Africa to a massive plankton bloom off Madagascar's southeast coast. Climate warming intensified the dust particles carried by wind, which acted as fertilizer in seawater, creating ideal conditions for phytoplankton growth.
A proof-of-concept study introduces a medical device that measures protease activity in human breath to diagnose lower respiratory tract infections. The system showed elevated levels of human neutrophil elastase in patients with confirmed lower respiratory tract infections, suggesting its potential for rapid and non-invasive diagnosis.
A study using machine learning to analyze patents and job task descriptions found that AI is likely to augment rather than replace many jobs. The most impacted occupations included orthodontists, security guards, and air traffic controllers.
Well-being is defined as a sense of belonging, agency, purpose, identity, civic engagement, and financial well-being. The authors summarize data-backed teaching practices supporting elements of student well-being, including supportive mentorships and experiential learning opportunities.
Researchers estimate that silage from maize, alfalfa, and sorghum crops can produce substantial amounts of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Chlorate addition may significantly lower N2O emissions, primarily due to denitrifying bacteria.
Researchers used body-worn camera footage to study changes in police behavior after procedural justice training, finding a significant increase in respectful communication techniques with drivers of all races. Post-training stops were twice as likely to use formal titles and express concern for the driver's safety.
A study found that people underestimates the income of the world's richest individuals, even as their share of national income increases. The authors suggest that this phenomenon, known as scope insensitivity, may contribute to the disparity.
A recent study found that national politics predominantly use abstract, moralized, and power-centric language, lacking local common ground. This shift is thought to fuel partisan animosity and provoke anger.
A recent study found that ChatGPT exhibits cultural values similar to those in English-speaking and Protestant European countries. The model's responses consistently reflected a focus on self-expression values, such as environmental protection and tolerance for diversity.
Gábor Domokos and colleagues develop 'soft cells' with rounded tile shapes that echo those found in nature, including river estuaries, zebra stripes, and muscle tissue. The researchers prove a theorem demonstrating the combinatorial abundance of soft tilings.
A modeling study suggests that one-sided interspecies cooperation can emerge and persist over time, with only one species benefiting. The authors use evolutionary game theory and the prisoner's dilemma to model this phenomenon, finding that natural selection may favor asymmetric states where one species exploits another.
Event attribution science will inform financial decisions on Loss and Damage by considering uncertainties and allocating funds effectively. The authors propose a multi-method hazard framework to deal with uncertainties and highlight the importance of integrating local knowledge and expertise.
A recent study analyzing electronic medical records found obese individuals have a 34% increased odds of SARS-CoV-2 positivity. The research highlights obesity as a significant transmission risk factor for the virus among exposed individuals, regardless of age or sex.
Charles Darwin's work on biological rhythms dates back to 1838, when he observed plant leaves closing in response to touch. He also noted seasonal and daily changes in animal behavior, hibernation patterns, and tidal rhythms, demonstrating a profound engagement with chronobiology.
A study of children's conversations with caretakers found that the Care/Harm foundation emerges at a younger age than other moral foundations, appearing in one-year-olds' speech. The study also showed that children tend to discuss fairness while caretakers focus on Purity/Degradation.
A study of 472 executives found that leadership ambition is linked to self-rated effectiveness, but not third-party evaluations. This implies that society may need alternative approaches to choosing and training leaders.
A recent study published in PNAS Nexus found that correcting misperceptions about partisan opponents has no impact on reducing political polarization. Hostile attitudes were relatively stable, while opinions on the out-party's support for undemocratic practices varied significantly.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine led to increased support for democracy, income redistribution, and the European Union among Europeans. Attitudes towards authoritarianism and anti-immigration views decreased as a result.
A recent study found that behavioral nudges in social media ads had limited ability to encourage COVID-19 vaccination across countries. Nudge ads with messages appealing to norms and family/ community protection performed better than placebo ads, but only in certain contexts.
A recent study has found that tropical ocean waters exhibit significant variability in temperature over time and space, contradicting the long-held 'climate variability hypothesis'. This unexpected finding may help explain why some fish species can tolerate a wider range of temperatures than others.
Researchers propose a noninvasive method to track blood pressure using resonance sonomanometry, stimulating an artery with sound waves and measuring its response. The device showed promising results in initial human trials, with measurements closely matching those from traditional blood pressure cuffs.
Researchers engineered human skin bacteria to produce less lactic acid, attracting fewer mosquitoes to mice. The engineered microbes reduced mosquito attraction by up to 64.4% and also prevented bites.
Research found higher bacterial concentrations in keloid tissue, especially in deep layers, leading to increased inflammation and fibroblast production. Antibiotics and phage treatments may help reduce bacteria and improve treatment outcomes for keloids.
High levels of formaldehyde and aldehydes are emitted from new cars on hot summer days, exceeding national safety limits. A machine learning model has been developed to predict in-cabin concentrations of volatile organic compounds, potentially informing exposure assessments and intelligent car systems.
Researchers caution against relying solely on LLMs for human participants due to cross-cultural variation and limited variability in responses. While LLMs can analyze text, they struggle with implicit, emotional, or context-dependent tasks, and their black-box nature hinders reproducibility.
A study on the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain found that limited waterpower resources contributed to the adoption of coal-based steam power. Waterpower was scarce in industrial regions like Manchester by 1838, prompting manufacturers to switch to coal.
A study found that Americans tend to believe their opponents approve of widely agreed-upon moral wrongs, fueling partisan divides. This bias, known as the basic morality bias, can lead to dehumanization and decreased willingness to work with opposing parties.
Large language models (LMs) exhibit human-like reasoning flaws, particularly in tasks requiring semantic content and believability. LMs struggle to distinguish between valid and invalid arguments, mirroring human errors, especially when semantic content is sensical and believable.
A brain-computer interface therapy called RehabSwift has been shown to significantly enhance hand mobility in stroke survivors. Participants who used the system showed improvements in overall arm function, hand movement tests, reaction times, and hand strength after 18 sessions.
A modeling study suggests that prosocial behaviors can arise and be maintained in large societies through various mechanisms, including influencers who recruit neighbors to cooperate. The strategy produced similar results as strong leadership that prevents detected defectors from defecting again.
A genomic analysis overturned the leading hypothesis on firefly light origin, revealing that lucibufagins, a toxic compound, evolved after bioluminescence development. Fireflies' ancestors diversified during a period of rising atmospheric oxygen levels, suggesting a similar path to glowing millipedes.
A study found that overexpressing a gene responsible for amino acid transport in the placenta can cause fetal growth to increase by 27%, while also providing insights into pregnancy complications like IUGR and obesity. The research has therapeutic implications, potentially informing treatments to prevent or treat these conditions.
Generative AI has both positive and negative effects on social equality, impacting work, education, healthcare, information, and misinformation. Policymakers are urged to implement policies such as tax code changes, data unions, and anti-misinformation campaigns to ensure the technology is used to increase equality
Research shows people with obesity are more sensitive to price when buying unhealthy foods, while those with normal weight are not. A 10% price hike on these categories can lead to a significant reduction in consumption, such as decreased frozen pizza purchases.
Research finds that banned books feature more characters of color than White authors, and are often children's books or non-fiction about social movements. The study suggests book banning is a symbolic tactic to galvanize conservative voters in competitive electoral districts.