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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences


Gender gap in test scores

A study analyzing 2,646,550 college entrance tests in Chile found that removing a penalty for incorrect answers narrowed the gender gap in test scores, particularly among high-performing students in some STEM fields. This policy change also reduced the gender gap in the number of questions skipped.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 6, 2020

Progress of gender revolution

Despite improved measures of gender equality since 1970, recent decades have seen stalled progress, with some gaps widening. Women now outpace men in higher education and certain occupations, but overall trends suggest a need for cultural and institutional shifts to address remaining disparities.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 30, 2020

Carbon content of Earth's core

Researchers estimate Earth's core is composed of approximately 80-90% of the planet's bulk carbon, with a tiny fraction present in the core itself. The study measured the preference of carbon for mixing with iron and nickel at high pressures and temperatures, revealing a significantly lower affinity than previously reported.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 30, 2020

Calibrating tree-ring timelines

A study employing two approaches has accurately dated a collection of wooden timbers from the East Mediterranean using radiocarbon measurements and tree-ring associations. This precise chronology can support archaeological records and provide valuable insights into climate fluctuations during the Bronze and Iron Ages.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 30, 2020

Automated speech recognition and racial bias

Researchers found that state-of-the-art ASR systems performed worse on black speakers than white speakers, with error rates of 0.35 and 0.19 words per hour respectively. The study attributes these disparities to limitations in the acoustic models' ability to capture African American Vernacular English pronunciation and prosody.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 23, 2020

Environmental reservoirs and white nose syndrome

Research reveals environmental reservoir dynamics play a crucial role in white nose syndrome's impact on bat populations. High levels of fungal pathogens in the environment lead to earlier, more severe infections and increased mortality in North America, whereas low levels result in delayed, less severe infections across Eurasia.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 16, 2020

Road expansion in the Amazon

A study on Amazon road expansion projects found that implementing all proposed roads would lead to deforestation of at least 2.4 million hectares and 17% legal violations related to environmental statuses or indigenous rights. Focusing on the lowest-impact projects could generate $4 billion in net gain while avoiding significant losses.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 16, 2020