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Video games could provide venue for exploring sustainability concepts

Researchers from Oregon State University argue that video games can educate the public on complex problems like pollution, drought, and climate change. Video games encourage creative thinking, strategic problem-solving, and social collaboration, making them a potential tool for promoting sustainable practices.

NTU study shows puzzle games can improve mental flexibility

A recent study by Nanyang Technological University scientists found that playing puzzle games like Cut the Rope can significantly improve executive functions in adults. Players showed improved ability to switch tasks, adapt to new situations, and block out distractions.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Playing as black: Avatar race affects white video game players

A new study suggests that playing as a black character in violent video games can lead to stronger explicit negative attitudes toward blacks and display stronger implicit attitudes linking blacks to weapons. White players who played as black avatars showed more aggressive behavior against partners, with 115% more hot sauce forced on them.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Could action video games help people with dyslexia learn to read?

Researchers found that individuals with dyslexia have difficulty shifting attention from visual to auditory stimuli, leading to slower response times. A new approach using action video games may improve literacy skills by training the brain to associate sounds with corresponding letters.

Video game teaches kids about stroke symptoms and calling 9-1-1

A new video game called Stroke Hero has been found to improve children's understanding of stroke symptoms and the importance of calling 9-1-1. The game, designed for kids aged 9-10, teaches them how to recognize stroke symptoms and take action in an emergency.

Video games: New way to prepare students for community service

The Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University is developing Civic Seed, an interactive video game designed to better prepare college students to engage with the community. The game includes multiple levels that explore community collaboration, professional standards, sustainability, and leadership development.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Video game play may provide learning, health, social benefits, review finds

A review of research suggests that video game play can enhance cognitive skills such as spatial navigation and problem-solving. Playing video games is also found to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety and improve emotional resilience in children. Additionally, gaming communities provide opportunities for social interaction and cooperation.

Playing computer games makes brains feel and think alike

Researchers found that playing computer games enhances facial muscle reactions and brainwave synchronization between players, particularly in competitive situations. This effect can aid in anticipating opponents' actions and compensate for a faltering social bond while competing.

Educational video games can boost motivation to learn, NYU, CUNY study shows

A NYU and CUNY study reveals that math video games can enhance students' motivation to learn by adopting a mastery mindset, particularly when played with others. Students who played the game competitively or collaboratively reported stronger mastery goal orientations, indicating an optimal mindset for learning.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Brain regions can be specifically trained

A study found that playing video games like Super Mario 64 increases grey matter in the brain's spatial orientation, memory formation, and strategic planning centers. This plasticity may prove therapeutic for patients with mental health issues, such as schizophrenia or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Virtually numbed: Immersive video gaming alters real-life experience

A study published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review found that spending time immersed as a virtual character in role-playing video games can numb people to realizing important body signals in real life. Participants who played immersive video games showed reduced sensitivity to pain and were more indifferent to others' displeasure.

Research shows 'advergames' promote unhealthy foods for kids

A Michigan State University study found that advergames on food marketer websites often promote high-fat, high-sugar, and high-sodium products. These games can be engaging and fun for children, but they also contribute to unhealthy diets and a less-than-active lifestyle.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Researchers bring product testing to foster care system

Usability testing in the foster care system diagnosed what worked and didn't work with a new intervention for families, encouraging problem-solving and collaboration. The testing identified challenges, such as logistics and family engagement, but also found that nearly every parent continued through several sessions of the intervention.

Researchers identify risk-factors for addictive video-game use among adults

A new study from the University of Missouri identifies escapism, social interaction, and rewards as key risk factors for addictive video game use among adults. The research suggests that individuals who play games to escape daily life or to socialize with others are more likely to develop problematic gaming behaviors.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Playing video games can boost brain power

A study of 72 volunteers found that playing real-time strategy games like StarCraft improved cognitive flexibility and strategic thinking. The researchers suggest that these games can promote the ability to think on the fly and learn from past mistakes.

School lunch and TV time linked with childhood obesity

A study published in Pediatrics found that school lunch and TV time are linked to childhood obesity, with girls who drank milk daily less likely to be obese and boys who played sports at a healthier weight. The research suggests that improving school lunches and decreasing screen time can help reduce the risk of obesity in children.

6 months of computing time generates detailed portrait of cloth behavior

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of California, Berkeley, simulated almost every important configuration of cloth after six months of computation. The team developed an iterative technique that continuously samples cloth motions, automatically detecting areas where data is lacking or where errors occur.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

Placebo effect largely ignored in psychological intervention studies

Psychological interventions often don't account for the placebo effect, which can lead to false claims of treatment effectiveness. Researchers found that even with active control groups, expectations for improvement can still be influenced by prior experiences with the training tasks.

Video gamers really do see more

Research at Duke University found that gamers excel in extracting information from visual scenes, recalling letters in a flash of light, and tracking multiple items. Gamers' brains appear to be trained for better decision-making with more available information, potentially due to improved visual sensitivity.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

Playing at pirate games

A study of BitTorrent file-sharing found that digital game piracy is more prevalent than thought, with popular titles like Fallout: New Vegas and Call of Duty: Black Ops driving most sharing activity. The analysis contradicts common myths, showing that children's and family games are also pirated.

Leadership emerges spontaneously during games

In a study of the I Love Bees game, researchers discovered that players formed teams and adopted a military-like leadership hierarchy, suggesting that game designers should not over-design leadership structures. The findings highlight the power of games to inspire collaboration and teamwork.

'Lazy eye disorder -- A promising new therapeutic approach

A research team led by Dr. Robert Hess used Tetris to train both eyes to work together, alleviating suppression of the weaker eye and increasing brain plasticity. The treatment showed dramatic improvements in vision and 3-D depth perception in adults with amblyopia.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

Denied the chance to cheat or steal, people turn to violent video games

Researchers found that people who were frustrated in their attempts to cheat or steal are more likely to be attracted to violent video games. The study also showed that denying people the chance to commit forbidden behaviors can increase frustration, leading to a preference for violent entertainment.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Seniors who play video games report better sense of emotional well-being

A new study from North Carolina State University found that older adults who play video games experience better emotional well-being, with those who played reporting higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. In contrast, non-gamers showed more negative emotions and a greater risk of depression.

Action video games boost reading skills

Dyslexic children who played action video games for nine sessions showed significant improvements in reading speed and accuracy compared to non-action gamers. The study's findings suggest that visual attention deficits are at the root of dyslexia and that action video games can enhance visual attention, leading to better reading skills.

Violent video games: More playing time equals more aggression

A new study found that playing violent video games for three consecutive days led to increases in aggressive behavior and hostile expectations. In contrast, players of nonviolent games showed no significant changes. The study suggests a cumulative effect of repeated exposure to violent games on aggression.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

Proposals to record the age of youngsters when buying mobile phones

Researchers recommend that mobile phone operators record users' dates of birth and implement age-based content classifications to block access to adult sites. The study also suggests that the government should work with families and schools to promote awareness campaigns on proper mobile phone usage.

Young gamers offer insight to teaching new physicians robotic surgery

A new UTMB study reveals that high school and college students who play video games regularly outperform medical residents in surgical simulations. The study suggests that these skills may be transferable to real-world robotic surgeries, requiring a reevaluation of surgical training methods.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Brain waves reveal video game aptitude

Researchers use electroencephalography to analyze brain activity before training on Space Fortress, a cognitive research video game. The study found that subjects with more powerful alpha wave oscillations tend to learn faster and improve reaction time and working memory.

Gamers confront copyright law, says Rutgers law scholar

A Rutgers law professor is researching user-generated content in video games, which raises questions about copyright law and creative freedom. The study aims to understand how games enable or constrain player creativity and whether user-generated content complies with copyright law.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Risk-glorifying video games may lead teens to drive recklessly, new research shows

New research published by the American Psychological Association suggests that playing mature-rated, risk-glorifying video games can lead to increased rebelliousness and sensation seeking among adolescents. These traits are strongly associated with risky driving habits, automobile accidents, police stops, and a willingness to drink and...

Violent video games not so bad when players cooperate

Researchers found that college students who played violent video games cooperatively showed more cooperative behavior and less signs of aggression than those who played competitively. The studies suggest that the social aspect of modern video games can change how people react to violence.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Selling on eBay? Get higher bids with a red background

A new study by Rajesh Bagchi and Amar Cheema found that a red background color induces aggression in online auctions, leading to higher bids. Conversely, a blue background reduces willingness to pay when negotiating directly with a seller.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Violent video games turning gamers into deadly shooters

A new study published in Communication Research found that playing violent shooting video games improves firing accuracy and influences players to aim for the head when using a real gun. Players who played violent games hit targets 33% more often and shot at the head 99% more frequently.

Kids with cerebral palsy may benefit from video game play

Researchers found that children with mild CP can attain moderate levels of physical activity during video game play with full-body movements. The games encouraged repetitive movement and provided feedback through on-screen avatars and scores, promoting neuroplasticity and enjoyment.