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The press is breaking the suicide taboo but still uses stigmatizing metaphors

A recent study by Marta Coll-Florit found that while Spanish newspapers are openly discussing suicide, they still employ stigmatizing metaphors such as 'war' and 'epidemic', which can perpetuate shame and guilt around the topic. The researcher argues that these metaphors convey a focus on individual blame rather than collective respons...

SourceUniversitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)·JournalMetaphor and Symbol·TypeContent analysis·DateJun 9, 2026

Creative talent: has AI knocked humans out?

A large-scale study reveals that generative AI models have reached the threshold of average human creativity, but the most creative individuals still outperform even the best AI systems. The study also highlights the importance of human guidance and parameterization in modulating AI creativity.

SourceUniversity of Montreal·JournalScientific Reports·DateJan 21, 2026

Painting memory: Lithuanian researchers explore how street art shapes urban identity

Street art in Kaunas, Lithuania acts as a form of cultural activism and collective memory, blending languages, images, and historical narratives. Murals have become powerful tools for community reflection and dialogue, turning public space into a living archive of cultural identity.

SourceKaunas University of Technology·JournalJournal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development·TypeCase study·DateNov 3, 2025

How do people learn new facts?

A new study published in JNeurosci used fMRI to investigate how the brain acquires semantic information. The results suggest that the quality of activity in distinct brain regions can predict whether people successfully acquire knowledge about places and characters in fictional civilizations.

SourceSociety for Neuroscience·JournalJNeurosci·DateOct 20, 2025

Beyond words: the cognitive force of metaphor

Researchers Marie Teich and Wilmer Leal develop a formal framework to analyze metaphors, confirming they are enduring linguistic and cognitive structures. The study reveals two significant metaphorical processes: mappings from concrete to abstract topics and the emergence of new mappings between domains.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalPLOS Complex Systems·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 27, 2025

Revealing hidden language patterns in the Bible, with the help of AI

A team of researchers combined artificial intelligence and statistical modeling to analyze language patterns in three major sections of the Bible. They distinguished between three distinct scribal traditions spanning the first nine books of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Enneateuch. The model also determined the most likely authorship ...

SourceDuke University·JournalPLOS One·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 3, 2025

Optical semantic communication through multimode fiber: from symbol transmission to sentiment analysis

A novel optical semantic communication system using multimode fiber was developed to enhance data transmission capacity and robustness. The system demonstrated a seven-fold increase in transmission capacity compared to conventional methods, and improved noise tolerance for sentiment analysis applications.

Computable species descriptions: scientists develop a new computer language to model organismal traits

Researchers create special language Phenoscript to describe traits in a way that both humans and computers can understand. This allows for large-scale studies of organismal traits, boosting the emerging field of phenomics. The new language is being tested and aims to integrate semantic species descriptions with nanopublications.

SourcePensoft Publishers·JournalBiodiversity Data Journal·DateJun 17, 2024

MSU research: What makes a good headline?

According to MSU research, linguistically simple headlines engage readers more than complex ones. The study found that simplicity impacts how often people click on stories, leading to increased demand for good journalism. By writing simply, news organizations can make their content more approachable and accessible to a wider audience.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalScience Advances·DateJun 5, 2024

Name that odor

Identical odors are processed differently in the brain based on their assigned labels, according to new research. The study found that participants rated odors with different names as more dissimilar than those labeled with the same name.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalHuman Brain Mapping·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 13, 2024

Q&A: UW research shows neural connection between learning a second language and learning to code

The study reveals that experienced programmers exhibit brain responses similar to those of fluent readers processing sentences, indicating a strong resemblance between learning computer and natural languages. The research suggests that understanding how people learn to code can be informed by expertise in second-language learning.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalScientific Reports·DateApr 23, 2024

Study of 1,000 selfies helps explain how we use them to communicate

Researchers compiled personal reports and associations from 132 participants to categorize 1,001 self-portraits into 26 categories. Five clusters emerged, including 'aesthetics', 'imagination', and 'trait', which showed a close association with visual language used to communicate different aspects of oneself.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Communication·TypeObservational study·DateOct 30, 2023

Two regions of the brain critical to integrating semantic information while reading, UTHealth Houston research finds

A new study from UTHealth Houston has found that the posterior temporal cortex and inferior frontal cortex are crucial for semantic integration during reading. This discovery may help illuminate the inner dynamics of aphasia, a disorder affecting language expression and comprehension.

A unified theory of the lexicon and the mind: Researchers find common cognitive foundation for child language development and language evolution

A study by University of Toronto researchers found that child language development and language evolution share a common cognitive foundation, based on a core knowledge base. The team built a computational model that predicts word meaning extension patterns across languages and time scales, highlighting the role of visual, associative,...

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalScience·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 27, 2023

Using emoji to measure health

Researchers argue that emoji-based language systems can improve communication between patients and physicians, particularly for vulnerable populations such as those with stroke or vocal impairments. The use of emoji can condense surveys and questionnaires, increasing response rates and appealing to patients.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeSurvey·DateJun 13, 2023

A novel multi-modal image retrieval system by researchers from Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

A novel multi-modal image retrieval system, DenseBert4Ret, has been developed by researchers from Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) using deep learning algorithms. The system outperforms state-of-the-art models in retrieving images based on both image and text features.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalInformation Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 8, 2022

How society thinks about risk

Researchers at the University of Basel developed a method to determine how risk is perceived within a society. The study found that threat and fortune are the most prominent components of risk, with threat being more closely associated with older people and women. The results also indicate that there are universal correlations in risk ...

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalScience Advances·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 8, 2022

Clashes of inference and perspective explain why children sometimes lose the plot in conversation

Research by University of Cambridge academics found that children as old as five or six struggle to reconcile inference and perspective, leading to difficulties in conversations. Combining these skills is crucial for understanding 'implicatures' - inferences made in conversation when people mean more than they say.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalLanguage Learning and Development·DateJun 29, 2022

Mixed reality gets a machine learning upgrade

Osaka University researchers use deep learning to improve mobile mixed reality generation, enabling the automatic removal of obstructions and addition of greenery. This technology may revolutionize green architecture and city revitalization by providing real-time visualizations.

SourceOsaka University·JournalAdvanced Engineering Informatics·DateMar 24, 2021