Research on social media and its effects on people. Covers sleep and mood, body image, self-objectification, and the platforms' wider social impact.
Researchers developed a sensor that can detect halitosis with high sensitivity and portability, providing doctors with a convenient test for diagnosing the condition. The sensor uses a color-changing chemical reaction to detect traces of hydrogen sulfide gas in breath samples.
A Facebook-based treatment program found that smokers are 2.5 times more likely to quit after three months compared to an online quit-smoking program. Young adults, who are often reluctant to seek help, showed high engagement and short-term abstinence rates.
Researchers at Penn Medicine found a statistically significant relationship between alcohol-related social media engagement and both alcohol consumption and problems. Moderate effect sizes were observed across all 19 studies, suggesting a correlation between social media engagement and drinking behaviors.
A study found that tweets containing moral rhetoric may signal whether a protest will turn violent. Researchers developed a model to detect moralized language, which nearly doubled on days when clashes among protesters and police became violent.
A new study highlights the negative influence of social media on children's food intake, particularly with regards to celebrity endorsements and vlogger marketing. Children who viewed Instagram pages featuring unhealthy snack images consumed 32% more calories from these snacks compared to those who saw non-food images.
Researchers at the American Academy of Neurology have identified a new type of vertigo characterized by prolonged nystagmus eye movements. The study found that this condition may respond to treatment and is associated with severe motion sickness.
The US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed a direct-current detector technology to aid emergency responders in detecting high voltages from electric vehicles and homes. The handheld device can accurately detect DC voltages, enabling safer rescue efforts.
A study by University of Cincinnati professor Jeremy Koster found that NBA stars on losing teams are less likely to follow teammates on Twitter compared to those on winning teams. This suggests that elite performers may distance themselves from their teammates in an attempt to escape responsibility for poor performance.
Researchers at Indiana University have upgraded three powerful tools to study and combat online misinformation. Hoaxy and Botometer now detect the spread of false news on Twitter and identify automated accounts spreading propaganda, while Fakey is a web and mobile game that teaches news literacy.
Researchers at PNNL have successfully vitrified three gallons of low-activity Hanford tank waste, immobilizing radioactive and chemical materials within a durable glass waste form. The laboratory-scale demonstration is an important step toward treating millions of gallons of hazardous waste generated during past plutonium production.
A study by University at Buffalo researchers found that active Twitter users are prone to spreading falsehoods during public emergencies, such as hurricanes and bombings. The study revealed that only a small percentage of users corrected or clarified false information.
A new Facebook app offers much-needed support to unpaid Alzheimer's caregivers through friendsourcing, a peer-to-peer support intervention. The study found that caregivers experience increased feelings of support when emotional and informational questions are answered by their Facebook friends.
A new framework for global conservation prioritization is presented, incorporating four-step process of harm avoidance, minimization, remediation, and offsetting. The approach aims to establish effective conservation priorities, bridging current regulatory gaps and enabling more efficient conservation.
A new study surveyed 620 people representing 331 camps in the US and Canada, finding both pros and cons of screen time at camp. While some children enjoyed technology activities, others were preoccupied with media interactions, leading to distraction and decreased engagement in camp activities.
A study by Rice University found that reflecting on personal possessions can reduce impulse buying by lowering willingness to pay for new products. The researchers discovered that people who reflected on using their possessions recently were less likely to buy impulsively and expressed a lower willingness to pay for new items.
A new study found that at-risk adolescents are less likely to post about depressive symptoms on social media as they mature. The research suggests a decrease in posts describing depression symptoms between adolescence and young adulthood.
Lehigh University, TE Connectivity, and Broughal Middle School collaborate to promote STEM education through a manufacturing course and annual expo. The program benefits students from both institutions, providing hands-on experience with engineering techniques and industry partnerships.
A study by Penn State researchers found that older adults who used Facebook to share personal stories felt a higher sense of community, while customizing their profiles made them feel more in control. Commenting on posts also provided a sense of social interaction.
Taking a daily photo has complex benefits, including improved wellbeing through self-care, community interaction, and the potential for reminiscence. The practice also led to more exercise, a sense of purpose, and managing loneliness and grief.
Researchers found temperature, precipitation, humidity, and cloud cover associated with positive or negative expressed sentiments. Positive expressions increased up to 20 degrees Celsius before declining over 30 degrees Celsius, while high humidity and cloud cover were linked to negative expressions.
A study analyzing extensive death records data from 1990 to 2014 found that years of life lost declined by 28% among blacks, primarily due to decreasing heart disease, HIV, and cancer mortality. This improvement is attributed to public health interventions.
Researchers traced Twitter tweets using the word 'shithole' to identify who engages in stigmatizing discourse and how places are stereotyped. The study found that men and women experience living in a place differently, with 38% of tweets maligning their own hometown.
Researchers analyzed billions of Twitter and Facebook posts to find that people express happier sentiments when the weather is warm and sunny. The study found a significant correlation between good weather and increased positivity, which could be used to tailor advertising campaigns and content to users' emotional states.
A survey found that over 40% of people in England believe stress, food additives, and electromagnetic frequencies cause cancer despite a lack of scientific evidence. Those with better knowledge of proven cancer causes were more likely to make healthier lifestyle choices.
A recent study of 2.7 billion tweets confirms Twitter's echo chambers are real, with partisan users dominating networks and content endorsement. Bipartisan users who bridge the gap between opposing sides face a price in network position, community connections, and content endorsement.
Purdue researchers have developed an online platform called the Social Media Analytics and Reporting Toolkit (SMART) that filters social media content according to key words and geographic regions. The tool is being used by first responders to analyze both live and historical data, helping them attend to certain areas faster.
A Duke professor argues that fake news and social media's 'filter bubbles' threaten the functioning of the First Amendment. The proliferation of cheap, easily spreadable misinformation raises concerns about the role of government intervention in regulating online content.
A series of energy price increases across the Middle East and North Africa indicates a shift away from subsidies as a means of legitimacy for autocratic regimes. The reforms aim to streamline patronage structures, allowing regimes to maintain control while reducing their reliance on oil rents.
A study by Columbia University researchers found that social networking site Instagram's recommendation algorithms amplify homophily, making women less visible and reducing their popularity. The algorithms, which turn loose on a network with homophily, effectively make women less visible.
A new study found that commercial online advertising can engage large numbers of pregnant smokers earlier in their pregnancies, with an overall uptake rate of 3.4% among those who clicked on adverts. The ads were more effective than free-of-charge adverts on health websites and yielded a high user engagement rate.
New research found that men under 50 who smoked had an increased risk of stroke, with the risk increasing as the number of cigarettes smoked daily. The study revealed that even light smokers were 46% more likely to have a stroke than non-smokers, highlighting the importance of quitting smoking to reduce stroke risk.
A new study shows that rapid expansion of British Columbia's Take Home Naloxone program significantly reduced opioid overdose deaths. Between January 1 and October 31, 2016, the program prevented 226 deaths or 26% of all possible overdose-related deaths in that time period.
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University developed an algorithm to identify fake users on multiple social networks with high accuracy. The method uses machine-learning algorithms to detect improbable links between users, outperforming other anomaly detection methods.
The NSLS-II's Hard X-ray Nanoprobe has demonstrated capabilities to observe materials down to 10 nanometers, enabling scientists to visualize single molecules. This technology will enable the study of various materials properties simultaneously.
A team of researchers and botanists collaborated with Twitter to identify a globally imperiled plant species, Heuchera alba. They found seven new populations, expanding the species' range beyond previously known small populations in Virginia and West Virginia.
Researchers found an association between certain risk-related terms on Google Trends and subsequent syphilis trends reported to the CDC. The Twitter-based model predicted state-level trends in syphilis with 90% accuracy, allowing for early warning systems to be developed.
A new RAND Corporation report reveals Russia's sophisticated social media campaign targeting the Baltics, Ukraine, and nearby states. The report recommends strengthening tracking, blocking, and tagging of Russian propaganda, offering alternative media, and developing compelling arguments to align populations with Western values.
A new study published in PeerJ found that scientists who communicate their research through social media, particularly Twitter, tend to receive more citations. This positive correlation suggests that science communication can help increase the reach of scientific discoveries.
Researchers propose causal chains as an approach to understanding interplay between social and ecological spheres. These chains identify ordered sequences of effects on how a system responds to perturbations, with implications for policy and management.
Researchers have developed a technique to analyze old proteins on historical artifacts, providing insight into past lifestyles and medical conditions. This method, using chromatography resins, can identify biomarkers like morphine and kidney disease indicators, shedding light on the lives of those who created or used these items.
A new study published in NeuroRegulation found that smartphone overuse is associated with higher levels of loneliness, anxiety and depression. The study suggests strategies such as turning off push notifications, scheduling focused work periods and engaging in face-to-face interactions to combat digital addiction.
A study of a billion Twitter posts found that users with darker skin tones modified emojis more often to express their identity, while users with light skin were less likely to make changes. The results also showed that darker skin tones were underrepresented globally, but still widely used.
A study analyzing online messages about implanted cardiac defibrillators found that about 25% of the advice was inappropriate and six percent was controversial. The research highlights the need for clinicians to ensure patients receive accurate information outside of doctor's offices, particularly when it comes to complex decisions.
A new tool called Squadbox, developed by MIT CSAIL, enables people who have been targeted by online harassment to coordinate a squad of friends to filter messages and shield themselves from abusive content. The 'friend-sourcing' approach aims to augment human support with tools in a meaningful way.
A recent study found that early trend propagators on Twitter are less responsive to advertising messages compared to those who embrace the trend later. This means marketers should rethink their strategies when targeting this group.
A new study reveals that stroke survivors experience 'hidden' problems like sleep issues, depression, and fatigue, which can significantly affect their well-being. The study found that social support programs and executive function training may improve these areas.
A study found that most healthcare professionals lack knowledge and understanding of recommended obesity treatments, including behavioral counseling and pharmacotherapy. The results suggest that additional obesity training is needed among health care professionals to improve patient care management, communication, and behavior change.
A new study by the American Heart Association found that an intervention using hip hop music increased stroke awareness for economically-disadvantaged children and their parents. The program improved knowledge of stroke symptoms among children from 2% to 57% right after the intervention.
A new study by Cornell University researchers found that social networking sites create awareness for gift-worthy occasions and inspire people to give more gifts. Online gift exchanges on Facebook were found to be reciprocal, with most givers reporting having received a gift in the past.
Research published in BMC Public Health found an association between increased social media time and reduced wellbeing in later adolescence among girls. However, the study did not find a similar association for boys.
A study found that 4.9% of Medicare beneficiaries lack a personal physician, scoring lower on measures of healthcare quality and experiencing poorer mental health. Encouraging regular doctors for these patients may improve continuity and care.
Researchers investigated how people curate their social image on the web using game theory. They found that people are willing to pay to filter out unfavorable information from their online profiles.
A recent study by researchers sheds light on the hidden health risks of elevated lead levels in private wells. The team found that even newer, 'lead-free' pipes can contain a small amount of lead that leaches into water, posing a risk to those consuming it.
Researchers from the University of Helsinki are using artificial intelligence to monitor and combat illegal wildlife trade on social media. Machine learning algorithms can automatically identify species, classify sentiment, and process visual content to aid law enforcement and conservation efforts.
Fake news is a real problem that requires serious research to solve, according to a paper by Filippo Menczer and colleagues. The authors estimate that automated social media accounts spread misinformation across 60 million on Facebook and up to 48 million on Twitter.
A new MIT study found that false news travels more rapidly and deeply on Twitter than real news, with false statements retweeted up to 70% more often. Researchers attribute the phenomenon to human psychology, suggesting that novelty drives the spread of falsity.
A new MIT study found that false news spreads widely and easily on Twitter, traveling farther and faster than the truth. Contrary to conventional wisdom, humans play a key role in spreading false news, with falsehoods being 70% more likely to be retweeted.
Researchers found that watching others perform a skill increases perceived ability, even if actual performance doesn't improve. Overconfidence can be detrimental, especially when attempting skills without sufficient practice.
A study analyzing Twitter data from 2006 to 2017 found that false information diffused significantly farther and faster than true news, reaching up to 100,000 people. The top 1% of false-news cascades spread even more widely, with political news being the most virulent.
A recent study suggests that offering basic password guidance can significantly improve account security. Researchers found that those who received more detailed support and feedback were up to 10 times more likely to create stronger passwords. The study highlights the importance of effective guidance in promoting end-user security.