Research on social media and its effects on people. Covers sleep and mood, body image, self-objectification, and the platforms' wider social impact.
A study at Aalto University aims to reduce societal polarization by connecting people with opposing views on Twitter. The algorithm suggests bridges between users of opposing sides, such as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, to provide recommendations about who to retweet.
Researchers developed a method called quasistatic cavity resonance (QSCR) that enables wireless power transmission throughout a room. This technology can charge multiple devices simultaneously, including smartphones, fans, and lights, using near-field standing magnetic waves.
A study published in the Journal of Patient Safety found that video testimonials improve physicians' agreement on patients' treatment choices. The addition of a video testimonial led to statistically significant changes in responses, with doctors more likely to choose full aggressive treatment in five scenarios.
Research suggests that public officials must demonstrate they care and prioritize building trust to effectively communicate risk. This includes engaging directly with affected communities and the media to address concerns and reduce outrage.
Researchers say viral charity campaigns like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge have a shallow 'half-life' and require a shift from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation. Dr. Sander van der Linden's SMART formula outlines social influences, moral imperatives, affective reactions, and translational impact as key psychological levers.
A team of scientists invented a new instrument, called the Lexicocalorimeter, to measure the caloric content of social media posts. The device gathers geo-tagged Twitter posts and scores them based on typical calorie content and activity burn rates to provide insights into public health.
A new study using behavioral data from social media found that people are more like their friends and partners than previously thought. Using Facebook data, researchers trained statistical models to infer personality traits from likes and status updates, revealing a substantial similarity in personality between couples and friends.
A study found that while 77% of participants take selfies regularly, 82% would prefer fewer selfies on social media. Participants perceived their own selfies as more self-ironic and authentic, while those taken by others were seen as less authentic.
Researchers analyzed zinc and volatile elements in trinitite glass, comparing it to lunar rocks. The study found similarities between the two, supporting the giant impact theory of the Moon's formation.
Researchers at the University of Kent found that people who use Facebook or surf the web tend to underestimate time compared to general internet use. The study, which monitored responses from 44 participants, showed that Facebook-related stimuli lead to a greater distortion in time perception.
A new study published in Neurology found that soccer players with more headers are more likely to have concussion symptoms. Players who experienced two or more unintentional head impacts in a two-week period were six times more likely to have symptoms than those with no such impacts.
Researchers found that booster words like 'undeniable' and positive emotion terms are viewed as highly credible, while hedge words and mocking terms are seen as less credible. The study also showed a correlation between longer message lengths and higher credibility scores.
A recent study on Reddit found that a small group of voters can significantly impact the content users see, with up-voted posts receiving a higher final score and being more likely to reach the front page. The study highlights the importance of understanding how social rating systems curate media in our daily lives.
A new study reveals parrotfish play a pivotal role in coral growth by removing algae. Overfishing of parrotfish is linked to declining reef health and the shift from coral- to algae-dominated reefs.
A new study found that genetic differences significantly affect engagement with online media, including games for entertainment and education, and social networking. Heritability estimates suggest that genetics account for up to 39% of time spent on online gaming.
Researchers used social media and internet reports to analyze exposure patterns during the 2014-2015 Ebola epidemic and 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak. The study found that alternative data streams can provide reliable information on disease dynamics in the early stages of an outbreak.
A study by Princeton and Stanford universities reveals that anonymous web browsing histories can be linked to social media profiles, raising concerns about internet privacy. Researchers created an algorithm that compared anonymous web browsing histories with public social media feeds to identify users with high accuracy.
A study of 1,308 U.S. adult Facebook users found that 24% had accessed their friends' accounts without permission, often out of curiosity or jealousy. This widespread practice highlights the ineffectiveness of passwords and device PINs in stopping insider threats.
The publication features original investigations, research letters and a commentary addressing financial conflicts of interest in various healthcare settings. The studies highlight the need for transparency and explicit adoption of COI frameworks to ensure trust in clinical guidelines.
A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science found that people who frequently curse are less likely to be associated with lying and deception. The research also showed that those who use more profanity tend to use language patterns related to honesty, such as using pronouns like 'I' and 'me'.
Researchers developed a novel-machine learning method to distinguish people with common names, focusing on relational features, text features, and venue features. The new approach is an improvement over existing methods, enabling the identification of previously unencountered individuals.
A study analyzing Instagram data reveals a growing trend of hookah use in social settings and nightlife establishments. The research found that promotional material on social media is driving the increase in hookah use, often paired with alcohol consumption.
Researchers identified three categories of selfie-takers: communicators who engage in conversation, autobiographers who record life events, and self-publicists who document their lives for positive presentation. This categorization contributes to the discussion on selfies and visual communication.
A study in Health Affairs explores Brazil's Estratégia de Saúde da Família program and its impact on mortality rates. The findings indicate that expanding primary healthcare can reduce mortality rates, but effective implementation depends on strong local governance.
A recent study published in Springer's journal Sex Roles found that awareness campaigns targeting women can be a powerful tool to encourage collective action against female sexual objectification. The research revealed that watching a critique video clip increased women's willingness to support protests, whereas men showed no such effect.
Hoaxy is a new tool that visualizes how claims in the news and fact checks of those claims spread online through social networks. The tool helps understand the mechanisms behind fake news spread and can be used by users to evaluate evidence about a claim and its rebuttal.
A national survey found that young adults who use seven to 11 social media platforms have more than three times the risk of depression and anxiety compared to those who use zero to two platforms. Multitasking, navigating platform rules, and committing social media faux pas may contribute to these negative outcomes.
Researchers at PNNL have created a smaller muon detector that can be used to monitor CO2 movement or leakage underground. The detector uses optical fibers and electronics to count muons passing through it, allowing for the detection of anomalies in density and the creation of images.
Researchers developed algorithms to analyze social media data from 188,000 subscribers and created unique marketing personas. These computer-drawn personas can be updated quickly and are scalable for use with various types of consumer transactions.
New research on Mars suggests that finger-like rock structures could be evidence of ancient microbes, potentially harboring past life. Thousands of geese have died due to toxic waters in Montana's Berkeley Pit, highlighting the spread of heavy metals and acid into groundwater.
A new study reveals that most IT security managers prefer employees not to bring their own devices to work due to security concerns. The study highlights the risks of BYOD, including viruses, phishing, hacking attacks, identity theft, and corporate espionage.
Researchers have figured out a way to study supercooled water in a deeply supercooled range, finding that liquid water can exist all the way down to subzero temperatures. They used a new technique to rapidly heat and cool nanoscale supercooled water films with a laser.
A Drexel study analyzed nearly 200,000 English-language tweets about the HPV vaccine between 2014 and 2015. The results show that 39% of tweets were positive, while negative sentiments accounted for only 25%. Prevention and protection were popular topics in positive tweets, while side effects dominated negative ones.
Vladimir Dinets finds evidence of spectral bats living in caves and roosting in Utila's secondary forests, adapting to human presence through social media accounts and tourist photos. The discovery reveals the species' potential for longevity and challenges previous assumptions about its habitat.
Researchers found that users who customize their online news portal based on personal interests are less systematic in processing information. They also discovered that this 'self-as-source' perception can make users more willing to accept persuasive messages and advertisements.
A study of 62 studies with over 13,000 individuals found that narcissism correlates with a range of social media behaviors, including the number of friends and selfies posted. Grandiose narcissism positively relates to time spent on social media, while vulnerable narcissism does not show a relationship.
A recent study published in INFORMS journal Information Systems Research assesses the impact of Facebook's granular privacy controls on user disclosure behavior. Results show that users increased their use of wall posts and decreased their use of private messages after introducing the new controls.
A study finds that only 6% of plastic surgery tweets come from board-certified plastic surgeons. The researchers call for experts to engage and educate patients and the public about plastic surgery on Twitter.
A study by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute found a decline in new enteral access procedures for Medicare patients over the past two decades. Meanwhile, maintenance services increased, with radiologists and emergency physicians surpassing gastroenterologists and surgeons as leading providers.
A new study found that 10-50% of iceberg melting occurs in Greenland's fjords, outweighing the amount of freshwater coming from the island's glaciers. This discovery could help scientists better understand how Greenland melts and its impact on ocean circulation and climate.
A study by University at Buffalo School of Management found that social media popularity, even negative posts with high engagement, significantly impacts purchases. Combining social media with traditional TV and email marketing efforts boosts customer spending and cross-buying.
According to a new study by Rice University experts, roughly 6 percentage points of Texas residents have gained health insurance coverage due to the Affordable Care Act, resulting in approximately 1 million Texans gaining coverage. However, despite these gains, 3 million Texans between ages 19 and 64 remain uninsured.
Disney Research's CANVAS and Story World Builder tools help authors synchronize characters, fill plot holes, and create virtual worlds. These graphical platforms simplify the creation of story worlds, making it possible for anyone to tell an animated story.
Using natural language processing, researchers found that people often incorrectly categorize individuals based on gender, age, education level, or political orientation. The study also reveals how multiple stereotypes can affect each other, leading to false conclusions about individuals.
The NIH-led initiative reviews the use of big data in infectious disease surveillance, combining traditional and non-traditional data sources to provide more accurate and timely information. This approach aims to forecast outbreak sizes and trajectories, enabling better responses to emerging threats.
A novel color unmixing algorithm cuts time and boosts quality in film compositing by extracting multiple color layers. The method requires only one-tenth of the manual editing time of professional tools, offering superior results.
Researchers have developed a non-invasive breathalyzer device that detects acetone levels in the breath to monitor blood glucose levels. The device shows clear correlations between blood glucose levels and breath acetone, and could be a great improvement for people with diabetes.
A study found that many doctors acknowledge the need for testing but rarely refer patients with reported penicillin allergy. In fact, only 30% of physicians knew that most patients can tolerate penicillin-like antibiotics.
A Disney Research team created an automated method of crowdsourcing multiple lines of dialogue for robots, using a persistent interactive personality that can translate high-level goals into simple narratives. The method was tested in a trivia contest and resulted in 716 unique lines of dialogue.
A study found that 87% of school staff knew what to do in an emergency, but only 18% felt confident. The majority of non-nurse staff can identify the correct sequence of actions to take in case of anaphylaxis.
New research using big data analysis has found that people's collective behaviour is more predictable than thought, with strong periodic patterns influenced by the weather and seasons. Historical news and social media data revealed cycles in leisure and work activities, diet, diseases, and mental health.
Research by Allina Health LifeCourse reveals that late-life quality of life improves socially but remains emotionally stable, with caregivers playing a crucial role. The study also identifies the need for training and support for family members in caregiving roles.
A UBC study analyzing Trump's speech style and Twitter usage found grandiosity, informal language, and vocal pitch variation as statistical predictors of his success in the Republican primaries. The researchers suggest that these communication styles helped Trump win the nomination despite being shocking to many viewers.
A recent study found that 19% of Twitter election-related tweets were created by social robots, distorting the online discussion and potentially polarizing it. The research also highlighted the sophisticated tactics used by 'master puppeteers' to create fake profiles and manipulate public opinion.
Tropical Storm Meari is forecast to intensify in the western Pacific Ocean, with a high chance of reaching 85 knots (97mph). The storm's organized low-level circulation and favorable environment will contribute to its steady growth.
Meari intensified from a tropical depression to a tropical storm in one day, now located 295 miles north of Yap and 500 miles west of Guam. Its maximum sustained winds are at 40 mph, and it is expected to turn west and northwest over the next few days.
Physicists use Flickr data to refine travel models and improve predictions on crowd movements. By combining geolocalisation data with existing theoretical models, they can help urban planners better dimension roads and utilities.
A new review by Concordia research reveals that women can experience orgasms through multiple sensory inputs, including the external clitoris, internal vagina, and non-genital areas. The study challenges traditional notions of a single 'whole' orgasm and highlights the diversity of female arousal experiences.
A new study from the University of Chicago Medicine found that social media platforms can effectively inform young physicians about proper antibiotic use, improving their knowledge and behavior. The strategy successfully directed medical residents to relevant clinical pathways, resulting in a significant increase in correct usage.
Researchers used social media platforms to map locations of highly sought natural destinations. These findings can inform management decisions and prioritize conservation efforts, leveraging the collective value placed on these areas by the public.