Research on how people, markets, and policies shape the economy. Covers labor and gig work, consumer behavior, GDP and regional growth, gambling risk, and financial decision-making.
A new report identifies four major barriers to financing a sustainable ocean economy, including weak enabling environment and insufficient public-private investment. Governments, financial institutions, and other players can make financial gains with sustainable ocean investments.
A team of researchers developed a new method to analyze global food value chains, revealing that farmers receive only 27% of consumer expenditure on foods consumed at home. The study found that the majority of value is created in post-farmgate activities, such as processing and manufacturing.
A new study suggests that economic recessions lead to a decline in dietary quality, particularly in food-insecure households. The research analyzed data from over 60,000 adults and children in the US during the Great Recession and found significant reductions in nutrient-dense foods.
The project aims to investigate the factors that explain links between technological progress, technology diffusion, and market results. It will also analyze the impact of government policies on private investment and long-term growth.
Scientists used CO2 sensors to track changes in urban emissions, detecting a 33% reduction in Los Angeles and 34% in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore region. The study shows top-down methods can produce reliable emissions estimates, giving cities an important new tool to reduce emissions.
A new model developed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute found that coordinated travel restrictions could have reduced the spread of COVID-19, with some restrictions reducing arrival times by up to 10 days and global infections by 6 million.
Chun Shen, a Wayne State University physics professor, has been awarded a $750,000 grant from the Department of Energy to study Quark-Gluon Plasma properties. His research aims to develop a new open-source framework to decode hot nuclear matter properties.
Researchers at KAUST developed an electrochemical cell using a ceramic membrane to extract lithium ions from seawater. The process yields solid lithium phosphate with minimal impurities, making it suitable for battery production.
A study by SMU Associate Professor Rencheng Wang found that short selling reduces opportunistic insider sales by 11% in pilot firms, deterring unethical behavior. This suggests that short sellers can play a positive role in capital market development and governance reforms across different institutional environments.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore launches a $2 billion green investments program to promote environmentally sustainable projects. The Singapore Green Finance Centre, launched by SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business and Imperial College Business School, aims to build a new ecosystem for sustainable investing in Asia. Researchers wil...
Aalto University researchers discovered that wood-based pulp fibers are well-suited for making acoustic materials. These natural fibers have positive environmental impacts compared to traditional acoustic materials, absorbing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and producing more energy-efficient products.
A new systematic framework allows researchers to identify feasibility concerns in climate mitigation scenarios, highlighting the need for improved assessments of socio-cultural factors and demand-side mitigation. The framework is particularly useful for exploring trade-offs over time and analyzing enabling conditions for achieving ambi...
A new campaign seeks the wisdom of the crowd to drive innovative solutions for sustainable food systems. Data will be integral to understanding current and future food systems, but asking the right questions first is key.
A study published in the Journal of Comparative Economics found that bribery in public healthcare not only fails to improve services but also exacerbates health problems and reduces nutrition quality. Post-communist countries, including Russia, reported high rates of corruption, with many patients experiencing bribes for medical services.
Researchers found that firms with stronger positions in supply chains provide more trade credit to customers, while those with weaker positions receive less. This contradicts the financing advantage theory and supports the recursive moral hazard theory of trade credit.
A new non-shaking system was developed to reduce both vibration and shaking in transportation, protecting precision equipment and biological medical products. It combines JAXA's vibration isolation technology with Tamagawa Seiki's stabilization and anti-rocking technology.
Researchers found that men are more likely to exhibit extreme behaviors in various areas, such as altruism, trust, fairness, and risk-taking. The study suggests that policies aimed at regulating these behaviors should be tailored towards men.
A $1M NSERC grant will investigate the effects of nanoplastics on nervous, immune, and reproductive systems. The research aims to understand long-term consequences of exposure to these tiny plastic fragments.
A study by Tokyo University of Science researchers analyzed the relationship between economic growth and environmental preservation. The model indicates that achieving a 'zero-emission society' is compatible with economic growth, but only if GDP is above a certain level and pollution reduction allocation is flexible.
A recent study finds that countries around the Baltic Sea are not respecting their binding international agreement to reduce agricultural pollution, leading to excess algae growth and eutrophication. The researchers identify shortcomings in compliance with important reduction measures in all nine signatory countries.
Researchers will use a new framework to understand people's behavior in large-scale cooperation problems, including caring for the climate. The five-year study aims to explain cultural and demographic variability of rule-following and how it shapes cooperative behavior.
Researchers analyzed conversion factors of methane into CO2 equivalent, finding a dynamic approach to reduce economic cost while maintaining stability. The study suggests adapting conversion factors to future pathways to implement cheapest options, potentially avoiding additional mitigation costs up to 5% in high overshoot scenarios.
A recent study found that nanoplastics and arsenic exposure affects oyster biological functions, with increased bioaccumulation of arsenic in Canadian Crassostrea virginica oysters compared to Guadeloupean Isognomon alatus oysters. Gene deregulation was also observed in C. virginica.
Researchers at the University of Göttingen are developing a method to assess IT security measures and their costs for businesses. The ProBITS project aims to evaluate the business process effects of IT security measures, taking into account operational impacts on employee productivity and flexibility.
A recent OSU study found that mass emails encouraging female students to pursue economics degrees may have the opposite effect, worsening gender disparities. The study suggests that more personalized and deliberate interventions are needed to promote diversity in the field.
A rare mutation causes Parkinson's disease-like symptoms by disrupting dopamine transport, suggesting treatments targeting the transporters could alleviate symptoms. A malaria drug helps alleviate movement problems in genetically modified fruit flies with the mutation.
New research shows that ridesharing services can significantly reduce the risk of sexual assault in neighborhoods with limited public transportation. The study found a 6.3% reduction in rape incidents after Uber entered a city, and a 3% decrease in likelihood for every 1% increase in Uber pickups.
Researchers have developed new peptide markers to identify African bovid species, enabling more accurate analysis of ancient animal remains. The discovery sheds light on subsistence strategies and paleoenvironments in Iron Age Zambia.
A new research study by QUT and RMIT reveals that cities with empowered open-minded populations and dense, diverse environments drive high-impact entrepreneurship and economic growth. Cities like San Francisco and Austin top the list, scoring high in entrepreneurial spirit and innovation.
Papers that cannot be replicated in psychology, economics, and science journals are often the most cited due to their intriguing results. The study found that non-replicable papers are cited significantly more than replicable ones, with a gap of up to 300 times in Nature/Science journals.
The study introduces a dynamic approach to complement existing climate mitigation scenarios, taking into account the financial system's enabling or hampering role. This framework helps investors adjust their expectations and reallocate capital to low-carbon investments, leading to a smoother transition to a sustainable economy.
New research reveals that real-time feedback from supervisors tends to be more critical, while peers do not adopt tit-for-tat strategies. Positive feedback also has a stronger effect on future ratings than negative feedback, with men rating women higher than themselves and women rating both equally.
Researchers explore the relationship between free choice, locality, and causality using Bell's inequalities. They find that reality breaks these inequalities, prompting questions about local realism and experimenters' choices.
A new survey suggests that Leave voters in Cornwall wanted to regain control over the UK due to concerns about EU influence, while immigration was a key factor for many. However, the issue of immigration was not a significant concern in Cornwall itself, with only six people citing it as an issue.
A new study projects that climate change will exacerbate global food and hunger challenges, leading to increased mortality and disability. Researchers suggest that investing in agricultural R&D, irrigation systems, and market access could help mitigate these impacts.
The economic impact of Invasive Alien Species on Africa's agricultural sector is estimated to be $3.6 trillion a year, with cassava and citrus fruits being among the most affected crops. The study highlights the need for measures to prevent new species from arriving and established species from spreading.
The study found that invasive alien species cause substantial crop losses and economic costs, with the moth Phthorimaea absoluta affecting tomato plants and costing $4.1 billion per year in crop losses. Weeding cereal crops accounts for 72% of total weeding costs, totaling $26.2 billion annually.
A new study by UToledo researchers highlights the gap between digitally native but technologically illiterate students and the corporate world's need for technological literacy. The researchers recommend building proficiency in business software, having educators act as convener-not-conveyer of learning, and applying design thinking to...
Researchers have developed color-changing threads that turn bright pink in the presence of Candida albicans, a common cause of yeast infections. These threads can be embedded in tampons or sanitary napkins to allow women to quickly and discreetly self-diagnose vulvovaginal yeast infections.
An international research team has discovered a new molecule, ananatosides, produced by non-pathogenic bacteria Pantoea ananatis, which could potentially replace harmful rhamnolipid molecules. The team's findings aim to address the health risks associated with growing pathogenic bacteria on a large scale.
A University of Illinois study reveals that soy kits can improve the economic conditions of Malawian women by creating value-added products from soy. The kits have potential to increase income generation and alleviate poverty, with gross margins averaging 56% and implicit wages estimated at $2 per hour.
A new study by the University of Texas at Dallas examines the gray area between lobbying and bribery among multinational companies, especially in countries with weak institutional development. Firms from developed countries are more likely to influence host countries through lobbying, even when bribery is expected.
Researchers at Penn State have identified a gene controlling flowering in cacao, which may accelerate breeding efforts for disease-resistant trees. The Flowering Locus T gene's similarity to Arabidopsis' florigen protein suggests it can be used to develop new varieties with improved yields and quality traits.
A new study explores how banks' expectations about climate-related risks affect the low-carbon transition. The researchers developed a model to assess the transmission channels of two main policies: a carbon tax and a green supporting factor.
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) have developed a revolutionary LiDAR device the size of a finger using nanophotonics-based technology. The device can be used in autonomous vehicles, intelligent robots, drones, and augmented reality platforms.
Scientists at Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology create novel technique to probe monoatomic chain bonds using transmission electron microscopy and quartz length-extension resonator. They successfully measure the strength of individual Pt bonds and observe the formation and breaking of monoatomic Pt chains in real-time.
A team of researchers has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico to explore how environmental conditions influence the biological properties of cultivated macroalgae. The farm will support year-round harvesting and test the scalability of tropical seaweed farming for biofuels production.
Researchers discovered a mechanism behind Herceptin resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer cells, citing increased IGF2/IRS1 signaling. A new approach may help overcome this resistance, offering hope for refractory breast cancer patients.
A new £17m facility, iCAST, will bring together industry and academia to tackle climate change, sustainable development, and plastics pollution. The partnership aims to close the translation gap between research and commercial deployment of sustainable technologies.
A new study by MIT economists Gabriel Chodorow-Reich, Plamen T. Nenov, and Alp Simsek reveals that increased stock market wealth has moderate but clear economic effects. After analyzing data from the US on a county-by-county basis, they found that people spend about 3.2 cents per year out of each increased dollar of stock wealth they p...
Researchers found that Salmonella bacteria cannot penetrate through strawberry roots and reach the fruit, making it an unlikely dietary risk factor. Effective methods for preventing surface contamination, such as drip irrigation and proper handling during harvesting, can further reduce the risk of contamination.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Hong Kong and Lingnan University found that wealth inequality is the key driver of global wildlife trade. Wealthier countries are responsible for the majority of the world's demand, with top importers including the US, France, and Italy.
A study by UPF researchers finds that households with financial difficulties experience tension between social context and inherited values. Women's satisfaction is linked to their position within the private sphere, while men's satisfaction depends on their individual contribution to the family budget.
A new study found reduced gray matter volume in Covid-19 patients' frontal-temporal network associated with higher disability levels and fever. Gray matter changes may underlie mood disturbances in Covid-19 patients.
Researchers found that participants overestimated minority groups and looked more often at these groups, even in quick visual scans. This bias occurs regardless of social context and is driven by a fundamental feature of human perception
Marine scientists call on EU to adopt a two-step approach to reduce bycatch levels, involving quantitative management objectives and monitoring programmes. The experts recommend using electronic monitoring systems and regular formal assessments of small cetacean populations.
A study by University of Cambridge researchers found that credit officers are less likely to approve loan applications at midday, resulting in missed opportunities for customers and financial losses for the bank. The study suggests that regular breaks during working hours can improve performance and productivity.
A team of researchers identified a genetic mutation associated with exfoliation syndrome, the most common cause of glaucoma. The study found that people with exfoliation syndrome are twice as likely to carry damaging mutations in the CYP39A1 protein, which plays a crucial role in cholesterol processing.
A recent study by Jordi Gumà and Bruno Arpino explores the association between subjective life satisfaction and gender roles in providing financial resources and performing domestic chores among partnered Spanish adults. The researchers found that households with financial difficulties experience a significant impact on individual well...
A review of over 500 academic papers found that wasps are valuable for agriculture, providing biocontrol services worth $416 billion annually. Wasps also contribute to pollination, visiting 960 plant species, including those dependent on them for reproduction. Their venom and saliva have medicinal properties.