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Smart people may learn music faster

A Michigan State University study found that intelligence was the strongest predictor of skill acquisition in beginner pianists, followed by music aptitude. In contrast, growth mindset had little impact on piano performance.

Showing robots 'tough love' helps them succeed, finds new USC study

A new USC study found that training robots with a human adversary significantly improves their grasp of objects, leading to better performance in manipulation tasks. The researchers discovered that this approach helps robots learn more stable grasps and succeed more often in real-world environments.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

Kids in poor, urban schools learn just as much as others

A nationwide study reveals that schools serving disadvantaged and minority children teach as much to their students as those serving more advantaged kids. The learning gap disappears when students return to school after summer break, suggesting that schools are neutral in addressing inequality.

Specialized training benefits young STEM researchers

A new study at Binghamton University's First-year Research Immersion (FRI) program found that instructors with extra training improved student outcomes. The FRI program provides STEM students with research experience, while the training program for research educators helped them develop skills in teaching and mentoring.

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.

Gamification can give dental and medical education a boost

A new study from the University of Eastern Finland found that gamification through online trivia quizzes enhances student motivation and collaboration in histology education. Students reported better understanding and performance when working in groups after participating in Kahoot-based quizzes.

Smaller class size means more success for women in STEM

A new study at Cornell University found that smaller class sizes lead to more equitable participation in STEM classrooms, particularly for women. The research highlights the importance of diverse teaching strategies and evidence-based active-learning techniques to create a small classroom climate.

Dangers of the blame game

A study found that when people are informed about a victim's past moral transgressions, they are less likely to take action against the company. This phenomenon can lead to irrational victim blaming, harming individuals, groups, and society. The study aims to increase awareness among consumers and empower them to make rational decisions.

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

Older adults: Daunted by a new task? Learn 3 instead

A study by UC Riverside researchers found that older adults who learned three to five classes simultaneously showed significant increases in cognitive abilities, similar to those of middle-aged adults. The study suggests that intense learning experiences can improve cognitive functioning in older populations.

Culture shapes how we learn to reason?

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that cultural environment influences early diversity in abstract thought. Chinese children demonstrated superior relational reasoning skills compared to US children, with significant differences emerging around age 3.

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.

Music students do better in school than non-musical peers

A study found that music students outperform non-musical peers in math, science, and English exams. The research suggests that instrumental music skills transfer broadly to academic subjects, enhancing cognitive capacities and motivation to learn.

What we think we know -- but might not -- pushes us to learn more

A study from the University of California, Berkeley found that uncertainty about what one knows leads to the most curiosity and learning. Tailoring classroom learning to students' misconceptions can be an effective way to stimulate curiosity and motivation to learn. The study's findings expand on Maria Montessori's child-centered appro...

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.

Body donor's rare anatomy offers valuable lessons

A rare condition, situs inversus with levocardia, has been discovered in a 99-year-old body donor. This condition is often associated with life-threatening cardiac ailments and occurs about once in every 22,000 births. The discovery of this unusual anatomy offers valuable lessons on human variations.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Experiences of nature boost children's learning

A critical review of hundreds of studies reveals that time in nature improves attention, reduces stress, boosts self-discipline, and promotes physical activity and fitness. The analysis suggests that greening schoolyards and incorporating nature-based instruction can have a significant impact on children's learning and development.

More than just memories: a new role for the hippocampus during learning

Researchers found that the hippocampus uniquely represents bound features, such as faces and houses combined, which is essential for forming complex associations during learning. The study's findings have important implications for understanding how the brain's memory systems contribute to learning and decision-making.

Singing for science: How the arts can help students who struggle most

A new study by Johns Hopkins University found that incorporating the arts into science lessons can help low-achieving students retain more knowledge. The study, which analyzed data from over 350 students, discovered that arts-integrated classes improved content retention by an average of 105%.

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.

Curricular changes show success by fourth year

A new science curriculum, Integrating Biology with Inquiry (IBIS), has been shown to increase student buy-in and satisfaction over time, while maintaining learning gains. The four-year study found that students recognized the connection between their teaching methods and their learning outcomes.

Can artificial intelligence tell a polar bear from a can opener?

A recent UCLA study found that artificial intelligence, specifically deep learning computer networks, have severe limitations in distinguishing objects. The researchers demonstrated that these machines can be easily fooled, and their method of identifying objects using computer vision differs substantially from human vision.

Mind-body exercises may improve cognitive function as adults age

A meta-analysis of 32 randomized controlled trials found that mind-body exercises enhance cognitive flexibility, working memory, and verbal fluency in older adults. The study suggests that these exercises can improve learning and overall mental health, offering a promising approach to supporting cognitive function as we age.

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.

New attack could make website security captchas obsolete

Researchers have created a new artificial intelligence that can effectively defeat captcha security systems used by most popular websites. The algorithm, based on deep learning methods, requires only 500 genuine captchas to train, making it highly efficient and able to launch attacks with low effort.

Learning to read comes at a cost

Preliterate 6-year-olds outperformed their peers on grammatical relations, but struggled with novel words. After six months of reading instruction, the advantage disappeared, suggesting that literacy may come at a cost.

A new 'buddy system' of nurse education gets high marks from students

A new 'buddy system' of nursing education has been found to improve student learning and confidence by promoting collaborative decision-making. The 'Two Heads Are Better than One' method involves two students working together as one nurse, forcing them to prioritize and make clinical decisions, resulting in less anxiety and more robust...

Using machine learning and optimization to improve refugee integration

A computational tool using machine learning and optimization algorithms matches refugees to host communities with the best resources for success. Annie MOORE predicts refugee employment likelihood and guides resettlement workers in finding suitable placements, improving integration outcomes.

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.

MDI Biological Laboratory awarded NIH grant to promote data literacy

The MDI Biological Laboratory has received a five-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to promote data literacy among high school students and teachers. The project aims to address the contamination of well water in Maine and New Hampshire with arsenic, which can lead to severe health problems.

Latin may help students bridge their native language with English

A study found that teaching Latin roots to English Learners improves word analysis skills and enhances academic vocabulary. By leveraging their native language, students can build a stronger connection between Latin and English, ultimately improving literacy and academic achievement.

The soothing effects of strangers

A study found that pain treatment is more efficient when provided by a stranger, revealing the analgesic effect of surprise. Participants experienced reduced neural pain responses and subjective pain judgments after being treated by someone from a different social group.

Researchers help to bridge the gap between psychology and gamification

A research team at the University of Waterloo has defined gameful experience as a psychological state resulting from three characteristics: perceived achievable goals, motivation under arbitrary rules, and voluntary actions. This unifying concept aims to clarify terminology and improve gameful system design.

WSU to HEAL the state's rural biomedical career shortage

Washington State University has been awarded a five-year grant to increase the number and diversity of students from rural Washington who enter biomedical careers. The project, called HEAL, uses art-based learning to engage underrepresented communities in STEM education.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Why we stick to false beliefs: Feedback trumps hard evidence

A recent study published in Open Mind suggests that people's sense of certainty is boosted by feedback rather than hard evidence when learning new things or trying to tell right from wrong. This cognitive dynamic can lead to the reinforcement of false beliefs and limit intellectual horizons.

Knowledge of African-American language and culture benefits teachers in STEM fields

A recent study by Christine Mallinson and Anne H. Charity Hudley suggests that K-12 STEM educators who are aware of linguistic issues can better support African-American students. The authors recommend developing cultural and linguistic competencies through partnerships with local linguists and using linguistic insight to invite studen...

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Does it matter where students sit in lecture halls?

A study found that friendship groups who sat together achieved similar grades, while students sitting alone at the edges tended to do worse. The research suggests that lecturers can use this information to provide targeted support for anxious students and encourage interactions between different groups.

Penalty kick research hits the spot

A new study from the University of Portsmouth suggests that implicit practice methods can help football players improve their penalty kick accuracy. The research found that using these methods, which encourage independent decision-making, results in higher kicking accuracy compared to explicit training methods.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

SF State researcher explores how information enters our brains

Researchers found that stimuli in the environment can influence what we think about and activate subconscious 'sets' that override conscious intentions. This challenge traditional views of a private conscious mind, suggesting it may be more permeable than thought.

'Exam Roulette' could quell essay-induced anxiety

A new assessment called Exam Roulette uses a game of chance to increase student preparation and motivation for essay tests. Students can preview potential questions, ask clarifying questions, but not receive specific content information, reducing anxiety and stress.

Possible marker found to predict long-term learning

A possible biomarker for long-term learning has been discovered, which may lead to different educational techniques to improve retention of information. The researchers used EEG to measure students' brain responses to anatomical terms before and after an introductory anatomy class.

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.

Beyond the 'Reading Wars': How the science of reading can improve literacy

A new report synthesizes findings from over 300 research studies to emphasize the importance of teaching phonics in establishing fundamental reading skills in early childhood. The review provides concrete recommendations for drawing on this evidence base in the classroom to support more children becoming confident, skilled readers.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Kids show adult-like intuition about ownership

A study from the University of Waterloo found that children can sense an item's ownership without direct interaction, using territory-based inferences. This suggests that children have adult-like intuitions about ownership, which is surprising given their age.