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Study finds banning energy disconnections shouldn’t destabilise markets

A new study by RMIT University found that protections in place in Europe can help phase out harmful electricity disconnections without destabilizing power markets. The research highlights the need for evidence-led action to extend disconnection prohibitions and strengthen safeguards for vulnerable consumers.

Fairness in AI: Study shows central role of human decision-making

A new study by researchers at TU Graz and the Know Center shows that AI-powered recommender systems can perpetuate unfairness if not designed with human decision-making in mind. The study proposes a multi-stakeholder approach, involving service providers, municipalities, and local residents, to ensure fairness and transparency.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Personalized interactions increase cooperation, trust and fairness

A new study found that when people can tailor their actions to different individuals in their networks, they become significantly more cooperative, trusting, and fair. This contradicts standard experimental setups of cooperation, which underestimate people's prosocial potential.

Women earn 25% less than men in wealthy households, finds study

A new analysis of the gender pay gap in the UK reveals that women in wealthier households earn 25% less than men, while those in poorer households experience a smaller 4% gap. The study highlights the importance of addressing societal penalties for being female and improving job quality to reduce the pay gap.

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.

Many people choose unemployment benefits over poorly paid jobs

A Norwegian University of Science and Technology study published in PLOS One found that extremely low minimum wages and unemployment benefits can discourage people from working. The 'work incentive principle' aims to create a financial advantage for working over receiving benefits, but when both are very low, it loses its effectiveness.

Parents are not happier but have a greater sense of meaning in life

A study by University of Cologne researchers reveals that parenthood is associated with a greater sense of meaning in life, despite lower life satisfaction. The analysis of over 43,000 participants from 30 countries found that people who have children tend to feel their lives carry more value and worth.

Who really calls the shots in crypto decision-making?

A study by Complexity Science Hub found that in 7.54% of DAOs, a single contributor controlled decisions due to concentrated governance tokens. This raises concerns about the true level of democracy in these organizations, which aim to distribute power and promote fairness and transparency.

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.

China’s insider trading crackdown is backfiring. Here’s why

A new study reveals that China's sell-by-plan mandate, aimed at preventing insider trading, has failed to stop executives from profiting from private information. Executives have found a way to plan their sales far in advance, allowing them to cash out before bad news breaks, undermining market fairness and eroding investor trust.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

New research can help luxury brands counter the appeal of counterfeit goods

New research suggests that educating low-knowledge luxury consumers about the appeal of counterfeit goods can help combat the trillion-dollar counterfeit market. Consumers with high subjective knowledge in this domain are less likely to partake in counterfeits, while those with lower knowledge are more drawn to them.

Can AI be governed by an ‘equity by design’ framework?

The 'equity by design' framework proposed by Daryl Lim aims to maximize AI benefits while minimizing harm, particularly for underrepresented individuals. The approach embeds equity principles throughout the AI lifecycle, addressing biases and increasing inequality.

Choosing between human and algorithmic decision-makers

A study of 9,000 US-based participants reveals that they prioritize efficiency over fairness when choosing between human and algorithmic decision-makers. Notably, Republicans prefer humans more than Democrats, yet most claim fairness is a top priority.

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.

Showing AI users diversity in training data boosts perceived fairness and trust

A new study by Penn State researchers suggests that making AI training data diversity information available can shape users' expectations of algorithmic fairness and trust. Displaying racial diversity cues in AI interfaces can enhance users' perceptions of algorithmic fairness and trust, according to the study's findings.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

The emergence of moral foundations in children’s speech

A study of children's conversations with caretakers found that the Care/Harm foundation emerges at a younger age than other moral foundations, appearing in one-year-olds' speech. The study also showed that children tend to discuss fairness while caretakers focus on Purity/Degradation.

When AI aids decisions, when should humans override?

New research finds that AI explanations can fuel a perception of fairness without being grounded in accuracy or equity. Humans were more likely to override AI recommendations when explanations highlighted gender rather than task-relevance, but this did not improve decision-making accuracy.

Humans change their own behavior when training AI

Researchers found that when participants were told their decisions would train an AI bot, they became more likely to seek a fair share of the payout. This behavior persisted even after the experiment ended, suggesting a lasting impact on decision-making.

Balancing fairness and welfare in the face of uncertainty

A mathematical model developed by Chris Zobel and colleagues optimizes resource allocation in urban infrastructure while considering social vulnerabilities and projected sea level rise impacts. The approach prioritizes investments that enhance resilience and mitigate socio-economic disparities, enabling informed decision-making that ba...

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.

How America’s elites may hold the key to lowering murder rates

Historian Randolph Roth finds that feelings of empowerment, inclusion, and trust in government drive low homicide rates. Successful nation building is crucial, with four factors contributing to this success: political stability, legitimate social hierarchy, fellow feeling, and legitimate government.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Censoring creativity: The limits of ChatGPT for scriptwriting

A new study reveals that ChatGPT's automated content moderation filters can flag nearly 20% of its own generated scripts for content violations, including half of PG-rated shows. The research raises questions about the efficacy of using AI as a tool in scriptwriting and its potential impact on artistic expression.

The composition of the gut microbiota could influence decision-making

A study found that individuals taking probiotic supplements showed increased sensitivity to fairness and a greater inclination to reject unequal offers. This was accompanied by changes in gut microbiota composition and levels of dopamine precursors. The findings suggest a potential causal mechanism linking gut bacteria to social behavior.

Sensitivity to fairness and the gut microbiome

Taking pro- and prebiotics affects levels of altruistic punishment in ultimatum game players. Participants who took supplements were more likely to reject unfair offers, with those having a high Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio seeing the greatest changes.

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.

Study: New deepfake detector designed to be less biased

Researchers at UB have developed a new deepfake detection algorithm that reduces biases in facial recognition, with one method classifying videos based on demographics and the other relying on features not visible to the human eye. The algorithms improved fairness metrics and reduced disparities in accuracy across races and genders.

Exploring dimensions of justice in climate science

IIASA researchers propose a conceptual framework to address justice in climate science, synthesizing distributional, procedural, corrective, recognitional, and transitional justice. The framework aims to enhance interdisciplinary understanding and promote awareness of justice considerations in climate policy.

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.

Popularity matters more than compatibility on dating apps

A new study by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Washington found that online dating algorithms exhibit popularity bias, recommending more attractive users over less attractive ones. This bias boosts revenue through increased engagement and matches, but may compromise user satisfaction.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Paper addresses ethics of bioethics conference in Qatar

The International Association of Bioethics has proposed a framework to guide the selection of future conference sites, including those with anti-LGBTQ+ laws. The framework identifies multiple values and principles at stake, aiming to broaden conversation within bioethics about international conferencing ethics.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

HSE scientists investigate third-party punishment for unfairness

Researchers from HSE Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience examine the brain's reaction to social norms violations and calculate a behavioral index to assess an individual's sensitivity to unfairness. This index can be used to develop personalized rehabilitation programs for patients with various types of behavioral disorders.

What math can teach us about standing up to bullies

A game theory study from Dartmouth College reveals that being uncooperative can lead to a more equal outcome, even for the weaker party. By refusing to fully cooperate, players can resist extortion and ultimately achieve a better payoff.

Will engineered carbon removal solve the climate crisis?

A new IIASA-led study investigated the potential of engineered Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies, such as Direct Air Capture of CO2 (DACCS), to help bridge the gap between current emissions reductions and ambitious climate goals. The study found that novel CDR can keep pre-Paris climate targets within reach when accounting for ...

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.

Tetris reveals how people respond to unfair AI

A Cornell University-led study using the Tetris game found that players who receive fewer turns perceive their partner as less likable, regardless of whether a human or AI allocates the turns. The researchers also discovered that machine allocation behavior can lead to worse performance and gameplay when fairness is not guaranteed.

Study: AI models fail to reproduce human judgements about rule violations

Researchers found that machine-learning models trained with descriptive data label rule violations more harshly than humans, leading to potential serious implications in the real world. This study highlights the need for careful consideration of data labeling and training methods to ensure fairness and accuracy in AI decision-making.