Liberals and conservatives differ on climate change beliefs but are relatively united in taking action, according to a new study. The study finds that when given the opportunity, liberals and conservatives take action to address climate change at roughly the same levels—and that this is due to conservatives choosing to take action despite their climate-change beliefs rather than liberals failing to act on theirs. “Our work shows a disconnect between beliefs and behaviors among conservatives when it comes to environmental matters while, at the same time, revealing common ground with liberals w ..read more

A study that used artificial intelligence and social media posts to assess the rates of depression and anxiety in nearly half of American counties found that the AI-generated measurements produced more reliable assessments than population surveys. Led by Stony Brook University researchers in collaboration with computer scientists and psychologists at Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania, the study assessed rates at a weekly level and enabled the team to also track changes for smaller regions. The findings appear in Nature Digital Medicine. Depression and anxiety are the two ..read more

A new study has unveiled clues for helping scientists predict who is most at risk for severe COVID-19, and among those who experience severe disease, who is most likely to survive. Why do some people with COVID-19 experience little more than a sniffle while others end up on a ventilator? And among critically ill patients, why do some eventually recover while others do not? The new study drew on data from the Immunophenotyping Assessment in a COVID-19 Cohort (IMPACC) study, a partnership between the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and 15 research institutions acro ..read more

When breastfeeding mothers used cannabis, its psychoactive component THC showed up in the milk they produced. Further, unlike alcohol, when researchers detected THC in milk there was no consistent time when its concentration peaked and started to decline. Importantly, the researchers discovered that the amount of THC they detected in milk was low—they estimated that infants received an average of 0.07 mg of THC per day. For comparison, a common low-dose edible contains 2 mg of THC. The research team stresses that it is unknown whether this amount has any impact on the infant. “Breastfeeding p ..read more

Evidence suggests a weak magnetic field millions of years ago may have fueled the proliferation of life on Earth. The Ediacaran Period, spanning from about 635 to 541 million years ago, was a pivotal time in Earth’s history. It marked a transformative era during which complex, multicellular organisms emerged, setting the stage for the explosion of life. But how did this surge of life unfold and what factors on Earth may have contributed to it? Researchers have uncovered compelling evidence that Earth’s magnetic field was in a highly unusual state when the macroscopic animals of the Ediacaran ..read more

Researchers have found evidence of the molecular causes of the damaging impact heat stress has on vital organs, including the gut, liver, and brain in older adults. The findings point to the potential of developing precise prognostic and therapeutic interventions. These organs have a complex and multidirectional communication system that touches everything from our gastrointestinal tract to the nervous system. Whether it is our brain affecting hunger or the liver influencing mental health, understanding the gut-liver-brain communication or “axis” is crucial to protecting human health. The stu ..read more

As people have more difficulty distinguishing fact from fiction in the United States, they are more likely to feel news fatigue and avoid news altogether, according to a new study. More than an unintentional avoidance because of lack of media exposure, the researchers say people actively avoid news. The researchers also find that people who identify as strong Democrats begin relying more on nonpartisan news media when feeling misinformed, while people who identify as strong Republicans report using less news media overall, including less conservative news media. The study appears in Journalis ..read more

The more time you spend on social media, the more likely you are to want to undergo a cosmetic procedure, new research shows. It’s a familiar pattern: you open your social media app of choice and end up sucked into a digital wormhole, mindlessly scrolling while the real world fades away. Maybe you even decide to post something, and pick out a filter to apply to your latest selfie or vacation photo. Or maybe you run your pic through an app like Facetune, tweaking your appearance to look your best. Your photo then becomes one of the countless altered images coursing through social media users ..read more

A new fentanyl sensor is six orders of magnitude more sensitive than any electrochemical sensor for the drug reported in the past five years. The portable sensor can also tell the difference between fentanyl and other opioids. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and one of the main drivers in overdose deaths in the United States, says Alexander Star, a chemistry professor at the University of Pittsburgh. It’s often mixed with other drugs, but because of its potency, it’s often present in such small amounts that it can be hard to detect. The new sensor uses carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles t ..read more

Researchers have developed a method to make high-quality perovskite films at room temperature. Finding reliable, eco-friendly power sources is crucial as our world grapples with increasing energy needs and the urgent call to combat climate change. Solar energy offers one solution, with scientists devising ever more efficient materials for capturing sunlight. Perovskite solar cells have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional, silicon solar cells, boasting a number of advantages. But processing the material has been a complicated affair. The new innovation not only simplified the pr ..read more