A recent study found large gaps between people’s career interests and US job demands. These gaps indicate that the interest demands of the US labor market differ drastically from the supply of interested people, revealing how many people have unfulfi

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 sniffl

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

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 transformativ

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. Le

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 dec

A new class of synthetic materials could lead to the next revolution of  wireless technologies, enabling devices to be smaller, require less signal strength, and use less power. The key to these advances lies in what experts call phononics, which is

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 rou

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 exposur

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 scro

There might be some health benefits to the trend of cold plunging, new research suggests Scores of Instagram influencers claim that a dunk into a frigid bath will boost physical and mental health and help the body recover more quickly from exercise.

Brace for a very active hurricane season this year, warn forecasters. The 2023 hurricane season saw 20 named storms and three major hurricanes from the Atlantic basin, ranking as the fourth most active hurricane season on record. This year’s hurrican

When people are presented with two answers to an ethical question, most will think the answer from artificial intelligence is better than the response from another person. The explosion of ChatGPT and similar AI large language models (LLMs) which cam

Researchers have developed a catalyst material known as cobalt phthalocyanine that converts carbon dioxide—a significant driver of climate change—into renewable fuels such as methanol. Published in the journal ACS Catalysis, the researchers studied u

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. So

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

The immune status of postpartum mothers shifts with how she feeds her baby, a new study finds. According to the paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, certain inflammatory proteins—substances that are secreted as part of an immune respons

Competition over love and real estate drives two extreme behaviors in green-rumped parrotlets, a new study finds—either caring for or killing one another’s babies. Infanticide and adoption in the animal kingdom have long puzzled scientists. While bot

Superradiant atoms could push the boundaries of how precisely time can be measured, researchers report. The second is the most precisely-defined unit of measurement, compared to other base units such as the kilogram, meter, and degree Kelvin. Time is

Some people assume we forget or outgrow trauma. But the truth is, if someone experiences trauma as a child, it can lead to physical and mental struggles that affect their entire life. Here, Thomas O’Connor, director of the Wynne Center for Family Res

In this episode of the Big Brains podcast, James Doty explains the scientific research on how to train our brain to achieve our goals. We’ve all heard the phrase “Manifest Your Destiny” when it comes to wanting that new promotion, figuring out a new

“Forever chemicals” have made the news recently, with new EPA rules limiting the amount of some types that can be in drinking water. Here, Carla Ng, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson

A first-ever stretchy electronic skin could equip robots and other devices with the same softness and touch sensitivity as human skin, researchers report. The e-skin opens up new possibilities to perform tasks that require a great deal of precision a

Researchers have created a new device for taking blood samples that works like a leech. The new device is less invasive than taking blood from the arm with a needle. It is also easy to handle and can be used by people without medical training. Many p

The popular app Twitch, created to livestream video game action, is redefining journalism as it becomes a source for news, research finds. Established news groups and digital-age influencers are competing on Twitch in creative ways to draw users who

A new study finds heavy-drinking young adults decreased alcohol intake during the pandemic. The researchers found alcohol use and alcohol-related problems substantially decreased in heavy-drinking young adults during the pandemic, and these decreases

Dog aggression can be unsettling, stressful, and even dangerous, not only for the dog but also for other pets, family members, and strangers. Because some forms of aggression are rare and unexpected, such as rage syndrome, Lori Teller, a clinical pro

New research sheds light on neural processing of diverse classes of rewards in mice, with potential implications for understanding substance use disorders in humans. Drugs like morphine and cocaine fundamentally warp the brain’s reward system—creatin

Black drivers are more frequently searched during traffic stops without finding contraband than white drivers, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data from 98 million traffic stops, and found that innocent Black drivers were likely to be

Analysis suggests the baby teeth of saber tooth cats stayed in place for years to stabilize the growing permanent saber tooth, perhaps allowing adolescents to learn how to hunt without breaking them. The fearsome, saber-like teeth of Smilodon fatalis