From Silent Dialogues to Vivid Memories – Here’s How the Science of Inner Experience Could Transform Gaming

Technology

How could gaming go deeper into inner experience? Here’s one example. Many people report having a silent, internal conversation with themselves for much of the time. Our research has shown that inner speech comes in several different forms and has varied functions in thinking, planning and emotion regulation. But when inner speech is depicted in video games, it tends to lack the qualities and variety.

Taylor Swift’s Endorsement of Kamala Harris Shows How Big a Role Music Is Playing in the 2024 Election

Arts, Politics

Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris is headline news, as were the mere rumors that Beyoncé might perform at the Democratic National Convention. Donald Trump, too, has his pop culture supporters, including Kid Rock and Lee Greenwood.

Dancing Raisins: a Simple Kitchen Experiment Reveals How Objects Can Extract Energy From Their Environment and Come To Life

Science

The kitchen offers plenty of opportunities to view and explore what physicists call soft matter and complex fluids. Everyday phenomena, such as Cheerios clustering in milk or rings left when drops of coffee evaporate, have led to discoveries at the intersection of physics and chemistry and other tasteful collaborations between food scientists and physicists.

‘No-Fault Eviction’ to Be Banned in England – But It Won’t Solve Private Renters’ Problems

Politics

It appears that the UK government is going to ban “no-fault” eviction by private landlords in England. It promised to abolish these notices immediately after the election, and the king’s speech in July indicated this was a priority.

The Leading Alternative to GDP Is Languishing Over a Technical Disagreement – With Grave Potential Consequences

Economics, Politics

A whole “beyond GDP” movement has emerged over the last several decades, arguing that we should adopt a new way of measuring the wealth of nations. There is an ongoing debate about the best alternative, and many indicators have supporters, such as gross national happiness and the genuine progress indicator.

5 Lessons From Ancient Civilizations for Cooling Homes in Hot, Dry Climates

History, Science

Ancient civilizations constructed buildings right next to each other, which reduced the number of walls exposed to the intense solar radiation. Small courtyards provided lighting and ventilation. Narrow streets ensured shade throughout the day and allowed pedestrians to move comfortably through the city.

The Science Behind Ariana Grande’s Vocal Metamorphosis

Arts, Science

While promoting her role in the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway hit “Wicked,” singer Ariana Grande made a podcast appearance that left many of her fans befuddled and concerned.

Thousands of Children Got Tested for Lead With Faulty Devices: What Parents Should Know

Science

A company that makes tests for lead poisoning has agreed to resolve criminal charges that it concealed for years a malfunction that resulted in inaccurately low results. While many of the fault-prone devices were used from 2013 to 2017, some were being recalled as late as 2021. The Justice Department said the malfunction produced inaccurate results for “potentially tens of thousands” of children and other patients.

What Philadelphians Need to Know About the City’s 7,000-Camera Surveillance System

Politics

Philadelphia’s camera network grew at an astounding pace. In the past decade, the city has gone from 216 cameras to a network of more than 7,000 cameras operated by police and transportation officials.

How Memories Are Made – And Preserved

Science

Although working memory has very limited capacity – at any given time, it can accommodate just four to seven pieces of information – it is essential for normal human functioning and represents what Spitzer calls a ‘superpower’.

Math Degrees Are Becoming Less Accessible – And This Is a Problem for Business, Government And Innovation

Science

There’s been a 50% drop in numbers of maths students at the lowest tariff universities over the five years between 2017 and 2021 in England. As a result, some universities are struggling to keep their mathematics departments open.

Hayek’s Road to Serfdom at 80: What Critics Get Wrong About the Austrian Economist

Economics, Politics

The Road was especially popular in the US. This was helped by Reader’s Digest publishing a shortened edition in 1945, introducing Hayek to a non-academic audience of some 9 million households. He was seized upon by conservatives opposing Franklin D Roosevelt’s interventionist New Deal.

Polluted Minds: Airborne Toxins Can Increase Our Risk for Cognitive Disability and Disease

Politics

Airborne toxins can increase our risk for cognitive disability and disease. The science of exposomics is helping to identify effective responses. those with median levels of air pollution have a 56 percent greater risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to those living in regions with the lowest level of air pollution.

Lead From Old Paint and Pipes Is Still a Harmful and Deadly Hazard in Millions of US Homes

Politics

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 1 million deaths each year are attributable to lead poisoning, with the highest exposures in developing nations. Lead continues leaching from old paint, pipes and industrial sources into soils, homes and waterways across the globe.

Robo-Advisers Are Here – The Pros and Cons of Using AI In Investing

Economics, Technology

AI-powered robo-advisers, such as Betterment and Vanguard in the US, and finance app Revolut in Europe, are now democratising investment. These tools are making professional financial insight and portfolio management available to everyone. But although there are plenty of advantages to using robo-advisers, there are downsides too.

Why Does It Feel So Cold in the UK Right Now – And When Will It Warm Up?

Geography

It won’t come as a surprise that temperatures have been well below average this week, especially in eastern areas of the UK where they’ve stayed stubbornly in single digits. The atmospheric observatory at the University of Reading indicates the average daily maximum temperature for April so far is 14.4°C – that’s 0.4°C above average.

How to Unlock Our Electronic Junk’s Potential Through Recycling

Politics

Better recycling electronic items could reduce mining’s high environmental impact. In fact, for some metals, recycling is more energy efficient than mining. Extracting aluminium through recycling, for example, requires 10 to 15 times less energy than primary production.

UK Smoking Ban Would Have Many Benefits for Public Health – But Only if It’s Effectively Implemented

Politics

Smoking rates in the UK have been falling over the last few decades, in part helped by tobacco control efforts during this time. In 2022, just under 13% of adults (around 6.4 million people) in England smoked cigarettes compared to nearly half the population in 1974.

How to Filter out PFAS and Forever Chemicals From Water

Politics

Chemists invented PFAS in the 1930s to make life easier: Nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, grease-resistant food packaging and stain-resistant carpet were all made possible by PFAS. But in recent years, the growing number of health risks found to be connected to these chemicals has become increasingly alarming.

Why Some Indians Want to Change the Country’s Name To Bharat

History

The appearance of Bharat in official government correspondence may reopen old wounds for Muslims and the conservative Hindus in the south.

Exposing Plants to an Unusual Chemical Early on May Bolster Their Growth and Help Feed The World

Science

Environmental conditions during germination can have profound and long-lasting effects on plants that could increase both their size and their stress tolerance at the same time.

Lithography nanoimprint machine announced by Canon, promising 2nm chips without EUV

Technology

The Japanese industrial and imaging manufacturer Canon has released a new cutting-edge lithography machine using a more cost-effective process than ASML’s EUV.

Russia’s Legal Interpretation of ‘Espionage’ Has Broadened Since the Soviet Era – As the Case of Evan Gershkovich Shows

Politics

Under the revised version of Article 276, espionage now constitutes “the transfer, collecting, stealing, or keeping for the purpose of transfer to a foreign State, international or foreign organization, or of their representatives, of information comprising a state secret.”

Stand Your Ground Laws Empower Armed Citizens to Defend Property With Violence – A Simple Mistake Can Get You Shot, Or Killed

Politics

Stand your ground laws authorize defensive violence without a duty to retreat, wherever a person may legally be. Some also expand the circumstances in which someone could use lethal force to defend property.

The Marketing Tricks That Have Kept Barbie’s Brand Alive for Over 60 Years

Economics, History

Rejected by the toy industry at first, Barbie is now one of America’s most trusted brands. “She” – the 11.5 inch blonde doll, but also her brand persona – generated worldwide sales of around US$1.5 billion (£1.3 billion) in 2022, and has a brand value of US$590 million.