BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street Own Corporate America
Together, BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street have nearly US$11 trillion in assets under management. That’s more than all sovereign wealth funds combined.
Arrests of 6-Year-Olds Show the Perils of Putting Police in Primary Schools
The arrest of two six-year-olds in a Florida school in October has shown, sometimes one threat to the students is the officers themselves.
Urban Forests Can Store Almost as Much Carbon as Tropical Rainforests
New study by researchers at University College London shows that pockets of London’s urban jungle store as much carbon per hectare as tropical rainforests.
Discovery of Prehistoric Baby Bottles Shows Infants Were Fed Cow’s Milk 5,000 Years Ago
Clay vessels that have been found in Germany could have been used to supplement breast milk and wean children more than 5,000 years ago.
Astronauts’ Brains Are Subject to Long-Lasting Damage Due to Low Dose Space Radiation
Physicists at Colorado State University have developed a facility that allows researchers to deliver a slow and realistic deep space radiation exposure.
Fossil Fuel Subsidies Reach Us$87 Billion in EU Countries – and They’re Growing
In 2017, EU countries spent US$87 billion subsidizing the cost of fossil fuels. This is nearly 2.5 times more than they spent in 2010.
No, It’s Not Ok for the Government To Use Your Prescription Details To Recruit You for a Study
People providing their personal information to the government, to access government services, are doing so through necessity, not choice.
The Answer to Forecasting Bitcoin May Lie in Artificial Intelligence
Bitcoin price prediction is becoming more accurate using artificial intelligence. Historical evolution of daily Bitcoin price follows predictive trends.
Drug Use in England and Wales Is up for the Fourth Year in a Row
One of the most striking elements of the data is the ease with which people, especially young people, can obtain controlled drugs.
Now That Cannabis Is Legal, Let’s Use It To Tackle the Opioid Crisis
There’s growing evidence for the use of cannabis in treating opioid addiction. A study of found that those who used cannabis used opioids less often.
Teenage Sexting Linked To Increased Sexual Behavior, Drug Use and Poor Mental Health
Researchers have found links between sexting and factors such as sexual activity, drugs and alcohol use and emotional health.
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction, 50 Years Later: The Song That Almost Never Was
In 1965, Keith Richards had recorded a few snatches of Satisfaction and gone back to sleep, leaving the machine to record a long stretch of snoring.
Millennials Are $1 Trillion in Debt but They’re Better at Saving Than Previous Generations
Millennials have racked up over US$1 trillion of debt. Yet, in comparison to previous generations this group is significantly more fiscally conservative.
The Amazon’s Tallest Tree Just Got 50% Taller – and Scientists Don’t Know How
The laser scanning technology that has enabled this and other recent mammoth tree discoveries isn’t just a plaything for tree lovers.
New York’s New Rental Protections Won’t End the Outsize Influence of Big Developers Who Pay the City’s Bills
New York has the second most expensive rental market in the United States. More than half of all New Yorkers spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
Superblocks: Barcelona’s Car-Free Zones Could Extend Lives and Boost Mental Health
Barcelona’s urban superblocks are neighborhoods of nine blocks, where traffic is restricted to major roads, opening up streets to pedestrians.
ANIMATED HISTORY OF POLAND – 1000 YEARS IN 8 MINUTES
This animation takes you through 1000 years of history in about 8 minutes, 140 events that feature 500 characters from different historical periods.
Why Do Only Some People Get ‘Skin Orgasms’ From Listening To Music?
The experience feels like waves of pleasure running all over your skin. Some researchers have even dubbed it a “skin orgasm.”
RADICAL REFORMS TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE GONE UNNOTICED AND UNCHALLENGED AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF BREXIT
Reforms to the way local authorities are funded are the most radical and least discussed changes made by conservative governments since 2010.
How Many Americans Believe in Climate Change? Probably More Than You Think, Research in Indiana Suggests.
Around 80% of the American respondents reported believing that climate change was occurring “somewhat” or “to a great extent.”
5 Charts Show How Your Household Drives up Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Household consumption – food, housing, transportation, apparel and other personal services – is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
We Asked People To Do Climate Change Maths. Their Answers Depended on Their Politics
We asked 252 left-wing supporters and 252 right-wing supporters to do some simple math. Their answers changed when we told them it was climate change data.
Australia Bans Video Games for Things You’d See in Movies. but Gamers Can Access Them Anyway
The Australian Classification Board has refused classification for at least four video games, effectively banning them in Australia.
Lights in the Sky From Elon Musk’s New Satellite Network Have Stargazers Worried
Musk is reported to be planning for up to 12,000 satellites in low Earth orbit. But this fleet of satellites could forever change our view of the heavens.
How Brexit Uncertainty Is Hurting the UK Economy – in Four Charts
Each day brings with it new drama in United Kingdom’s politics and the course of Brexit – and it’s playing havoc with the UK economy.
In Another Newly Discovered Song, Woody Guthrie Continues His Assault on ‘Old Man Trump’
In a newly discovered song ‘Old Man Trump’, Woody Guthrie assaults again Fred Trump over the rents charged at a public housing project.
Horizon Europe: The EU Plans To Spend €100 Billion on Research – Here’s How To Get the Most From It
As the EU research budget has grown (from €3.8b in the 1980s to €100b for 2021-27), so has the pressure to produce greater socioeconomic benefit.
Plagiarists or Innovators? the Led Zeppelin Paradox Endures?
Fifty years ago – in September 1968 – the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin first performed together, kicking off a Scandinavian tour billed as the New Yardbirds.
Why We Need To Get Back To Venus?
Venus is a planet almost exactly like Earth. It’s about the same size, is made of about the same stuff and formed around the same star.
What I Learned From Bob Hawke: Economics Isn’t an End Itself. There Has To Be a Social Benefit
Hawke and Keating were a dynamic duo of creative economics leadership. They reformed all aspects of Australia’s struggling economy.
Suspending Parliament Could Be the Act of a Credible Madman or Master Bluffer – Top Game Theorist on Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson has adopted what the late Nobel laureate game theorist, Thomas Schelling called the “madman theory” in his parliament suspension.
TOP 5 MICROSOFT FAIL MOMENTS
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMToNsCyFQU[/embedyt]
1929-1930: Eyewitness Accounts of Lincoln’s Assassination
Eyewitness accounts video recording of Lincoln’s assassination.
How We Discovered UK Shale Gas Reserves Are at Least 80% Smaller Than Thought
According to our new research, UK shale gas reserves may be just one sixth of the current official estimate; 1,300 trillion cubic ft down to 200 trillion.
Poland Invites Nationalism in Its Commemoration of WWII by Moving Location and Inviting Trump
Poland changed the site of the usual WWII commemoration ceremony from Westerplatte to Warsaw and, for the first time, invited a U.S. president to speak.
50 Years Ago, Jimi Hendrix Woodstock Anthem Expressed the Hopes and Fears of a Nation
One of the most powerful, searing renditions of the national anthem ever recorded, Jimi Hendrix’s iconic Woodstock anthem, almost never happened.
A Cyberattack Could Wreak Destruction Comparable To a Nuclear Weapon
People may be worried about nuclear tensions rising, but I think they’re missing the fact that a major cyberattack could be just as damaging.
Shouldn’t There Be a Law Against Reckless Opioid Sales? Turns Out, There Is
The number of Americans who died each year from a drug overdose while taking prescription painkillers soared from 3,500 in 1999 to more than 17,000 in 2017.
Huge Wildfires in the Arctic and Far North Send a Planetary Warning
The arctic and far North are burning. This summer, over 600 wildfires have consumed more than 2.4 million acres of forest across Alaska.
Faceapp’s Fine Print Means You Effectively Can’t Sue Them, Unless You Send a Letter To Their Russian Office
Faceapp can do whatever it likes with your photos. More concerning is the range of disturbing conditions users unwittingly sign up to.
Why Fewer and Fewer Americans Are Getting Divorced
The number of divorced persons per 1,000 Americans fell from 4.7 in 1990 to 2.9 in 2016. Who is driving this downward trend?
Redefining the Kilogram Means Redefining How We Measure Wealth
On World Metrology Day 2019, the kilogram was fundamentally redefined. Its value is now defined by the energetics of a hoard of photons.
Katy Perry Liable for Us$2.8m for Dark Horse Copyright Infringement – but the Real Loser Is the Music Industry
Katy Perry retaliates and wins back the copyright of her song Dark Horse. The infringement verdict of July 2019 was a big loss for the music industry.
English Premier League: Why the Transfer Window Has Lost Some of Its Excitement
English clubs spent £1.24 billion in 2018, even though they just reached 2017 record of £1.4 billion, 2019 window seems to have been an endurance event.
The New Field of Sonogenetics Uses Sound Waves to Control the Behavior of Brain Cells
Sonogenetics offers a novel therapeutic strategy for various movement-related disorders including Parkinson’s, epilepsy and dyskinesia.
Data Reveals the Value of An Assist in Basketball
More than 90 percent of corner three-point shots are assisted, while shots above the break are assisted at a rate just above 70 percent.
We Found Reservoirs of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Across London
Out of the 600 bacteria we found, nearly half were MRSA and multidrug resistant, meaning they were immune to treatment from several types of antibiotics.
Germany’s Deep Rooted Obsession With Saving – A Brief History
Germans not only save more than their UK counterparts, but the deep rooted national habit has more implications for Germany than those numbers would reveal.
Stiff Muscles Are a Counter-Intuitive Superpower of NBA Athletes
For elite athletes like professional basketball players, muscle stiffness is not only something that is necessary, you could say it’s their superpower.
Opioid Epidemic May Have Cost States at Least $130 Billion in Treatment and Related Expenses – and That’s Just the Tip of the Iceberg
The devastating health effects of the opioid epidemic have been well documented, with over 700,000 overdose deaths and millions more affected.
How the Government Can Steal Your Stuff: 6 Questions About Civil Asset Forfeiture Answered
Civil asset forfeiture laws let authorities seize property – cash, a house, a car, a cellphone – that they suspect is involved in criminal activity.
Space Junk: A Recycling Station Could Be Cleaning up in Earth Orbit by 2050
By 2050, Gateway Earth – a fully operational space station with a facility to recycle old satellites and other junk – could be up and running.
Facebook Algorithm Changes Suppressed Journalism and Meddled With Democracy
A few months before the 2016 election, an even bigger algorithm change toward friends and family posts took a second toll on publisher traffic.
World Bank Ruling Against Pakistan Shows Global Economic Governance Is Broken
Secretive World Bank tribunal ordered Pakistan to pay a mining company $5.8 billion — nearly as much as the IMF loan — to resolve a dispute.
Boris Johnson by Numbers: The UK Prime Minister’s Career Summed Up
It is hard to pin down just what it is Johnson believes in, given his habit of doing and saying whatever is needed to achieve his goals.
What’s Really Behind Baseball’s Home Run Surge?
It seems that recent changes to the ball are playing a role in the uptick in home runs. Other factors are the climate and advanced analytics.
Our Database of Police Officers Who Shoot Citizens Reveals Who’s Most Likely to Shoot
When all the officers that fired at a civilian were black, a person was 2.0 times more likely to be black than when all the officers who fired were white.
Global Inequality Is 25% Higher Than It Would Have Been in a Climate-Stable World
The gap in GDP per capita between richer and poorer countries is 25% higher than it would have been in a climate-stable world.
How the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings Turned Baseball Into a National Sensation
The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional baseball team in 1869 and went on to win an unprecedented 81 straight games.
Washington State’s Big Bet on Free College
Washington state enacted the landmark Workforce Education Investment Act into law in May 2019. The main idea behind it is to make college more affordable.
Transfer Deadline Medicals – How Inaccurate Tests May Lead To Clubs Making the Wrong Decisions About Players
Premier League clubs paid £217m in wages to injured players in 2017-2018. So financially, football clubs need to ensure a footballer can actually play.
How Would Engineers Build the Golden Gate Bridge Today?
Engineers have suggested reconstructing the Golden Gate Bridge in a way that would limit ongoing maintenance and operation bills.
Surveillance Cameras Will Soon Be Unrecognisable – Time for an Urgent Public Conversation
Facial recognition use in UK surveillance cameras is now legal. Yet, the tremendous power offered by that technology has to be tamed before it’s too late.
To Upgrade or Not Upgrade? That Is the All-Too-Frequent Question
The question of whether or not to go for the upgrade or stick with the devil you know is an increasingly common contemporary dilemma
Green Bay Packers Fans Love That Their Team Doesn’t Have an Owner – Just Don’t Call It Communism
The Green Bay Packers are the only team with a president instead of an owner. All its money goes back to the community, the fans. A pioneering model.
When World Leaders Thought You Shouldn’t Need Passports or Visas
In 1914, France, Germany, and Italy made passports mandatory. The passport conference of 1920 wanted to restore the pre-war freedom of movement regime.
University of California’s Showdown With the Biggest Academic Publisher Aims To Change Scholarly Publishing
The high stakes standoff between Elsevier, the world’s largest publisher of scholarly research, and the University of California.
Gamers Use Machine Learning To Navigate Complex Video Games – but It’s Not Free
Dota 2 tracks your activity as you play. The aim is to create machine learning systems that can learn and coach you to become a competent player.
Furtive Looks, Nervousness, Hesitation: How Nonverbal Communication Influences the Justice System?
Pauses in answers, body movements, elusive or angry looks, confusion, anxiety — the facial expressions and gestures made by witnesses matter in court.
SPIDER GLUE’S STICKY SECRET REVEALED BY NEW GENETIC RESEARCH
The glue has the potential for many unique applications and is biodegradable, water soluble and stays sticky for months or even years.
What the Toronto Raptors Have Taught Us About Resilience
The Toronto Raptors have won their first NBA title in franchise history, and their star player, Kawhi Leonard, was crowned the most valuable player.
The Trump Administration Wants To Dismantle the Agency Overseeing 2 Million Federal Workers
Trump wants to dismantle the agency overseeing 2 million federal workers – and weaken safeguards against partisanship.
Libra: Four Reasons To Be Extremely Cautious About Facebook’s New Currency
Facebook has unveiled libra, a controversial cryptocurrency that will enable users to make international payments over Messenger and other group platforms.
Music Engagement and Achievement Predicts Higher Grades in Math, Science and English
Music matters for its own sake, but also because music engagement is significantly related to better high school achievement.
U.K. Proposal To ‘Bcc’ Law Enforcement on Messaging Apps Threatens Global Privacy
The proposal’s function is to give law enforcement power to listen in on encrypted apps communications (like those on WhatsApp, for example).
Rewilding: As Farmland and Villages Are Abandoned, Forests, Wolves and Bears Are Returning to Europe
Large parts of Europe have been passively rewilding for decades as people have moved out of rural areas toward urban conglomerations.
Counterfeit Alcohol, Sometimes Containing Jet Fuel or Embalming Fluid, Is a Growing Concern for Tourists Abroad
Counterfeit alcohol brings a new level of risk, as it may include added ingredients, such as methanol, known to be extremely harmful to health.
The Future of Personal Satellite Technology Is Here – Are We Ready for It?
How can we be sure that hobbyists aren’t launching their own “spy” satellite, or deploying low-cost CubeSat networks that could be used nefariously?
Sylvia Plath’s New Short Story Was Never Lost – So Why Is the Media Saying It Was Just Discovered?
“Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom” has been preserved – and has been accessible to the public – at Indiana University’s Lilly Library.
Five Options for Brexit Trade Explained
Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement, a no-deal Brexit, staying in the customs union, staying in the single market, and the so-called Common Market 2.0 idea.
China’s Sponge Cities Aim to Re-Use 70% of Rainwater – Here’s How
China’s sponge city initiative has an ambitious goal: by 2020, 80% of urban areas should absorb and re-use at least 70% of rainwater.
Why the U.S. Rejects International Criminal Justice: Looking Back at Nuremberg
Faced with U.S. rejection of international criminal justice, supporters of the ICC usually invoke the precedent of the Nuremberg Trials.
Austerity Has Pushed the UK’s Poorest Households Further Into Debt – Here’s How
Debt is a growing problem for people on low incomes and it has been made worse by the austerity policies that followed the 2007-08 financial crisis.
Backgrounder: What We Know About Indonesia’s 1965 Anti-Communist Purge
In less than 48 hours, Suharto had roundly defeated the 30th September Movement. At about the same time, the abductees’ bodies were found in an old well in an area known as Lubang Buaya (Crocodile Hole) in east Jakarta.
Ian McEwan’s Machines Like Me and the Thorny Issue of Robot Rights
McEwan questions what it means to be human – if these machines are just like me, does that mean they have rights, like me?
From Miniature Satellites To Giant Sun Shields – the Extreme Technology Transforming Space Engineering
While Apollo was an example of engineering on a heroic scale, future space ventures can deliver lasting societal benefits beyond flags and footprints.
Neoliberalism Has Tricked Us Into Believing a Fairytale About Where Money Comes From
There is nothing natural about money. There is no link to some scarce essential form of money that sets a limit to its creation.
I Build Mathematical Programs That Could Discover the Drugs of the Future
Discovering a new drug is one of the most challenging tasks in biology. It takes over 10 years and about US$2.6 billion to bring an average drug to market.
The Guts of an Apple iPhone Show Exactly What Trump Gets Wrong About Trade
A better way of thinking about the U.S.-China trade deficit associated with one iPhone would be to only count the value added in China, $8.50, rather than the $240 that shows up as a Chinese import to the U.S.
U.S. Poverty Statistics Ignore Millions of Struggling Americans
16 million Americans are struggling, yet they do not show up on poverty line monitoring radar screens and may not be eligible for assistance programs.
Long Hours at the Office Could Be Killing You – the Case for a Shorter Working Week
UK employees have the longest working week in the European Union. But this does not make the UK a more productive nation.
Baseball Teams Need To Protect Fans From Foul Balls
Injuries occur much more frequently than many may realize. A 2014 analysis found that more than 1,750 fans are hurt each year by batted balls at MLB games.
Why Credit Rating Agencies Are Still Getting Away With Bad Behavior
The dominant credit rating agencies – S&P, Moody’s and Fitch – have been accused of faults including: false ratings, flawed methodology, and political bias.
With Cryptocurrency Launch, Facebook Sets Its Path Toward Becoming an Independent Nation
“Like all enterprise DLT it is blockchain in name only and an monopoly to extract massive seignorage from billions of users. A monopoly scam” says Roubini.
How Quebec Got 80 per Cent of Fathers to Take Paternity Leave
Today, 80 per cent of Quebec fathers get a paternity leave when a child arrives so they can help care for their little one for several weeks.
Rory Stewart: Spies Have a Long History of Becoming Politicians
One of the surprises of the contest to become leader of the Conservative Party – and with it prime minister – has been the candidacy of Rory Stewart.
Most of US Drug Arrests Involve a Gram or Less
Roughly two out of every three arrests by state and local law enforcement target small-time offenders who are carrying less than a gram of illegal drugs.
Statistics Ruined Baseball by Perfecting It
Since sportswriter Henry Chadwick popularized the box score in the 19th century, baseball fans have had a love affair with statistics.
Soviet-Era Treatment Could Be the New Weapon Against Antibiotic Resistance
Every year an increasing number of health tourists are travelling to Eastern bloc countries to receive an old Soviet medical treatment.
AI Develops Human-Like Number Sense – Taking Us a Step Closer To Building Machines With General Intelligence
In a new study, a deep neural network was trained for simple visual object detection spontaneously developed this kind of number sense.