Americans willing to pay nearly $100 billion to reduce gun violence
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 30-Jul-2025 22:10 ET (31-Jul-2025 02:10 GMT/UTC)
Gun violence takes many forms—whether it’s a school shooting, the assassination of a public figure, or the everyday realities of gang-related crime and armed robbery. Beyond the loss of life, gun violence shapes where people choose to live, affects local economies, and weighs heavily on public well-being. New research finds that Americans are willing to pay nearly $100 billion for policies that reduce gun violence by 20%, underscoring the widespread desire for stronger intervention.
A new study published in the Strategic Management Journal uncovers a significant and often-overlooked risk in microfinance: while social capital fosters financial stability in normal times, it can exacerbate default rates during crises. The research, conducted by Arzi Adbi, Matthew Lee, and Jasjit Singh, examines the loan repayment behavior of nearly two million low-income borrowers in the aftermath of India’s 2016 demonetization policy, revealing the unintended consequences of peer accountability in financial markets.
Over the past fifty years, microfinance has been hailed as a revolutionary tool for financial inclusion, particularly through group-lending models. These models rely on social connections and peer accountability to encourage loan repayment among low-income borrowers. However, as this study demonstrates, the very mechanisms that drive repayment in stable times can accelerate default rates when external crises arise.
Divorce can take a toll on children’s mental health, but new research from The University of Texas at Arlington reports that its effects may last far longer than expected, potentially increasing the risk of serious health issues decades later. According to findings by social work Associate Professor Philip Baiden recently published in the journal PLoS One, Americans aged 65 and older who experienced their parents divorcing as children were more likely to suffer a stroke compared to their peers—one in nine as compared to one in 15 whose parents did not divorce.
Researchers from the University of Navarra's Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Institute (DATAI) have developed a new AI framework to reduce bias in critical decision-making areas such as health, education, and recruitment. Their methodology optimizes machine learning models to ensure fairness by addressing inequalities related to race, gender, and socioeconomic status, among other possible algorithmic discriminations. Published in Machine Learning, the study combines conformal prediction techniques with evolutionary learning to achieve reliable and unbiased AI predictions. The researchers tested their approach on real-world datasets, demonstrating that it reduces discrimination without compromising accuracy. Their work provides policymakers and businesses with AI models that balance efficiency and fairness, aligning with ethical AI principles and legal requirements. The team has publicly made their code and data available to promote transparency and further research in responsible AI development.
A new report issued by the Purdue Applied Research Institute’s Digital Innovation in Agri-Food Systems Laboratory, the research arm of DIAL Ventures, offers multiple strategies to help the agrifood sector navigate climate change-related challenges throughout the agricultural value chain.
“The findings of the Climate-Smart Agrifood Opportunities report provide a road map for stakeholders across the agrifood sector to identify and act on opportunities for sustainability,” said DIAL Ventures research manager Lourival Monaco, research assistant professor in agricultural economics. “By addressing the challenges collaboratively, the sector can build resilience and adapt to the evolving demands