In a new study, researchers from the Tepper School of Business and other universities examined the impact of avatars’ gender and race on transaction prices in the NFT marketplace. They found that contrary to expectations, there were pronounced gender and racial disparities in NFT prices. They also found that avatars with features associated with high-tech or higher education countered these disparities. The authors offer insights into policy strategies to promote racial and gender equity in the NFT marketplace.

Houses for sale in a flood zone are around 10% cheaper than surrounding areas, according to new research. However, the reduced price tag is not worth the extra risk and can burden buyers with long-term insurance costs.

Tennesseans value the importance of higher education, according to The Tennessee Poll, conducted in July by the Applied Social Research Lab (ASRL) at East Tennessee State University, which found that 45% of Tennesseans believe that a college education is very important or extremely important in “helping a young person succeed in the world today.” That figure is compared to 41% who indicated that a college education is “somewhat important” and 14% who indicated it is “not too important.”

A new study explores the relationship between democratic attributes and greenhouse gas emissions, using data from over 150 countries over the recent three decades. The findings reveal that Direct Popular Voting is the most effective democratic feature in reducing emissions, while Civil Society Participation also plays a significant role. The research highlights the complex interplay between democracy, economic development, and environmental outcomes, offering insights for designing climate policies that balance democratic principles and sustainability goals.

Hospices are increasingly owned by private equity firms and publicly traded companies, but recently Weill Cornell Medicine researchers found that they performed substantially worse than hospices owned by not-for-profit agencies. This is concerning as nearly 75% of hospice programs, which care for patients in their last stage of life, are for-profit.