Even short school breaks affect student learning unevenly across socioeconomic backgrounds
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 30-Oct-2025 09:11 ET (30-Oct-2025 13:11 GMT/UTC)
The COVID-19 pandemic presented several challenges, leaving the specific impact of class closures on student performance unclear. To address this, researchers examined the effect of pre-pandemic class closures due to influenza outbreaks on students’ test scores in Japan. They found that class closures adversely affected the math scores of elementary school boys from low-income households, likely due to lost instructional time and unhealthy behaviors. Fortunately, high-quality teachers could help students recover from the learning loss.
The demand for polymer-based dielectrics with a low dielectric constant and a low dissipation factor is rising, owing to the expansion of 5G and 6G telecommunications networks. However, polymer designs that satisfy both requirements have been difficult to realize. Now, researchers from Japan have developed a new family of ultralow dielectric loss polymers, presenting a new strategy for developing next-generation dielectrics that are suitable for future beyond-6G telecommunications.
When it comes to clean energy, solar and wind often dominate the headlines. But in the lush, river-rich landscapes of Southeast Asia, another renewable powerhouse is quietly making waves—hydropower. A major new study published on August 4, 2025, in Carbon Research proves that hydropower isn’t just a side player in the region’s energy mix—it’s a leading force in cutting carbon emissions, with the potential to reshape the future of sustainable development.