Just press play: Virtual dog therapy can improve mental wellbeing
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 9-Sep-2025 12:11 ET (9-Sep-2025 16:11 GMT/UTC)
While it’s well known that spending time with dogs can ease stress, new research shows that watching a short video of a dog can have a similar comforting effect.
Led by Dr. John-Tyler Binfet, Professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Education, and Dr. Christine Tardif-Williams, Professor at Brock University, this latest research builds on an earlier study examining whether in-person interactions with therapy dogs would translate just as well to a virtual setting—opening the doors for community members to benefit.
Over recent centuries, the intensification of land use has caused the loss of natural sponge functions in landscapes. River straightening, bank stabilisation and embankments disrupt the natural exchange of water with the floodplains, which not only absorb and slowly release water during droughts but also provide diverse habitats, nature-based flood protection, and valuable recreational areas. Restoring wetlands is vital in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises.
The "SpongeBoost" project supports policy-making, restoration, and land-use planning, promoting cost-effective, nature-based solutions that align with EU Climate Adaptation goals. With the establishment of the “SpongeBooster of the Year” award, the project aimed to spread recognition for those committed to restoring sponge landscapes, assessed not only on implementation but also on public relations, environmental education, and regional cooperation.
Over recent centuries, the intensification of land use has caused the loss of natural sponge functions in landscapes. River straightening, bank stabilisation and embankments disrupt the natural exchange of water with the floodplains, which not only absorb and slowly release water during droughts but also provide diverse habitats, nature-based flood protection, and valuable recreational areas. Restoring wetlands is vital in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises.
The "SpongeBoost" project supports policy-making, restoration, and land-use planning, promoting cost-effective, nature-based solutions that align with EU Climate Adaptation goals. With the establishment of the “SpongeBooster of the Year” award, the project aimed to spread recognition for those committed to restoring sponge landscapes, assessed not only on implementation but also on public relations, environmental education, and regional cooperation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Each summer, students from across the country begin internships with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), gaining hands-on experience in science and technology. These internships take place at various NRL locations, including sites along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, and Monterey Bay in California. Each hoping for career growth that will take them to new horizons.
The American College of Cardiology is showing its commitment to health equity by hosting a Health Equity Summit for leaders across cardiology and a program for young scholars from the American Association of Indian Physicians’ National Native American Youth Initiative (NNAYI) to ensure the most vulnerable populations are receiving life-saving cardiovascular disease prevention education and treatments.
Many early-career scientists continue their academic careers at the same university where they studied, a practice known as academic inbreeding. A researcher at the HSE Institute of Education analysed the impact of academic inbreeding on publication activity in the natural sciences and mathematics. The study found that the impact is ambiguous and depends on various factors, including the university's geographical location, its financial resources, and the state of the regional academic employment market. A paper with the study findings has been published in Research Policy.