From depressed polar bears to charismatic pandas, conservationists have used anthropomorphism, or the practice of attributing human qualities to non-human subjects, to garner public support for conservation efforts. In a new study publishing June 18 in the Cell Press journal iScience, scientists tease apart some of the social factors that influence whether people view animals similarly to humans. The researchers found that factors such as social integration, urban living, formal education, and religion can affect an individual’s tendency to assign human characteristics to animals. This in turn may affect their willingness to engage with conservation programs.  

The latest annual meeting for the Global Education Deans Forum brought together 53 representatives from 40 institutions across 29 countries in Shanghai and Lijiang, China. An article published online in ECNU Review of Education on May 27, 2025, attempts to  capture how a group of global education leaders view the promise and perils of AI amidst a rapidly changing educational landscape.