A new study led by UNLV anthropologist Brian Villmoare and a nationwide team of researchers, which recently published in the journal PLOS One, used mathematical models to simulate evolution over thousands of generations to find out why animals — including humans — have a tendency to prioritize short-term benefits over greater long-term returns.

Scientists detect a heightened “threat vigilance” reaction in adolescents after a few hours of isolation, which socialising online doesn’t appear to ameliorate. They say the findings might shed light on the link between loneliness and mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, which are on the rise in young people.

Despite increased concerns about doctors spreading false medical claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, medical boards rarely take disciplinary action against physicians for spreading misinformation, according to a new study by Richard S. Saver, Arch T. Allen Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law and Professor in the Department of Social Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine, published in JAMA Network Open. 

Researchers from the Oxford Martin Programme on Ethical Web and Data Architectures (University of Oxford) have reported findings from a paper exploring the motivations and challenges in running decentralised social media such as Mastodon, concluding such platforms offer potential for increased citizen empowerment in this digital domain.