New research argues that interacting with robots displaying human-like behaviors can cause people to adopt robot-like traits or ‘robotoid humanness.’

Nature provides resources to society, and the diversity of species is expected to underpin human economies. So why then are the poorest countries also those that are are richest in wildlife and contain a high number of different species? According to new research, the reason is that colonial exploitation of that biodiversity by now-rich countries created poverty legacies that still persist today.

The research team, from Trinity College Dublin, University of Bern, Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology, and the Wyss Academy for Nature, assessed datasets from 168 countries, which included World Bank poverty statistics, biodiversity records, governance indicators, colonial history, and protected-area coverage. The headline finding was that the regions most targeted by colonial powers were generally those richest in biodiversity, which has contributed to the modern structures of poverty.

Consistent enforcement of rules is more important than the severity of the punishment itself, and children expect adults to treat every member of their group impartially and equally. Moreover, fair punishment brings emotional relief to children, according to research by scientists from SWPS University and the University of Michigan.

A new study finds that one side effect of Trump-era trade wars has been cheaper whiskey in much of the United States. But if you live in whiskey hubs Kentucky or Tennessee? Your prices actually went up.

Brands that market hemp-derived, intoxicating cannabinoid products are capitalizing on lack of oversight on social media platforms to reach consumers, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

Study involving 100 sitting UK MPs reveals gulf between perceptions of the political class and realities of public attitudes on environmental issues such as insulation and green taxes. Researchers find statistical evidence for a ‘spiral of silence’ effect in the British Parliament.

Brands selling intoxicating hemp products such as Delta-8 THC are using memes, cartoons and pop-culture references to market on Instagram while rarely warning about health risks or age limits, according to a new study in the journal Addiction. Nearly half of posts included youth-oriented content. Recreational marketing was widespread. Safety information was rare. Appeals varied by product type. Use of intoxicating hemp products has grown in the United States in recent years, alongside reported poisonings, emergency department visits and psychotic episodes. The study authors note that largely underregulated social media marketing may be contributing to that growth. The findings come at a pivotal moment for federal policy.