A new study by Prof. Gabriel Weimann, a senior researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Reichman University and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Communication at the University of Haifa, and Daniel Haberfeld, a researcher and Head of the Cyberterrorism Desk at ICT, explored the activities of the Handala hacker group, which is linked to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). The study sought to determine whether the group’s operations are best characterized as cyberterrorism or psychological warfare.

A new study has uncovered evidence that early human ancestors were using fire in South Africa's Wonderwerk Cave between 1.07 and 1.79 million years ago, extending the chronology of one of the earliest known records of fire use associated with hominins. By applying a new method that detects traces of burning in fossil bones, researchers found signs of repeated fire use deep inside the cave, far beyond the reach of natural wildfires. The findings suggest that early humans were bringing naturally occurring fire into the cave and maintaining it there, providing new insights into how our ancestors first began to harness one of the most important tools in human history.

Denmark is investing heavily in restoring carbon-rich agricultural soils as wetlands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, new research from Aarhus University shows that financial compensation alone is not enough to persuade landowners to participate.

Based on in-depth interviews with Danish farmers and landowners, the study highlights that decisions are shaped not only by economics, but also by identity, responsibility, uncertainty, and a deep attachment to the land. Farming practices are closely tied to values about what it means to be a “good farmer,” and these social norms can make it difficult to accept land-use changes such as rewetting fields.

The findings underline that successful climate policies must go beyond financial incentives and address the social and cultural dimensions of land management.

West Virginia University researcher Avishek Choudhury, who studies health care providers’ trust in artificial intelligence, has been named a Faculty Early Career Development award winner by the National Science Foundation.

The Social Robotics Group of the Robotics Lab at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) has developed an innovative methodology based on artificial intelligence (AI) that allows a pet-type assistive robot to recognize the people it interacts with. The prototype, named Mía, is currently being tested in Madrid City Council day centers for the personalized affective stimulation of elderly people with cognitive decline.

A new study led by University of Maine researchers and published in The Rural Educator identifies strategies to make it easier for K-12 schools to make outdoor education part of their school curricula and culture. The study examined a rural Maine school that stood out for the breadth of its outdoor learning opportunities. Through interviews with teachers, administrators, parents and community partners, lead author Lauren Jacobs identified several factors that helped make outdoor education successful, including strong community support, collaboration among staff, dedicated outdoor learning spaces and a school culture that valued learning outside the classroom.