Ant colonies function as superorganisms. Their success depends on thousands of individuals operating together and constantly distinguishing nestmates from outsiders. New research shows that ants can update their sense of who is a nestmate versus who is not throughout adulthood, learning to tolerate foreigners through repeated exposure. The work establishes a foundation for future studies that will image the ant brain to identify the neural circuits that allow social insects to interpret subtle chemical cues. 

Fear that their cancer will progress or worsen is one of the most common concerns among people living with this disease. Several studies indicate that between 20% and 70% of cancer patients experience significant levels of anxiety related to the progression of their health. Identifying and measuring this concern is key to providing appropriate psychological care and improving patients’ quality of life. This has been the aim of a study led by the University of Barcelona (UB), the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and CEU-San Pablo University, which for the first time has validated in the Spanish population the Spanish version of the Assessment of Survivor Concerns (ASC) questionnaire, a brief tool specifically designed to assess cancer- and health-related concerns.

University of Phoenix announces the publication of “Harnessing AI, Virtual Landscapes, and Anthropomorphic Imaginaries to Enhance Environmental Science Education at Jökulsárlón Proglacial Lagoon, Iceland” in Glacies. The peer-reviewed study, which examines how character-driven narratives and human-centered AI can support adult learners in their understanding of complex scientific ideas, is authored by Jacquelyn Kelly, Ph.D., associate dean, College of General Studies; Dianna Gielstra, Ph.D., full‑time faculty, Environmental Science Program, College of General Studies; Tomáš J. Oberding, Ph.D., full‑time faculty, Environmental Science Program, College of General Studies; Jim Bruno, MBA, associate dean, College of Business and Information Technology; and Stephanie Cosentino, MAEd, senior instructional designer, University of Phoenix.

Computer simulations can help people gain a better understanding of the situation faced by refugees. This is shown by a new study in which 148 teenagers were assigned random migration pathways, with different starting and ending points. Along the way, they encountered unforeseen events that affected their journey.  “By using structured and fact-based information, this type of simulation can give students a nuanced and data-driven understanding of global migration patterns. Having said that, the results show that political views on immigrants’ rights are more stable and do not change so easily as a result of a single intervention of this kind,” says Al-Afifi. (Incl link to video)