A new study by the Complexity Science Hub and ETH Zurich suggests that the world will have 450 million fewer people living in large cities by the end of the century than current trends indicate. The reason: the growth of large cities slows as countries urbanize.

When does a child begin to reason? When do they develop self-control? Are some mental abilities present from birth, while others are acquired through experience? Questions like these have fascinated philosophers, educators, and scientists for centuries. Yet surprisingly little is known about how ordinary people think about the development of the mind itself. Do people across cultures think about the mind in similar ways? An international study led by researchers from Nagoya University and Rutgers University addresses this question. Surveying adults from six countries, the researchers found that people share a similar picture of how mental abilities develop, even across different cultures and languages.  

research team led by Professor Moon Choi of the Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy quantitatively analyzed “digital ageism” embedded in generative artificial intelligence.

older adults are outwardly described as “wise and caring,” expressions of agency and competence decrease with age.

biases in AI could, through repeated exposure, deepen the social marginalization and digital exclusion of older adults.

Researchers from Italy conducted the SocialMS study, a nationwide questionnaire-based study involving 1,039 adults with MS receiving care at 68 MS centres across the country. Participants were asked about the impact of MS on four key social determinants of health: education, work, financial resources and social life.

In contrast to the misconception that breastfed babies sleep less as breastmilk is easily digested, a new study of 82,918 infants found that children who received breast milk during the first six months of life were less likely to experience short sleep duration at one year of age than those who were exclusively fed formula. Using data from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study, the researchers proposed biological mechanisms that may help explain this association.

From ‘harmless’ white lies to infidelity, dishonesty in romantic relationships is a complex phenomenon that takes on many forms. New research from the University of Copenhagen shows that while dishonesty between partners often fuels distrust and resentment, it may also, in some cases, help couples solve issues and repair their bond.

In Estonian schools, social studies classes provide a thorough education on what democracy is and what it means to be a citizen. However, knowledge alone is not enough to foster active citizenship or to reduce the differences in civic skills between Estonian- and Russian-speaking young people. A doctoral thesis by Nikolai Kunitsõn, a political scientist at Tallinn University, shows that participatory theatre can bridge this gap.