Overconfidence is a hallmark trait of people who believe in conspiracies, and they also significantly overestimate how much others agree with them, Cornell University research finds. The study indicates that belief in conspiracies may be less about a person’s needs and motivations and more about their failure to recognize that they might be wrong.

There is a common misconception that eating disorders predominantly affect white, affluent, teenage girls. Disordered eating, however, is far more demographically widespread with multiple causes. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, young adults have the highest prevalence of eating disorders. To better understand and treat disordered eating among young adults, a multi-institutional research team conducted a study among college students.

As the need for evidence-based policymaking grows, so does the importance of scientists being able to clearly communicate their research to decision-makers. K.L. Akerlof, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University, has received funding from the Rita Allen Foundation to lead a national initiative titled, “Training Researchers to Communicate Science for Policy as a Key Dimension of Civic Science.” The project aims to equip researchers with the tools and training needed to engage effectively in the policymaking process. 

In 2023, India surpassed China as the most populous country in the world, and is likely to retain this status for the remainder of this century. In a recent study, IIASA researchers explored whether India could also surpass China in terms of broader socio-economic potential, given the country’s rapid economic growth in recent decades.

 In this survey study of California adolescents, exposure to e-cigarette or cannabis posts was associated with adolescent e-cigarette, cannabis, or dual use. Improvement of social media community guidelines and greater policy attention to co-use and marketing of e-cigarettes and cannabis may help prevent youth substance use. 

A study from the Keck School of Medicine of USC found that California high school students who frequently saw cannabis and e-cigarette posts on social media, particularly TikTok, were more likely to start using these substances. The research indicated a significant link between exposure to such content and increased substance use, even as overall e-cigarette use among teens is declining. Influencer content, which often bypasses regulatory scrutiny, poses additional risks by normalizing cannabis and e-cigarette use among young audiences.