A college degree is supposed to be the great equalizer in the labor market, promising upward mobility and better pay for all. But a new study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggests how family background shapes not only job outcomes but also the salary expectations job seekers bring with them from the start. The study, "Striving or settling: Social class origins and wage goal dynamics in the job search process," was developed by researchers from institutions including the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Texas A&M University, University of Minnesota and Georgia State's Robinson College of Business. [...]
New Edith Cowan University (ECU) research has explored how facial filters, pop culture and centuries-old stereotypes are shaping how people see their faces. The study investigated the way the nose is represented on social media, and how this connects to a long history of gender and race politics. The paper "Looking at the Nose: Gender, Jewishness, and the Politics of Visual Mediation" was published in the journal Body & Society. [...]
Researchers led by the University of Vienna and Liège University Hospital Center have identified genetic variants associated with a rare inherited growth disorder in two prehistoric individuals who lived more than 12,000 years ago. Using ancient DNA analysis and modern clinical genetics, they diagnosed the condition in a mother and daughter buried together in southern Italy. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study shows that paleogenomics can now reconstruct ancient population history and diagnose rare genetic diseases in prehistoric individuals. [...]
A new multifunctional composite made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) and piezoelectric materials can use vibrations to self-detect tiny cracks. This material could be used in the aerospace, automotive, and construction industries to monitor structural health without the need for an external power source. The technology was shared in a paper published in the International Journal of Smart and Nano Materials on January 9, 2026. [...]
There is no measurement that can directly observe the wave function of a quantum mechanical system, but the wave function is still enormously useful as its (complex) square represents the probability density of the system or elements of the system. But for a confined system, the wave function can be inferred. [...]
As courts increasingly turn to virtual proceedings, jurors who deliberate online may be just as attentive, engaged, and fair-minded as those who meet face-to-face, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. [...]
The Einstein–de Haas effect, which links the spin of electrons to macroscopic rotation, has now been demonstrated in a quantum fluid by researchers at Science Tokyo. The team observed this effect in a Bose–Einstein condensate of europium atoms, showing that a change in magnetization causes the coherent transfer of angular momentum from atomic spins to fluid motion, thereby experimentally demonstrating that angular momentum is conserved at the quantum level. [...]
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biology have discovered a remarkably streamlined strategy for developmental control in brown algae. They have shown that a single ARGONAUTE (AGO) protein orchestrates the transition from vegetative growth to sexual reproduction and directs germline establishment. The findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. [...]
Dark matter is a mysterious type of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, yet is predicted to account for most of the universe's mass. While physicists have gathered extensive indirect evidence of its existence, so far dark matter has never been directly observed, thus its composition remains unknown. [...]
Using ESA's Gaia satellite, astronomers have investigated three open clusters in the galactic disk, namely Berkeley 17, 18 and 39. Results of the new study, published January 21 on the arXiv pre-print server, yield crucial insights into the properties of these stellar groupings. [...]
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a new method that more than doubles computer processing speeds while using 75% less memory to analyze plant imaging data. The advance removes a major computational bottleneck and accelerates AI-guided discoveries for the development of high-performing crops. The new method is detailed in a paper that was presented at the International Conference for High-Performance Computing, Networking, Storage, and Analysis (SC25) held in November 2025. [...]
Scientists at IOCB Prague are uncovering new details of gene transcription. They have identified a previously unknown molecular mechanism by which the transcription of genetic information from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) into ribonucleic acid (RNA) can be initiated. The researchers focused on a specific class of molecules known as alarmones, which are found in cells across a wide range of organisms and whose levels often increase under conditions of cellular stress. The results were published in Nature Chemical Biology. [...]
New research from Michigan State University finds that in the four years after the COVID-19 pandemic upended campus life, the majority of college students successfully bounced back. Students experienced rising life satisfaction and declining loneliness and, surprisingly, even a fonder remembrance of online classes from the early days of the pandemic. [...]
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology reveals a hidden tension in ethical consumerism: While consumers morally support companies that hire individuals experiencing homelessness, deep-seated social stigmas can inadvertently drive down sales. [...]
The next NASA crew rotation to the International Space Station could launch as early as the morning of February 11, the U.S. space agency said Wednesday. [...]
Extending membership-based free shipping programs to third-party sellers can strengthen online marketplaces rather than cannibalize them, according to a new study published in the INFORMS journal Information Systems Research. The findings suggest that programs like Amazon's "Buy with Prime" can boost marketplace commission revenue and reduce shipping burdens, even when logistics services themselves are not directly profitable. [...]
Human-caused climate change worsened the recent torrential rains and floods which devastated parts of southern Africa, killing more than 100 people and displacing over 300 000, researchers said Thursday. [...]
Every year, Australia experiences a summer monsoon characterized by the reversal of winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding. In 2024–2025, however, the Australian summer monsoon (ASM) was the latest on record since measurements began in 1957. The monsoon's timely arrival is critical for Northern Australia. It dictates water security for communities, drives pasture growth for the vital cattle industry, and signals the end of the high bushfire risk period. [...]
No matter where you live in the United States, you have likely seen headlines about PFAS being detected in everything from drinking water to fish to milk to human bodies. [...]
Around the world, governments and businesses are talking more and more about the need to move from today's "take, make, waste" economy to a circular one, where products are designed to last, materials stay in use, and waste is dramatically reduced. On paper, the case is compelling: recent assessments show that shifting to a circular economy offers both a major climate opportunity and a significant economic one. A study from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre finds that "reduction, reuse and recovery" measures could cut Europe's heavy industrial emissions by up to 231 million tonnes of CO₂ each year, and global analyses estimate that circular models could generate around $4.5 trillion in value by 2030). [...]
The Trump administration, with the support of many congressional Republicans, is looking to boost deep-sea mining as a way to counter Chinese dominance of critical minerals supply chains. [...]
In the days since last week's fatal landslides at Mount Maunganui, there has been widespread discussion about what may have caused the slopes above the campground to fail, including the possible role of recent tree removal on Mauao. [...]
In the drylands of Benin, West Africa, livestock farming is under growing pressure. These vast, hot landscapes cover roughly 70% of the country's land area. Their sparse pastures and scattered trees sustain around six million grazing animals, including 2.5 million cattle, one million sheep and 2.4 million goats which walk with herders over long distances in search of food and water. [...]
California marked a milestone this month with the return of an uninterrupted Highway 1 through the perilous yet spectacular cliffs of Big Sur. The famed coastal road had been closed for more than three years after two major landslides buried the two-lane highway, and it took unprecedented engineering might and precarious debris removal to once again connect northern Big Sur with its southern neighbors. [...]
Parts of India, including the capital Delhi, were once again covered in thick smog recently as toxic pollution from industry and crop-burning engulfed the region. Even though India's National Clean Air Program has advanced clean air action, air pollution remains a reoccurring problem. [...]
A new report from Penn State's Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) highlights the role colleges and universities can play in improving student outcomes by identifying financial insecurity early, and building coordinated support systems across counseling centers, academic units and community partners. [...]
Last year, astronomers were fascinated by a runaway asteroid passing through our solar system from somewhere far beyond. It was moving at around 68 kilometers per second, just over double Earth's speed around the sun. [...]
New research shows that the mere smell of predators is enough to change deer behavior and limit browsing damage to tree saplings. The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, offer a potential tool for forest recovery and highlight the important role large predators play. [...]
Fungi are the hidden architects of our ecosystems, acting as everything from helpful partners for plants to aggressive decomposers that recycle dead wood. However, many fungi don't stick to just one job; they can switch lifestyles depending on their environment. Understanding this flexibility is vital for predicting how forests and farms will react to climate change. [...]
An unusual natural phenomenon appeared on Lake Lipno in South Bohemia, the Czech Republic, at the end of 2025. Large amounts of accumulated cyanobacteria in the water caused the ice to turn green. The phenomenon was thoroughly documented by hydrobiologists from the Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, who also collected and analyzed water samples. [...]
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