The beach wasn't always a vacation spot. It only became popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries as part of wealthy Western lifestyles. Ancient Greeks feared the sea, according to a historian of culture and an expert in Greek mythology.
The Conversation
The beach wasn’t always a vacation destination - for the ancient Greeks, it was a scary place
Beach vacations became popular only around the 19th-20th centuries – as part of the lifestyle of the wealthy.
School shootings don’t just shatter lives, they shake local economies too. New research shows people spend less in public spaces after a tragedy, hitting already-vulnerable communities hard.
The Conversation
School shootings leave lasting scars on local economies, research shows
People spend less on groceries, restaurants and public activities for months after a fatal school shooting − costing communities millions.
Neanderthals likely ate fermented meat with a side of maggots
The Conversation
Neanderthals likely ate fermented meat with a side of maggots
New research highlights the prevalence of maggots as an easily obtained, nutrient-rich supplement of ancient hominin diets.
We tracked illegal fishing in marine protected areas – satellites and AI show most bans are respected, and could help enforce future ones
The Conversation
We tracked illegal fishing in marine protected areas – satellites and AI show most bans are respected, and could help enforce future ones
Satellite technology that can track ships even when they ‘go dark’ finds that those protected areas that fully ban industrial fishing are succe...
Fears that falling birth rates in US could lead to population collapse are based on faulty assumptions
The Conversation
Fears that falling birth rates in US could lead to population collapse are based on faulty assumptions
While the changes in population structure that accompany low birth rates are real, the impact of these changes has been dramatically overstated.
Americans across party lines want guardrails on #AI. A new poll shows bipartisan support for regulating artificial intelligence.
The Conversation
Poll finds bipartisan agreement on a key issue: Regulating AI
Democrats and Republicans alike have concerns about AI and want to see the rapidly developing technology regulated to protect the public.
 #USPolitics #politics #Republican #Democrat
Dogs don't just lower cortisol levels during stressful events. They also help maintain a balanced stress response.
The Conversation
Dogs are helping people regulate stress even more than expected, research shows
A new study finds that dogs’ mitigation of human stress is more biologically complex than scientists previously understood.
Is ChatGPT making us stupid? In 2008, we asked the same about Google. Now #AI isn’t just finding info, it’s “thinking” and analyzing for us. “The difference lies in how we use it,” writes professor of information systems Aaron French.
Soviet music lovers found an ingenious way to circumvent censorship: recording banned Western music onto used X-ray films. This "bone music" became a symbol of freedom and self-expression.
The Conversation
When Elvis and Ella were pressed onto X-rays – the subversive legacy of Soviet ‘bone music’
The bizarre, homemade technology became a way to skirt censors in the Soviet Union – and even played an indirect role in its dissolution.
A common parasite called Toxoplasma gondii may be contributing to declining male fertility rates. Research shows it can decapitate human sperm cells in a test tube with just 5 minutes of direct contact.
The Conversation
A common parasite can decapitate human sperm − with implications for male fertility
If you’ve handled cat litter or eaten raw meat or unwashed produce, there’s a chance you might have a permanent toxoplasmosis infection spread ...