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Fossilized footprints reveal 2 extinct hominin species living side by side 1.5 million years ago

  • Written by Anna K. Behrensmeyer, Senior Research Geologist and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, Smithsonian Institution
imageExcavating the new trackway site, with footprints from hominins, birds and other animals visible in foreground.Neil Roach

Human footprints stir the imagination. They invite you to follow, to guess what someone was doing and where they were going. Fossilized footprints preserved in rock do the same – they record instants in the lives of many...

Read more: Fossilized footprints reveal 2 extinct hominin species living side by side 1.5 million years ago

208 million Americans are classified as obese or overweight, according to new study synthesizing 132 data sources

  • Written by Marie Ng, Affiliate Associate Professor of Global Health, University of Washington
imageOverweight and obesity rates are rising in all age ranges across the U.S.Mohamed Rida ROKI/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Nearly half of adolescents and three-quarters of adults in the U.S. were classified as being clinically overweight or obese in 2021. The rates have more than doubled compared with 1990.

Without urgent intervention, our study...

Read more: 208 million Americans are classified as obese or overweight, according to new study synthesizing...

An upward spiral – how small acts of kindness and connection really can change the world, according to psychology research

  • Written by Liza M. Hinchey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Psychology, Wayne State University
imageStrengthening relationships strengthens communities, which influences societies.Charles Gullung/The Image Bank via Getty Images

Political chasms, wars, oppression … it’s easy to feel hopeless and helpless watching these dark forces play out. Could any of us ever really make a meaningful difference in the face of so much devastation?

Give...

Read more: An upward spiral – how small acts of kindness and connection really can change the world,...

Why Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire now − and what it means for Israel, Lebanon, Biden and Trump

  • Written by Asher Kaufman, Professor of History and Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame
imageIsrael has been pummeling Lebanon, including Beirut, for months. AP Photo/Bilal Hussein

Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah entered a 60-day ceasefire on Nov. 26, 2024, a move aimed at reducing tensions in the region more than a year into a multifront conflict.

Under the terms of the deal, Israel would gradually withdraw its forces from...

Read more: Why Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire now − and what it means for Israel, Lebanon, Biden...

Is using AI tools innovation or exploitation? 3 ways to think about the ethics

  • Written by Leo S. Lo, Dean and Professor, College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences, University of New Mexico
imageAI technology seems to be evolving faster than collective wisdom about how to use it ethically. Nutthaseth Vanchaichana/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Artificial intelligence can be used in countless ways – and the ethical headaches it raises are countless, too.

Consider “adult content creators” – not necessarily the first...

Read more: Is using AI tools innovation or exploitation? 3 ways to think about the ethics

UN climate negotiations end on shaky geopolitical ground, but I see reasons for hope

  • Written by Shannon Gibson, Associate Professor of International Relations and Environmental Studies, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
imageOfficials from countries around the world met in Baku, Azerbaijan, for COP29 in November 2024.UN Climate Change via Flickr

The 2024 United Nations climate talks wrapped up two days late, with an ending fitting that of a geopolitical reality TV show, complete with walkouts and recriminations.

Countries agreed on a new climate finance target on Nov....

Read more: UN climate negotiations end on shaky geopolitical ground, but I see reasons for hope

Cycling can make seniors healthier and more independent − here’s how to design bikes and networks that meet their needs

  • Written by Anne Lusk, Lecturer in Urban Agriculture, Boston University
imageResidents at RiverWoods-Exeter, a senior living complex in New Hampshire, on a two-seat three-wheeled cycle.RiverWoods-Exeter, CC BY-ND

Most senior citizens get around in their daily lives by driving, walking or using public buses and subways. But many people in their 60s and 70s could potentially be interested in other options, such as cycling. At...

Read more: Cycling can make seniors healthier and more independent − here’s how to design bikes and networks...

Cinnamon, spice and ‘everything nice’ – why lead-tainted cinnamon products have turned up on shelves, and what questions consumers should ask

  • Written by Katarzyna Kordas, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo
imageIt's important to buy cinnamon from reputable dealers. Anjelika Gretskaia/Moment via Getty Images

Spices bring up feelings of comfort, cultural belonging and holidays. They can make our homes smell amazing and our food taste delicious. They can satisfy our cravings, expand our culinary horizons and help us eat things that we might normally dislike....

Read more: Cinnamon, spice and ‘everything nice’ – why lead-tainted cinnamon products have turned up on...

Light exercise can yield significant cognitive benefits, new research shows

  • Written by Jonathan G. Hakun, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Psychology, & Public Health Sciences, Penn State

Everyday physical activity, like going for a short walk or playing with the kids, may provide short-term benefits for cognitive health, equivalent to reversing four years of cognitive aging. That was a key finding for my colleagues and me in our new study, which was published in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Prior to enrollment into a s...

Read more: Light exercise can yield significant cognitive benefits, new research shows

On Bodhi Day, Buddhists commemorate Siddhartha Gautama’s enlightenment by lighting lamps to combat darkness

  • Written by Megan Bryson, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Tennessee
imageBuddha statues in Sarnath, India, where he attained enlightenment.Alexander Reshnya/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Dec. 8 marks the celebration of Bodhi Day in Japanese Buddhism. Bodhi means enlightenment or awakening in Sanskrit. It commemorates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha.

Buddhists throughout the world celebrate...

Read more: On Bodhi Day, Buddhists commemorate Siddhartha Gautama’s enlightenment by lighting lamps to combat...

More Articles ...

  1. ‘Insurrection,’ ‘equity’ and more − these are the words that trigger Trump supporters
  2. To control your spending this holiday season, stick with cash
  3. Trump’s next HUD secretary would have a lot to do to address the history of racist housing policy – and Trump’s own comments and history suggest that’s unlikely
  4. How the gladiators inspired evangelicals’ sense of persecution
  5. Taxpayers spend 22% more per patient to support Medicare Advantage – the private alternative to Medicare that promised to cost less
  6. China’s influence grows at COP29 climate talks as US leadership fades
  7. Amid lull in tit-for-tat missile exchange, Iran and Israel seek to control the online narrative
  8. Students go to hell and back in this course that looks at depictions of the damned throughout the ages
  9. Election reform was on the ballot – voters largely said ‘no’
  10. Polling in the age of Trump highlights flawed methods and filtered realities
  11. I wrote a book on the execution of the Rosenbergs for Cold War spying – and a recently declassified document has convinced me that Ethel was innocent
  12. Tiny laboratories that fit in your hand can rapidly identify pathogens using electricity
  13. Gen Z heads home: How to navigate the evolving parent-child relationship as kids become adults
  14. In a world where political polarization and disengagement are denting democracy, does Botswana’s ‘kgotla’ system hold the key?
  15. Opioid-free surgery treats pain at every physical and emotional level
  16. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ case raises questions about the many observers who might have ignored his alleged crimes
  17. As Trump touts plans for immigrant roundup, militias are standing back, but standing by
  18. AI has been a boon for marketing, but the dark side of using algorithms to sell products and brands is little studied
  19. Meat has a distinct taste, texture and aroma − a biochemist explains how plant-based alternatives mimic the real thing
  20. Is it possible to dig all the way through the Earth to the other side?
  21. How the first Pilgrims and the Puritans differed in their views on religion and respect for Native Americans
  22. US House passes measure that could punish nonprofits Treasury Department decides are ‘terrorist’
  23. Dogecoin is a joke − so what’s behind its rally?
  24. Presidents often claim mandates − especially when they want to expand their power or are on the defensive
  25. Awkwardness can hit in any social situation – here are a philosopher’s 5 strategies to navigate it with grace
  26. AI harm is often behind the scenes and builds over time – a legal scholar explains how the law can adapt to respond
  27. Denmark’s uprooting of settled residents from ‘ghettos’ forms part of aggressive plan to assimilate nonwhite inhabitants
  28. Americans agree politics is broken − here are 5 ideas for fixing key problems
  29. Vulnerability to financial scams in aging adults could be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease, new research shows
  30. No need to overload your cranberry sauce with sugar this holiday season − a food scientist explains how to cook with fewer added sweeteners
  31. Graduate students explore America’s polarized landscape via train in this course
  32. To some ancient Romans, gladiators were the embodiment of tyranny
  33. Activism on foot: When Indigenous activists walk the land to honor their past and reshape their future
  34. New maps show high-risk zones for whale-ship collisions − vessel speed limits and rerouting can reduce the toll
  35. ICC arrest warrants for Israel’s Netanyahu and Hamas leader doesn’t mean those accused will face trial anytime soon
  36. Why you should get to know Thomas Aquinas, even 800 years after he lived
  37. Crypto is soaring after Trump’s election − but is it a good ethical investment?
  38. Red flag laws are still used in Colorado’s Second Amendment sanctuaries, just less frequently
  39. Americans agree more than they might think − not knowing this jeopardizes the nation’s shared values
  40. Doctor’s bills often come with sticker shock for patients − but health insurance could be reinvented to provide costs upfront
  41. Grantland Rice, the Four Horsemen and the blowout that never was
  42. Public health surveillance, from social media to sewage, spots disease outbreaks early to stop them fast
  43. Fast fashion may seem cheap, but it’s taking a costly toll on the planet − and on millions of young customers
  44. What would it mean if President-elect Trump dismantled the US Department of Education?
  45. Atmospheric river meets bomb cyclone: The result is like a fire hose flailing out of control
  46. When an atmospheric river meets a bomb cyclone, it’s like a fire hose flailing out of control along the West Coast
  47. ‘For the very first time I really enjoyed sex!’ − how lesbian escort agencies became a form of self-care in Japan
  48. Transplanting insulin-making cells to treat Type 1 diabetes is challenging − but stem cells offer a potential improvement
  49. Should I worry about mold growing in my home?
  50. Young families are leaving many large US cities − here’s why that matters