December 21, 2025

AI chatbots can effectively sway voters—in either direction

A short interaction with a chatbot can meaningfully shift a voter’s opinion about a presidential candidate or proposed policy in either direction, new Cornell University research finds.

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There’s little evidence tech is much help stopping school shootings

A group of college students braved the frigid New England weather on Dec. 13, 2025, to attend a late afternoon review session at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Eleven of those students were struck [...]
Hidden bias gives ‘swing state’ voters more influence over US trade policy

Americans living in political “swing states” have a significantly louder voice in national trade policy—effectively making their votes worth more than others—according to a new study published in the Journal of International Economics.This post was [...]
Study shows views of British empire shape voting behavior—but in subtle ways

If you wander through Glasgow Green, you’ll encounter the Doulton fountain, a gaudy terracotta tribute to empire that features “native” and colonial figures in national dress holding out the produce of their lands to the [...]
Report challenges climate change as sole trigger of Syrian Civil War, exposing governance failures in drought response

The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has been widely framed as a “climate conflict” and a mass migration and uprising triggered by a severe drought. This very well-known and media-popular narrative is now [...]
Shaping the conversation means offering context to extreme ideas, not just a platform

The Oct. 27, 2025, interview between former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and political streamer Nick Fuentes created a rare public divide inside the MAGA movement.This post was originally published on this site
Support for scientific funding doesn’t have to be partisan—but scientists must make the case, says new study

When federal science agencies became the focus of sweeping budget cuts earlier this year, the national debate quickly took on a familiar shape: Conservatives approved of the budget cuts while liberals opposed them.This post was [...]
US congressmembers’ responses on X to mass shooting events differ along party lines

Democratic congressmembers are significantly more likely to post on social media following a mass shooting event in the US compared to Republican congressmembers, according to a study published in PLOS Global Public Health by Dmytro [...]
Neutrality isn’t a safe strategy on controversial issues, research shows

Researchers Rachel Ruttan and Katherine DeCelles of the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management are anything but neutral on neutrality. The next time you’re tempted to play it safe on a hot-button topic, their [...]
How rogue nations are capitalizing on gaps in crypto regulation to finance weapons programs

Two years after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, families of the victims filed suit against Binance, a major cryptocurrency platform that has been plagued by scandals.This post was originally published on this site
Doubts about women in combat don’t stand up to history

Germany has unveiled plans to introduce voluntary military service. From January 2026, all 18-year-old men will be required to complete a questionnaire asking if they are interested and willing to join the armed forces. Women [...]