October 19, 2025

Smartwatches achieve centimeter-level location accuracy with new tracking algorithms

University of Otago researchers have developed algorithms that improve the precision of location tracking in smartwatches, a world-first development.

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How anti-vaccine sentiment helped raise funds and saved the lives of some ostriches

More than 300 ostriches have been threatened with destruction in eastern British Columbia after avian flu was detected in the flock. The birds’ owners have argued this is a case of “unjust governmental overreach.”This post [...]
Banning abortion is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes

Pregnant women crossing borders to get an abortion. People who miscarry facing jail time or dying from infection. Doctors who won’t perform lifesaving procedures on a pregnant patient for fear of prosecution.This post was originally [...]
Reduction in costs of fentanyl production found to have long-term implications for illegal opioid supply industry

The spread of illegally manufactured fentanyl has driven overdose deaths to unprecedented levels in the United States and Canada. It has also changed the production function for drug traffickers, most notably by radically reducing the [...]
European voters say no to tariffs

There is no popular support for imposing trade tariffs in Europe—not even in response to Trump’s trade policies. This is according to a new study based on responses from 5,500 people in Germany and the [...]
Concerns about AI-written police reports spur states to regulate the emerging practice

Police are getting a boost from artificial intelligence, with algorithms now able to draft police reports in minutes. The technology promises to make police reports more accurate and comprehensive, as well as save officers time.This [...]
Opinion: Climate change divides the innovators from the defenders of the status quo

“The European Green Deal is something we owe to our children because we do not own this planet.” These words date back to a few days before Christmas 2019. They defined Ursula Von Der Leyen’s [...]
Study finds emotional tweets by politicians don’t always win followers and can backfire with diverse audiences

When a politician uses emotionality on social media to engage with his or her constituents, two things happen. One is that the politician sees an increase in engagement with individual constituents and then at scale. [...]
Detroit parents face fines if their children break curfew. Research shows the policy could do more harm than good

Detroit is seeing decline in violent crime, but 33% more young people were victims of gun violence in the city so far in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to local police.This post was [...]
Polls and trolls: Is violent online abuse turning women off local politics?

In her final speech as Wellington mayor, Tory Whanau spoke candidly about the relentless online abuse she faced during her term, much of it racist and sexist. None of it would have been reassuring for [...]
Ending universal free school meals linked to rising student meal debt and stigma

A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior has found that discontinuing universal free school meal (UFSM) policies significantly increases school meal debt, student stigma, and declines in participation. The research, [...]