Social Sciences

My ancestral languages, Boarisch (Bavarian) and Schwäbisch (Swabian), are routinely described as German dialects. That might sound like a technical linguistic distinction. For me, a Boarisch-Schwob scholar and community member, it raises a practical question: […]

Happiness, sadness, disgust, surprise, fear, contempt and anger. These are the basic emotions traditionally associated with facial expressions described as universal. As important social signals, facial expressions help us rapidly interpret the emotions and intentions […]

For several decades, Norwegian prison research has focused on the pains of imprisonment, isolation and the harm that prison does. But what is needed for a prison to actually promote health, personal growth and hope? […]

The OECD reports schools worldwide are under growing strain from teacher shortages. “It is getting harder to recruit, retain and deploy qualified teachers where they are most needed,” it has found.This post was originally published […]

In online “prepper” communities—where people discuss ways to prepare for potential emergencies and disruptions—members often jokingly refer to their “zombie apocalypse” skills.This post was originally published on this site

People with higher levels of patience are more likely to become entrepreneurs and earn more once they do, according to a new study from the University of Bath’s School of Management. The researchers analyzed data […]

A few months ago, a friend posted something that caught my eye on social media. She struggled to listen to what she termed “(literally) breathless AI voices for audiobooks.”This post was originally published on this […]

In 2025, two scholars of religion decided to make a multiday pilgrimage along the Kumano Kodō trail—an ancient route in Japan connecting Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples—guided by an artificial intelligence assistant.This post was originally […]

Our experience of eating is shaped by the combined influence of vision, smell, touch and taste. The way food is presented can shape diners’ expectations before they even taste it. Visual features, such as arrangement […]

Students with stronger reading skills are better able to spot misinformation online—and those skills may be especially important for teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds, according to a new study from the Brown School at Washington University […]