Research
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Letourneau’s datasets propel research that shows biodiversity improves crop production
When Environmental Studies Professor Deborah Letourneau was getting ready to retire, she gave several of her datasets to younger researchers so they could make use of them. And did they ever.
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Climate engineering: International meeting reveals tensions
At this point, the greatest danger of climate engineering may be how little is known about where countries stand on these potentially planet-altering technologies. Who is moving forward? Who is funding research? And who is being left out of the conversation?
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Learning on the playground: How elementary school recess enhances every aspect of child development
Recess is a lot like school lunch: Some kids get lasagna with an organic green salad, some get a burrito out of a box, and some do without. Like lunch, who gets recess—and who gets good recess—is often determined by what school district a student lives in.
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Whole genome sequencing could help save pumas from inbreeding
The first complete genetic sequences of individual mountain lions point the way to better conservation strategies for saving threatened populations of the wild animals.
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New Human Rights Lab trains students to investigate wrongdoing
The new Human Rights Lab went live this fall with 19 students who have learned high-tech, digital-verification skills they will use to investigate alleged human rights abuses around the globe.
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Anthropologist Adrienne Zihlman publishes 450-page opus on ape anatomy and evolution
Anthropology Professor Emerita Adrienne Zihlman has published a 450-page volume that presents the “big picture” of what she has learned about human origins from her painstakingly thorough study of modern ape anatomy over the last four decades.
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Youth activism is on the rise around the globe, and adults should pay attention, says author
Greta and Malala get the headlines, but Jessica Taft says that for every young leader pictured on a magazine cover, thousands more are working tirelessly for causes like climate justice, racial and gender equality, LGBTQ rights, and economic change.
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Talking about scientific results without overstating the findings
Developmental psychologist Maureen Callanan has coauthored a new paper about researchers’ use of “generic language” when they report scientific findings, a tendency that leads to bolder claims that may sacrifice precision.
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Major NSF grant supports research on soil fungi
Kai Zhu, an assistant professor of environmental studies, has received a $700,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study the biodiversity and distribution of soil fungi across North America.
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Massaro introduces app to boost literacy
Dominic Massaro, a professor emeritus of psychology, has developed a new iPhone app designed to help children learn to read.
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Scholars weigh in on new ideas about autism
The authors of a provocative new paper maintain that many of the behaviors common to autism—including low eye contact, repetitive movements, and the verbatim repetition of words and phrases—are misinterpreted as a lack of interest in social engagement. On the contrary, they say, many people with autism express a deep longing for social connection.
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While the cat’s away: Predators’ fear of humans ripples through wildlife communities, emboldening rodents
A new study indicates that pumas and medium-sized carnivores lie low when they sense the presence of humans, which frees up the landscape for rodents to forage more brazenly.