FS
1,071 news posts
Featured news
13 Nov 2023
Endangered turtle population under threat as pollution may lead to excess of females being born
By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Researchers from Australia studied the influence of pollution on the sex ratio of clutches of sea green turtles. This species is at risk of extinction from a current lack of male hatchlings. They concluded that exposure to the heavy metals cadmium and antimony, accumulated by the mother and transferred to her eggs, may cause embryos to be feminized. Pollution may thus compound the female-biasing influence of rising global temperatures on green sea turtles. Green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They are at risk of extinction due to poaching, collisions with boats, habitat destruction, and accidental capture in fishing gear. But another threat, linked to climate change, is more insidious: sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination, which means that more and more embryos develop into females as temperatures keep rising. Already, in the northern part of the Great Barrier Reef off Australia, hundreds of females are born for every male. Now, researchers have shown that the resulting risk of extinction due to a lack of male green sea turtles may be compounded by pollution. Dr Arthur Barraza, a researcher at the Australian Rivers Institute […]
Frontiers news
09 Nov 2023
Frontiers’ Volunteers: Setting sail for a cause
Frontiers’ volunteers have always been at the forefront of community and societal responses. Ross McGlennon shares his experience utilizing his sailing skills for a unique volunteering opportunity. Photo credit: Ross McGlennon What is your background and role at Frontiers? “Previously, I worked in the outdoor industry which allowed me to travel and experience new places. I spent one season working in Greece and then returned to Scotland to finish university. I joined Frontiers as a journal specialist and now work as a journal manager in health and biomed.” What does the organization you volunteered for do? “The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust (EMCT) run residential sailing and activity trips for young people in recovery from cancer. This gives young people the chance to socialize, regain their independence, and quite often, experience something new. The trips are always filled with fun, and opportunities to push your boundaries while forming new friendships.” Photo credit: Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust What did you do during your time volunteering? “As a volunteer on a sailing trip, I helped to run the boat while the skipper ensures we make it to our destination. This involved hoisting the sails, making sure everything stays nice and tidy, and being willing to show others how to […]
Environment
09 Nov 2023
Forests with multiple tree species are 70% more effective as carbon sinks than monoculture forests
by Deborah Pirchner, Frontiers science writer Image: Shutterstock.com Forests are excellent at absorbing and storing carbon and can play a role in meeting global net zero targets. As more countries commit to forest creation, but mainly plant single species forests, an international team of researchers has examined how carbon stocks in mixed forests and monocultures compare. They found that mixed forests store more carbon, and that out of the forests assessed those with four species had the highest carbon stocks relative to monocultures. To slow the effects of climate change, conserve biodiversity, and meet the sustainable development goals, replanting trees is vital. Restored forests store carbon within the forest’s soil, shrubs, and trees. Mixed forests are especially effective at carbon storage, as different species with complementary traits can increase overall carbon storage. Compared to single-species forests, mixed forests are also more resilient to pests, diseases, and climatic disturbances, which increases their long-term carbon storage potential. The delivery of other ecosystem services is also greater in mixed species forests, and they support higher levels of biodiversity. Although the benefits of diverse forest systems are well known, many countries’ restoration commitments are focused on establishing monoculture plantations. Given this practice, an international […]
Featured news
08 Nov 2023
Could willow bark provide our next life-saving antiviral medicine?
by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Shutterstock.com Scientists have found that specially processed samples of willow bark extract have an antiviral effect which isn’t seen in already known medical compounds from willow bark, such as salicylic acid, the precursor to modern aspirin. The extract worked against two common types of virus with very different structures, enteroviruses and coronaviruses, suggesting the potential for a new broad-spectrum antiviral to help us fight viruses that are otherwise hard to treat. From a seasonal cold to a stomach bug, nobody likes catching a virus — and epidemics can be devastating. We need safe, sustainable antiviral options to treat the outbreaks of the future. Scientists in Finland have now shown that an extract of willow bark — a plant which has already provided several medicines, including the precursor to modern aspirin — has a broad-spectrum antiviral effect in cell sample experiments. The extract worked both on enveloped coronaviruses, which cause colds as well as Covid-19, and non-enveloped enteroviruses, which cause infections such as flu and meningitis. There are no clinically approved drugs which work against enteroviruses directly, so this extract could be a future game-changer. “We need broadly acting and efficient tools to combat […]
Featured news
07 Nov 2023
Contraceptive pills might impair fear-regulating regions in women’s brains
by Deborah Pirchner, Frontiers science writer Image: Shutterstock.com Fluctuations in sex hormones influence brain activity of the fear circuitry. A team of researchers in Canada has now examined the effects of oral contraceptive (OC) use on women’s brains. Their findings showed that ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) thickness of women who were using OCs was reduced compared to men, suggesting a mechanism on how OC use could impair emotion regulation in women. Based on this study, this effect appears to be reversible after discontinuing use. More studies on impact and reversibility are needed, the researchers cautioned. More than 150 million women worldwide use oral contraceptives. Combined OCs (COCs), made up of synthetic hormones, are the most common type. Sex hormones are known to modulate the brain network involved in fear processes. Now a team of researchers in Canada has investigated current and lasting effects of COC use, as well as the role of body-produced and synthetic sex hormones on fear-related brain regions, the neural circuitry via which fear is processed in the brain. “In our study, we show that healthy women currently using COCs had a thinner ventromedial prefrontal cortex than men,” said Alexandra Brouillard, a researcher at Université du Québec […]
Environment
06 Nov 2023
Who will profit when territories of Europe’s predators overlap? Here are five Frontiers articles you won’t want to miss
by Deborah Pirchner, Frontiers science writer Image: Shutterstock.com At Frontiers, we bring some of the world’s best research to a global audience. But with tens of thousands of articles published each year, it’s impossible to cover all of them. Here are just five amazing papers you may have missed. Carnivore territories might soon overlap – and some species profit more than others Some of Europe’s large carnivore populations, including jackals and lynxes, are growing and expanding their territories. The golden jackal, a wolf-like generalist that once occupied only the Balkan area, is currently expanding its territory. At the same time, the Eurasian lynx, a specialized predator previously hunted close to extinction, is slowly recovering. Writing in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, researchers have now modeled jackal and lynx distribution in Europe for current and future scenarios. Currently, it is estimated that the overlap of jackal and lynx territories is 13%. This overlap is likely to increase, given both species’ expansion. The researchers’ findings showed that both predators expanding their territories, leading to a dynamic where they coexist for the first time, may favor one species and threaten the other: Their predictions show an increase in habitat suitability for the golden […]
Engineering
03 Nov 2023
Wearable devices may prevent astronauts getting ‘lost’ in space
by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Shutterstock.com Losing your sense of where you are can be fatal enough for aircraft pilots: spatial disorientation is a leading cause of fatal aircraft accidents. But losing your orientation in space itself is even more dangerous. Scientists have now developed wearable devices called vibrotactors that, combined with specialized training, improve people’s ability to fight spatial disorientation and could help astronauts correct themselves when their perceptions can no longer be relied upon. The sky is no longer the limit — but taking flight is dangerous. In leaving the Earth’s surface, we lose many of the cues we need to orient ourselves, and that spatial disorientation can be deadly. Astronauts normally need intensive training to protect against it. But scientists have now found that wearable devices which vibrate to give orientation cues may boost the efficacy of this training significantly, making spaceflight slightly safer. “Long duration spaceflight will cause many physiological and psychological stressors which will make astronauts very susceptible to spatial disorientation,” said Dr Vivekanand P. Vimal of Brandeis University in the United States, lead author of the article in Frontiers in Physiology. “When disoriented, an astronaut will no longer be able to rely […]
Research Topics
02 Nov 2023
Exploring consumer behavior: Must-read Research Topics
Understanding consumer behavior can contribute to decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, one of the tasks set by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #8: decent work and economic growth. In anticipation of the shopping season, we have curated a list of leading article collections that redefine our knowledge of consumer behavior. Accumulating over 500,000 views, scientists investigated patterns emerging from the online shopping era, the drivers of buying decisions, and the environmental impact of consumer purchases, including: Consumers in the Internet era 37 articles | 180,000 views Explaining how the Internet influences consumer behavior Shopping in times of emergency 10 articles | 105,000 views Exploring the different dimensions of panic buying Consumer psychology in tourism 33 articles | 60,000 views Focusing on consuming phenomena in tourism and hospitality Consumer-brand relationships 16 articles | 54,000 views Understanding the psychological facets of digital consumer behavior Culture and consumer behaviors 26 articles | 64,000 views Analyzing language and culture’s impact on organizations and consumers Emotions and consumer behavior 12 articles | 25,000 views Discovering the role of emotions in consumer behavior Packaging labeling and food choices 10 articles | 21,000 views Developing science-based approaches to front-of-pack labeling and nutrition Travel industry and […]
eBooks
02 Nov 2023
Frontiers ebook releases: November 2023
Download the top ebook releases from this month, including: analysis of social media in education contributions to marine ecosystem restoration advancements in energy transition, financial and trade globalization and new perspectives on the neuroethology of the colonial mind All ebooks are free to download, share and distribute. Shape the future of your field — and publish your own ebook — by editing a special collection around your research area. Learn more about Research Topics or submit your suggestion. The Roles of Social Media in Education: Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive Dimensions Edited by Hung Phu Bui; Mark Bedoya Ulla; Chien Thang Pham; Veronico N. TarrayoPDFMarine Ecosystem Restoration (MER) – Challenges and New HorizonsEdited by Brian Silliman; Avigdor Abelson; Christine Angelini; Gesche Krause; Megan Irene Saunders; Tjisse Van Der HeidePDFFinancial and Trade Globalization, Greener Technologies and Energy TransitionEdited by Magdalena Radulescu; Umer Shahzad; Diogo Ferraz; Enzo Barberio MarianoPDFNeuroethology of the Colonial Mind: Ecological and Evolutionary Context of Social BrainsEdited by J. Frances Kamhi; Sara Arganda Carreras; Mathieu LihoreauPDFWords in the WorldEdited by Gary Libben; Gonia Jarema; Juhani Järvikivi; Eva Kehayia; Victor KupermanPDFMolecular Mechanisms of Glia in Development and DiseaseEdited by Ryan B MacDonald; Stefanie Robel; Dr. Nathan Anthony Smith; Tim CzopkaPDFAgroecology in Policy […]
Featured news
01 Nov 2023
Do mild depressive and anxiety symptoms in fathers predict behavioral and cognitive problems in their children?
by Deborah Pirchner, Frontiers science writer Image: Shutterstock.com Many people experience stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in their life. Times of transition, such as pregnancy and children starting school can be significant periods of stress and vulnerability within families. Studies have generally found that high levels of anxiety and depression in parents are linked to poorer behavioral and cognitive outcomes in children. Now, a team of researchers in Canada has examined if self-reported paternal anxious and depressive symptoms are associated with children’s cognitive functioning and behavior. They found that slightly higher, but mild anxious or depressive symptoms in fathers were associated with fewer behavioral difficulties in the first years of elementary school and better scores on a standardized IQ testing in their children. The results need to be confirmed by further studies, the researchers said. While the role of mothers’ stress, anxiety and depression on children’s behavioral and cognitive development is well established, less is known about the connection between fathers’ mental health and children’s development. Now, a team of researchers affiliated to different institutions across Quebec, Canada has examined if paternal anxious and depressive symptoms, measured during their partner’s pregnancy, and again six to eight years later, are associated […]
Featured news
30 Oct 2023
Study of 1,000 selfies helps explain how we use them to communicate
by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Shutterstock.com From a painting on the wall to a photo on your phone, selfies have always been a form of communication. But what are we trying to communicate with them and how are we doing it? To develop semantic profiles of this visual language, scientists asked people to look at a thousand selfies and describe their first impressions. People have used self-portraits to communicate information about themselves for centuries — and digital cameras make it easier to share a self-portrait than ever before. But even though selfies are now almost ubiquitous, we don’t understand how people use them to communicate. So scientists from the University of Bamberg set out to investigate the semantics of selfies. “Although the term ‘selfies’ is now celebrating its 21st birthday, and although selfies are known in art history for nearly 200 years in photography and more than 500 years in paintings, we still lack a clear classification of the different types of selfies,” said Tobias Schneider, lead author of the study in Frontiers in Communication and PhD student at the Bamberg Graduate School of Affective and Cognitive Sciences. Snapshots of selfhood Previous studies have established that people taking […]
Frontiers news
26 Oct 2023
Frontiers and the University of Kansas announce ‘flat-fee’ publishing partnership
Gold open access publisher Frontiers has established a ‘flat-fee’ partnership agreement with the University of Kansas (KU). This will be Frontiers’ second ‘flat-fee’ agreement in North America and is the first to include the publisher’s entire portfolio of journals. Credit: Frontiers Under the one-year agreement, which will commence in January 2024, corresponding authors affiliated with the University of Kansas’ Lawrence and Edwards campuses, will receive unlimited publishing across all 223 Frontiers journals without charge to the researcher. Scott Hanrath, associate dean of research engagement at the University of Kansas said: “KU Libraries is committed to meeting the needs of KU researchers by leading efforts that move scholarly publishing toward a more open, sustainable future. Our agreement with Frontiers will make it easier and more affordable for KU-affiliated researchers to publish their work in open access journals.” Ronald Buitenhuis, Frontiers’ head of institutional partnerships said: “It is our pleasure to welcome the University of Kansas to our family of more than 700 institutional partners and to celebrate this agreement which, for the first time under our new ‘flat-fee’ model, covers publishing in all Frontiers’ journals. The partnership marks a new chapter for KU affiliated researchers who will now benefit from publishing […]
Frontiers news
25 Oct 2023
Camilla Røstvik – Breaking the silence: Artistic revolutions against taboos and period poverty
Author: Niamh Bothwell Dr Camilla Røstvik is an associate professor of history at the University of Agder in Norway, an honorary lecturer in the School of Medicine and the School of Art History at Aberdeen, and an honorary research fellow in art history at the University of St Andrews. She is also principal investigator (PI) on the Wellcome Trust-funded Menstruation Research Network and co-PI on the Royal Society of Edinburgh-funded Ending Period Poverty project. In alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1, which aims to eradicate all poverty everywhere, we explore Camilla’s efforts to raise awareness about menstruation in art history, highlighting the necessary evolution required to effectively combat period poverty. Photo credit: Jo Hanley To paint the scene for readers, can you tell us more about your work and how it all started? “I’m an art historian and I work on the visual cultures of menstruation, which includes everything from products and advertising to art and medicine. I’ve always been curious about menstruation, but I was not satisfied with the information I got when I was younger. It was all very traditionally scientific; there was no pleasant mystery or joy in it. It was just focused on pain and […]
Featured news
25 Oct 2023
Our favorite bittersweet symphonies may help us deal better with physical pain
by Deborah Pirchner, Frontiers science writer Image: Shutterstock.com Even before it was found to reduce pain and anxiety in modern times, music has been used for centuries to relieve pain. Now, researchers in Canada have investigated which aspects of listening to music can lead to a decreased pain perception. They found that participants’ perception of pain intensity and unpleasantness was reduced when they listened to their favorite music compared to pre-selected relaxing music, which is commonly used in clinical settings. In addition, bittersweet music – unlike other emotionally loaded music – was found to additionally reduce pain unpleasantness. Research has shown that music might be a drug-free way to lower humans’ pain perception. This decreased sensitivity to pain – also known as hypoalgesia – can occur when pain stimuli are disrupted between their point of input and where they are recognized as pain by the conscious mind. In a new study, researchers in Canada have examined what type of music helps to dampen pain perception. “In our study, we show that favorite music chosen by study participants has a much larger effect on acute thermal pain reduction than unfamiliar relaxing music” said Darius Valevicius, a doctoral student at the Université […]
Featured news
23 Oct 2023
Do people everywhere care less about their cats than their dogs?
by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Shutterstock.com Previous studies have suggested that owners care more about dogs than cats — maybe because dogs are generally considered more affectionate and require more hands-on care. But these studies have used convenience samples and are only based in one country. Scientists surveyed representative samples from Denmark, Austria, and the UK, and found that people generally invest more emotionally and financially in their dogs than their cats, but that the difference is biggest in Denmark and smallest in the UK. This suggests that there is no universal preference for dogs based on their behavior. Do canines get more care? Some studies have suggested pet owners are less emotionally attached to and less willing to finance care for cats than dogs, possibly because of cats’ behavior: cats may be perceived as caring less about humans and needing less care in return. But these studies are often conducted on non-representative samples and don’t consider possible cultural differences in attitudes to pets. A team of scientists led by Dr Peter Sandøe of the University of Copenhagen decided to investigate further. “We and others have found that people are willing to spend much less on their cats […]