blog posts Study: Brilliant white male characters more believable, some viewers say Nov 22, 2024 8:45 am Brilliant characters often play key roles in movies and TV shows. However, when they are played by women and people of color, some audience members dismiss them as unrealistic, even if they portray real people. Study reveals advantages of informative brand names Nov 15, 2024 11:45 am By clearly communicating a product's purpose, informative names can significantly boost a product's visibility and success, suggesting that businesses can benefit from adopting descriptive names to gain a competitive edge. Communication with doctor during first visit affects pain patients’ outcomes Oct 30, 2024 9:15 am U. of I. researchers found that shared decision-making and the quality of the health care provider’s history-taking and physical exam were the main drivers of spinal pain patients’ satisfaction with, trust in and agreement with their doctors. Mouse model reveals liver involvement in muscular dystrophy Oct 24, 2024 12:00 pm A new mouse model mimicking the liver symptoms of the most prevalent form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy provides insight into why patients develop fatty liver disease and display hypersensitivity to medications. WILD: Genomic study identifies human, animal hair in ‘man-eater’ lions’ teeth Oct 11, 2024 10:30 am In 1898, two male, maneless lions crept into a camp near the Tsavo River in Kenya, raided tents and dragged off their victims. The infamous 'man-eaters' killed at least 28 people before the civil engineer on the project shot them dead. Raising happy eaters: Unlocking the secrets of childhood appetite Oct 18, 2024 11:45 am Children are born with a capacity to regulate appetite based on hunger and satiety signals, but with increased exposure to environmental factors, their eating is increasingly guided by psychological reasoning and motivations. Honey bees in demand: New contract strategies to support pollination services Oct 15, 2024 11:15 am Beekeepers 'move colonies to the places where there are flowers blooming so the bees can find food. I’m interested in how beekeepers deal with risk in their operation and how that affects pollination contracts,' Professor Brittney Goodrich said. New book explores the history of the phony cancer drug Krebiozen Oct 1, 2024 11:15 am Journalism professor emeritus Matthew C. Ehrlich examines the dramatic story of a controversial medicine once touted as a miracle cure for cancer in his new book. Ads featuring interracial couples produce mixed results for brands Sep 16, 2024 8:30 am 'The prevalence of interracial couples in advertising suggests that firms assume this is an effective strategy. But there’s no clear evidence that brands benefit from this inclusion,' said business professor Rosanna K. Smith. Report: Conscientiousness, not willpower, is a reliable predictor of success Sep 10, 2024 8:45 am Two psychology professors argue that psychological science sometimes overemphasizes the role of willpower in human success and well-being. The personality trait 'conscientiousness' is a better predictor of success, they write. Book: Healing America’s divisiveness requires changing how we think Aug 26, 2024 1:45 pm Healing America’s political discord — and saving democracy — demands that we abandon our certainty we are right and snap judgments about those who disagree, says sociology professor Ilana Redstone in a new book. Study tracks decades of extreme heat, cold in Upper Midwest Aug 20, 2024 11:30 am U. of I. researchers found significant increases in the frequency of daytime extreme heat stress across the Upper Midwest. Urban areas often saw the biggest increases over time, likely as a result of the 'heat island' effect. Honey added to yogurt supports probiotic cultures for digestive health Aug 8, 2024 1:45 pm 'Our findings showed that pairing honey with yogurt supported the survival of the yogurt’s probiotic bacteria in the gut, so the lab study results did translate to real-world application in humans,' said food sciences professor Hannah Holscher. U. of I. historian’s book provides introduction to gender history Aug 7, 2024 12:00 pm 'Gender makes a huge difference in how political movements unfold and how capitalism works, in the workplace but also in the household. There’s no aspect of public, private, civic or political life that is untouched by gender.' PFAS found in nearly all fish tested from four northern Illinois rivers Jul 31, 2024 8:15 am ound PFAS-contaminated fish in every one of the 15 sites they tested along four northern Illinois rivers, with channel catfish having the highest accumulation of PFAS in its tissues. First of its kind study shines light on LGBTQ+ farmer mental health Jul 1, 2024 1:45 pm LGBTQ+ people involved in farm work are more than three times more likely to experience depression and suicidal intent and about two and a half times more likely to experience anxiety than the general population. Emotional overeating fed by temperament, caregivers’ reactions to children’s emotions Jul 2, 2024 11:45 am New research on the origins of emotional overeating in 3-year-olds suggests that caregivers' responses to infants’ and toddlers’ negative emotions (disappointment, fear, anger) influences a child’s development of emotional overeating. Specialist and migratory birds at greater risk under climate change Jun 11, 2024 4:30 pm Following decades of decline, even fewer birds will darken North American skies by the end of the century, according to a new analysis by scientists at the U. of I. College of ACES. When mothers and children talk about problems, environment matters Jun 4, 2024 10:45 am Talking to their parents about daily stressors can help adolescents deal with their problems. This is particularly important during the transition to middle school. But does it matter where these conversations take place? Researchers: Green infrastructure plans need to consider historical racial inequalities May 21, 2024 9:45 am 'For the environmental and ecological questions, we have a pretty good handle on what we need to do. The questions that are the hardest... are how to work well with communities, particularly marginalized communities.' Book details how feds used bribery to end relationships with Native American tribes May 28, 2024 12:15 pm A new book by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign history professor David Beck examines how the federal government used bribery schemes to end its relationships with Native American tribal nations in the early 20th century. Cicadas and tinnitus: Here's what you need to know May 20, 2024 1:15 pm Professor Fatima Husain explains why individuals with tinnitus may find peace among the audial onslaught and offers suggestions for how people can safely shield their ears from the impending 'wall of sound.' Study: Social networks can influence perception of climate-change risk May 22, 2024 9:45 am A U of I study found that social networks can play a significant role in influencing the financial behaviors and perception of catastrophic risks brought about by climate change. Tibetan plateau had broader social dimensions than previously thought Apr 29, 2024 11:30 am Using excavated artifacts, Profewssor Stanley Ambrose and his team discovered that there was a long-distance cultural exchange between the Tibetan plateau and northern China. Paper: Firms learn more from ‘knowledge-gap’ failures than mere ‘slip-ups’ Apr 22, 2024 8:30 am More organizational learning was associated with design-related product recalls than with process-related recalls. Researchers also learned that a firm’s accumulated patents and investment in R&D enhanced learning from design-related recalls. Wearable sensors for Parkinson’s can improve with machine learning, data from healthy adults Apr 12, 2024 10:00 am The study shows that 'the expansion of datasets with healthy older adult motion data and integration with deep learning approaches can help improve the accuracy of detecting differences in motor impairment in persons with Parkinson's...' The downside of 'branded access offers': Perceived lack of consumer commitment Apr 11, 2024 12:30 pm 'Brands are constantly pursuing new customers, and the leading trend is a focus on branded access offers... moving away from ownership to more of a short-term rental mode,' said U of I business professor Tiffany Barnett White . Illinois schools sought to participate in 2024 Illinois Youth Survey Mar 18, 2024 9:30 am The Illinois Youth Survey is a biennial survey of eighth, 10th and 12th grade students that provides important assessments of school climate issues and substance use across Illinois’ middle and high schools. Study: Default testing for COVID-19 in K-12 schools more effective than voluntary testing Mar 13, 2024 9:00 am A new paper co-written by U of I business professors found that default testing of K-12 students for COVID-19 during the pandemic could have saved up to one out of every five school days lost to the coronavirus during the fall 2021 semester. Study: Americans struggle to distinguish factual claims from opinions amid partisan bias Mar 12, 2024 11:30 am Americans struggle to tell the difference between statements of fact and statements of opinion – a troubling trend that has grave implications for civic discourse in the U.S., say U of I political science researchers. Historic racial covenants in property deeds linked to disparities in exposure to dangerous heat Mar 6, 2024 8:00 am A study by urban and regional planning professor Rebecca Walker is the first to examine the environmental impact of racial covenants, using the first database to map the presence of the covenants in a U.S. metropolitan area. Study: Metabolic diseases may be driven by gut microbiome, loss of ovarian hormones Feb 22, 2024 8:00 am Mice that received fecal biome transplants from donors that had their ovaries removed expressed higher levels of genes associated with metabolic diseases, including fatty liver disease, atherosclerosis and Type 2 diabetes. White people more likely to confront authors of racist online posts to set discussion rules Feb 12, 2024 9:45 am 'If the objective is reframed from trying to change a transgressor’s deep-seated attitudes to a potentially more achievable goal (defining social norms)...participants’ willingness to confront others about racist content increases.' Navajo scholar’s Indigenous leadership research aids educators of Native students Feb 8, 2024 10:30 am Sometimes researchers discover something they weren’t looking for—something as valuable, perhaps even more so, than the original treasure they sought. Such is the case with Oliver Tapaha. Whether a racial minority or majority at work, white teachers struggle with race relations Jan 31, 2024 8:30 am White teachers were often ill-equipped for discussions about racial issues because they had little prior experience thinking about or confronting race in their family, educational and previous work environments. Ageism, mistaken beliefs complicate acceptance of older adults’ sexuality Jan 23, 2024 12:30 pm More than 25% of the young adults surveyed in a recent study mistakenly believed that sexual activity increases older adults’ risk of heart attack and that disinterest in sex is a normal and inevitable part of aging. News media trigger conflict for romantic couples with differing political views Jan 16, 2024 2:30 pm Couples with differing political views and identities face unique challenges in their consumption of news, which can create significant stress on their relationship, communication professor Emily Van Duyn found in a recent study. Study: Acetaminophen use during pregnancy linked to language delays in children Jan 3, 2024 8:00 am A new study links acetaminophen use in pregnancy to modest but significant delays in the language development of offspring, says Illinois Kids Development Study principal investigator Susan Schantz. New book explores complicated relationship between workers and their work Jan 8, 2024 9:15 am A new book by U. of I. labor expert Robert Bruno explores how workers characterize their relationship to their jobs using personal six-word mini-narratives, serving as a broader exploration of how middle-class workers view work in the U.S. Parentification: The impact of children taking on parental roles in their family Dec 13, 2023 12:00 pm We expect parents to always take care of their children’s physical and emotional needs. But sometimes the roles are reversed, and the child assumes responsibilities beyond what is appropriate for their age. Study shows challenges to protecting privacy of library users Dec 8, 2023 12:30 pm The biggest challenges libraries face in protecting the privacy of patrons are a lack of training and technical knowledge, particularly with increased use of digital services, according to a study by information sciences professor Masooda Bashir. Database expands to document police uses of lethal force across US Dec 5, 2023 12:00 pm 'SPOTLITE,' identified more than 23,000 incidents of police uses of lethal force in the U.S. during 2014-2021. It includes incidents in which police used a firearm - including those with nonfatal outcomes - and other uses of force that result in a death. Cultural capital is key to a sense of belonging for college students of color Nov 20, 2023 11:15 am Researchers found that college students derive belongingness from four broad factors – their identification with the university overall; feelings of being a social match with others; their sense of being accepted and welcome; and their cultural capital. Researchers identify unexpected twist while developing new polymer-based semiconductors Nov 14, 2023 8:15 am Fresh insight into the development of semiconductor materials that can do things their traditional silicon counterparts cannot – harness the power of chirality, a non-superimposable mirror image Higher pay consistently trumps meaningful work as strongly valued job attribute Oct 12, 2023 12:30 pm Although meaningful work is a strongly valued attribute when seeking a job, it may be less influential than salary when prospective employees evaluate career opportunities, according to new U of I research. Study: Tipped restaurant workers in Chicago compensated at rates below minimum wage Oct 5, 2023 1:30 pm Researchers also found several violations of municipal, county, state and federal work-related laws, including wage theft, hours and work schedule violations, discrimination and harassment, and occupational health and safety violations. Top scientists, engineers choose startups over tech behemoths for reasons other than money Sep 20, 2023 10:30 am 'There’s a common belief that individuals work at startups to get rich when the venture is successful, but we find that employees are aware that startup employment is risky and they choose it for reasons other than future financial payoffs.' Although the air is now cleaner in the U.S., air pollution remains a problem for public health Sep 21, 2023 10:30 am "It’s pretty clear that wildfire smoke is affecting a lot more people on a lot more days than it used to,” says Christopher Tessum, a professor of civil and environmental engineering. Air pollution via wildfire smoke increases suicide risk in rural counties Sep 12, 2023 11:00 am A new paper co-written by Gies College of Business professor David Molitor found that air pollution via drifting wildfire smoke disproportionately elevates the risk of suicide among rural populations in the U.S. Study links epigenetic changes to historic trauma in Alaska Native communities Sep 8, 2023 11:15 am The study found a pattern among Alaska Native participants, in which specific epigenetic differences were observed in those who reported experiencing the most intense symptoms of distress when reflecting on historic losses.