SciPod

Brazil, Russia, India and China, often known as the BRICs, have seen explosive growth in the past two decades and have asserted themselves as drivers of globalisation. Many scholars have researched the effects of this growth and development, and how these factors have affected domestic labour conditions. But are they asking the right questions? For instance, if developing countries invest in developed economies, will this lead to improved working conditions in the investing developing nation? Dr Patrick Wagner of the University of Konstanz, Germany, and Professor Damian Raess of the Catholic University of Lille, France, have conducted a study investigating whether Brazilian direct investment in Europe leads to improved working conditions back in Brazil.

Our world is facing new and frightening challenges, and political polarization has never been greater. Many see reasoned, respectful discourse as our only path to survival and progress, but attaining the skills and values it requires is not straightforward. Professor Deanna Kuhn of Columbia University has developed a discourse-based curriculum to help the next generation develop the values and the social and critical thinking skills they will need if they are to use tools of discourse to address the complex problems and challenges that await them.

In 18th century Britain, the old tradition of deep bowing and curtseying as a form of greeting slowly evolved into a brief touch of the cap or head (for men), or quick bob of the body (for women). Simultaneously, a new form of urban greeting was emerging: the handshake. How and why did the handshake gain such popularity, becoming our most standard greeting today? This phenomenon is explored in a new essay published in the journal Urban History and authored by Professor Penelope Corfield of London University.

Dr. Christopher Buck, a virologist at the US National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, has been working to spread the word about a growing body of scientific literature suggesting that mint and related herbs can help fight Covid infections. In his recent review article, “The Mint Versus Covid Hypothesis,” he makes a case for the idea that decentralized clinical trials could be used to more thoroughly explore this exciting idea.

Since ancient Greek civilization, we have sought to identify what makes some people more effective and persuasive orators than others. Studies have suggested that this might be related to rhythmic patterns in certain speech, but evidence is limited. Dr. Ceccherini-Nelli of the University of Alberta conducted a study with his colleagues to explore this. They looked at the patterns present in political speeches and conducted experiments to determine their effects.

AI appears all-powerful when playing sophisticated games such as Chess and Go against human opponents. Moreover, recent developments in AI have allowed it to summarize bodies of complex text, generate images and even video. These developments come with warnings that AI could replace many jobs, undermine democratic elections or even pose a threat to the existence of humanity. However, AI is largely based on observing and learning patterns; so, what happens when there are no patterns? Professor Steven Brams of New York University and colleagues have analyzed the potential of beating AI when playing a deceptively simple game called Catch-Up, simply by making random moves.

During brain development, anomalies may arise which lead to serious conditions such as epilepsy, triggering seizures and requiring lifelong monitoring and medication. However, the underlying causes and the way in which these defects occur are not completely understood. Dr Katty (Jing-Qiong) Kang and colleagues at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in the USA have conducted extensive research into the molecular mechanisms associated with developmental brain disorders, with a focus on genetic epilepsy. They propose novel therapeutic targets to effectively manage symptoms and improve clinical outcomes by targeting the root cause.

Shallow coastal waters are home to a unique and important plant – the seagrasses. Seagrasses, defined as underwater flowering plants, form vast meadows within shallow coastal waters across almost all continents. Seagrass meadows are one of the most significant ecosystems on the planet, and our future depends on them. Seagrass is vital for biodiversity, supports global fisheries, and is indispensable for tackling climate change. Despite the value of seagrass meadows, efforts to conserve them are falling short. Through their research, Riccardo Losciale and his team from James Cook University in Australia aim to identify and overcome the barriers to seagrass conservation.

As a medical specialty, anesthesiology has made remarkable progress to deliver patient safety at an incredibly high level, while administering drugs that could potentially be very dangerous at a slightly increased dose. However, just like the case of Icarus, a character in Greek mythology who flew too close to the sun before plummeting back to Earth, success can carry the seeds of failure. The impressive progress towards patient safety could conceivably lead to the extinction of anesthesiology as a specialty. In the context of cutting costs and an environment where the return-on-investment for anesthesiologists is not always clear, there may be a temptation to replace anesthesiologists with other professionals, such as specialized sedation nurses, or with new technologies.

The war in Ukraine has tested the resilience and unity of the European Union in unprecedented ways. As with some past European crises, EU member states have shown a willingness to unify and cooperate. However, unlike during other crises, this hasn’t resulted in strengthened EU regulatory or fiscal powers. In recent research, Professor Tanja Börzel at Freie Universität Berlin explores why this is the case.