ScienceDaily: Science & Society News

New tool aids US conservation, management of whales, dolphins and porpoises Posted: 06 Mar 2015 10:27 AM PST Researchers have identified more than 100 areas within US waters that should be considered biologically important when making management and regulatory decisions about human activities that could affect whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Parasite infection poses a greater risk for African under-fives Posted: 06 Mar 2015 08:20 AM PST Children under five living in sub-Saharan Africa are at greater risk than older children of developing a long-term parasitic disease, research suggests.

The price of protection: Abused women and earnings Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:27 AM PST 'Why doesn't she just leave?' is a timeworn question about women trapped in relationships that are physically and/or emotionally abusive to them. Economic dependence is clearly part of the story--many women lack the financial means to leave and find themselves trapped by both poverty and abuse.

Calling your bluff: Supervisors easily sniff out what drives a worker Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:27 AM PST Good supervisors aren't easily duped by the motives of underlings who go the extra mile -- they know when an employee is sucking up to them because of personal ambition, or when such actions truly have what's best for the organization at heart.

First validated method of detecting drugs of abuse in exhaled breath Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:24 AM PST Drug testing is most commonly performed using urine samples. The methodology and regulations for reliable urine testing are well developed and can be considered the current gold standard for drug testing. However, one problem with urine testing is related to the methodology of sample collection, often perceived as inconvenient and privacy-overriding by those undergoing the test. As such, a group of researchers has developed a more donor-friendly alternative to urine testing for drugs by focusing on exhaled breath.

New study points to better classrooms for children with disabilities Posted: 06 Mar 2015 06:16 AM PST A pilot study in 51 North Carolina classrooms shows the effectiveness of a new measure in assessing the quality of practices in inclusive preschools. Not only is the Inclusive Classroom Profile a reliable instrument, researchers say it also reveals the types of inclusive settings that may be best serving preschoolers with disabilities, researchers say.

The global energy challenge: One billion people have no access to electricity Posted: 06 Mar 2015 05:26 AM PST More than one billion people world-wide have no access to electricity to cook food or light their homes, despite the technology being in place. A study on options for getting more electrical access has taken place in Bangladesh.

Researchers connect climate change to food safety Posted: 06 Mar 2015 04:38 AM PST Climate change can affect our food safety in a number of ways. In a European study, researchers state that there is often a relationship between long-term changes in temperature and rainfall and vegetable and fruit contamination. For example, flooding may result in increased concentrations of harmful bacteria that can be quickly broken down again by UV light. Similarly, in one region fungi that produce toxins may increase due to global warming, while they decrease in other regions.

Teenage TV audiences and energy drink advertisements Posted: 06 Mar 2015 04:36 AM PST Researchers have examined a database of television advertisements broadcast between March 2012 and February 2013 on 139 network and cable channels and found that more than 608 hours of advertisements for energy drinks were aired. Nearly half of those advertisements, 46.5%, appeared on networks with content themes likely to appeal to adolescents.

Women in business Posted: 03 Mar 2015 11:17 AM PST A sociologist traces systemic bias in favor of male-led businesses to stereotypical beliefs about entrepreneurs. The author didn't doubt that women are at a disadvantage when it comes to establishing their own business enterprises -- plenty of evidence proves that to be the case -- but she wanted to find out whether or not people are systematically biased in favor of male-led businesses, and if so, why.

Raising tobacco sales age to 21 is best way to prevent lifelong addiction Posted: 03 Mar 2015 10:10 AM PST Raising the minimum age to buy cigarettes to 21 would save lives by preventing adolescents from ever taking up smoking, a new report suggests. The minimum age to buy tobacco products in most of the United States is 18.

First in-depth look at solar project completion timelines Posted: 03 Mar 2015 09:39 AM PST The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has gathered and analyzed data for more than 30,000 solar photovoltaic installations across the United States to better understand how interconnection regulations align with actual project completion timelines. The findings indicate that interconnection process delays are common, and can range from several days to months. Streamlining the application review and final authorization processes can ultimately benefit utilities and solar consumers by reducing the time and cost associated with going solar.