ScienceDaily: Science & Society News

Screen name matters with online dating: One starting with a letter in top half of alphabet makes a difference Posted: 12 Feb 2015 06:21 PM PST Choosing a screen name with a letter starting in the top half of the alphabet is as important as an attractive photo and a fluent headline in the online dating game, reveals an analysis of the best ways of finding love in the digital world.

Universal access to physical activity could save billions in health costs Posted: 12 Feb 2015 12:46 PM PST A little more than half of family health teams in Ontario offer physical activity services such as classes or counselling to encourage exercise among patients, and new research finds that standardizing access could help reduce the $6.8-billion cost associated with a sedentary lifestyle. There is a link between a lack of physical activity and chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

An ocean of plastic: Magnitude of plastic waste going into the ocean calculated Posted: 12 Feb 2015 12:45 PM PST Ocean currents have been carrying floating debris into all five of the world's major oceanic gyres for decades. The rotating currents of these so-called 'garbage patches' create vortexes of trash, much of it plastic. However, exactly how much plastic is making its way into the world's oceans and from where it originates has been a mystery -- until now.

It takes more than merit: Alma mater's prestige highly predictive of faculty placement Posted: 12 Feb 2015 12:44 PM PST A new study finds that small differences in institutional prestige have an enormous impact on the likelihood that a person who graduates with a doctoral degree will land a coveted faculty job.

Magnitude of plastic waste going into the ocean calculated: 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans per year Posted: 12 Feb 2015 12:44 PM PST How much mismanaged plastic waste is making its way from land to ocean has been a decades-long guessing game. Now scientists have put a number on the global problem. Their study found between 4.8 and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic entered the ocean in 2010 from people living within 50 kilometers of the coastline.

Lack of ID checks for buying cigarettes in New York City Posted: 12 Feb 2015 12:39 PM PST An investigation found that more than a quarter of New York City retailers did not request identification from young adults buying cigarettes. The study was conducted in anticipation of the minimum purchase age for cigarettes rising from 18 to 21.

Juvenile gang members in US top 1 million, new study finds Posted: 12 Feb 2015 10:18 AM PST There are over one million juvenile gang members in the US, more than three times the number estimated by law enforcement, according to a recent study.

High seas fishing ban could boost global catches, equality Posted: 12 Feb 2015 06:25 AM PST Closing the high seas to commercial fishing could be catch-neutral and distribute fisheries income more equitably among the world's maritime nations, according to new research.

Looking for love? Some use Reddit to give Cupid tech support Posted: 12 Feb 2015 06:24 AM PST A new study finds that users on OKCupid and mobile-based Tinder aren’t able to determine social norms or effective match-making techniques on the services, so they use Reddit to learn tips about online dating. Once there, they also find ways that allow them to “cheat the system” to interact with more potential dates.

Investigation reveals network of links between public health scientists and sugar industry Posted: 11 Feb 2015 05:40 PM PST Public health scientists and a government committee working on nutritional advice receive funding from the very companies whose products are widely held to be responsible for the obesity crisis, an investigation by The BMJ reveals. Recipients of research funding from sugar and other related industries include members of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which is currently updating official advice on carbohydrates consumption, and researchers working for the Medical Research Council's Human Nutrition Research unit (HNR).

One in five suicides is associated with unemployment Posted: 10 Feb 2015 06:18 PM PST Every year, around 45,000 people take their own lives because they are out of work or someone close to them is affected by unemployment, as a new study reveals. It includes data of 63 countries and demonstrates that during the 2008 economic crisis the number of all suicides associated with unemployment was nine times higher than previously believed.