Almost all leading large language models or “chatbots” show signs of mild cognitive impairment in tests widely used to spot early signs of dementia, study finds: Findings challenge assumption that AI will soon replace human doctors
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1068361
https://redd.it/1hhk281
@r_science
The moon may be more than 100 million years older than previously thought, study finds
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/moon-age-older-study-rcna184499
https://redd.it/1hhdvla
@r_science
Study shows how smart TVs use automatic content to track and report what you watch, including when using the TV as a monitor by HDMI connection
https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/your-smart-tv-watching-what-you-watch
https://redd.it/1hh7voj
@r_science
Animal-based products account for 60% of agriculture’s energy use globally but provide only 18% of consumed calories
https://norwegianscitechnews.com/2024/12/fossil-fuels-help-us-grow-food/
https://redd.it/1hh4v22
@r_science
Researchers have quantified the speed of human thought: a rate of 10 bits per second. But our bodies' sensory systems gather data about our environments at a rate of a billion bits per second, which is 100 million times faster than our thought processes.
https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/thinking-slowly-the-paradoxical-slowness-of-human-behavior
https://redd.it/1hh2n4v
@r_science
Individuals with higher verbal IQ were more likely to vote in elections and participate in civic activities while being less inclined to endorse traditionalist and authoritarian values. They also tended to hold more liberal social attitudes and support egalitarian views.
https://www.psypost.org/verbal-iq-predicts-political-participation-and-liberal-attitudes-twice-as-strongly-as-performance-iq/
https://redd.it/1hgzdjv
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Scientists have created a prototype reactor that can harvest hydrogen fuel using only sunlight and water. Green hydrogen, a "climate-neutral process that uses renewable energy sources to create hydrogen," has been a "growing conversation among renewable fuel
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/green-tech/a63137651/green-hydrogen-sunlight/
https://redd.it/1hgx756
@r_science
Comprehensive review finds ADHD medications are effective at reducing the symptoms of ADHD in adults but dont improve the quality of life
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(24)00360-2/fulltext
https://redd.it/1hgw51z
@r_science
RETRACTION: Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an open-label non-randomized clinical trial
We wish to inform the r/science community of an article submitted to the subreddit that has since been retracted by the journal. The submission garnered broad exposure on r/science (before being removed for a sensationalized headline) and significant media coverage. Per our rules, the flair on this submission has been updated with "RETRACTED". The submission has also been added to our wiki of retracted submissions.
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Reddit Submission: Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19 - "100% of patients were virologicaly cured"
The article "Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an open-label non-randomized clinical trial" has been retracted from the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents as of December 17, 2024. After significant concerns were raised about methodological flaws and ethics violations, the journal co-owners, Elsevier and the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC), have jointly made the decision to retract the paper.
An investigation conducted by an impartial field expert acting in the role of an independent Publishing Ethics Advisor concluded the following points constituted cause for retraction:
The journal has been unable to confirm whether any of the patients for this study were accrued before ethical approval had been obtained.
The journal has not been able to establish whether all patients could have entered into the study in time for the data to have been analysed and included in the manuscript prior to its submission on the 20th March 2020, nor whether all patients were enrolled in the study upon admission as opposed to having been hospitalised for some time before starting the treatment described in the article. Additionally, the journal has not been able to establish whether there was equipoise between the study patients and the control patients.
The journal has not been able to establish whether the subjects in this study should have provided informed consent to receive azithromycin as part of the study.
Media Coverage:
French Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics: Retraction of the Gautret et al. study: a dark page in COVID-19 research finally turned
Science: [Infamous paper that popularized unproven COVID-19 treatment finally retracted](https://www.science.org/content/article/infamous-paper-popularized-unproven-covid-19-treatment-finally-retracted)
USA Today: Study retracted years after it set off an infamous COVID-19 treatment scandal
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This retraction is highly controversial since it involves the disgraced French scientist Didier Raoult (See our recent AMA with the science sleuths who exposed the ethics violations at his research institute).
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Should you encounter a submission on r/science that has been retracted, please notify the moderators via Modmail.
https://redd.it/1hgss9h
@r_science
World Cup Football is getting faster for men and women alike: new study finds stoppage time, ball speed and passing rates have all increased significantly in the FIFA World Cup finals
https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/12/world-cup-soccer-is-getting-faster-for-men-and-women-alike-new-study?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social
https://redd.it/1hgm8m6
@r_science
Patients whose allergies cause the sniffles have different fungi living in their noses. Researchers found that people with allergic rhinitis had a significantly higher fungal diversity and a different fungal community compared to healthy people.
https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/patients-whose-allergies-cause-the-sniffles-have-different-fungi-living-in-their-noses
https://redd.it/1hgltl9
@r_science
Women with heightened beliefs in a dangerous world recommended harsher minimum sentences for physically strong male defendants compared to weaker ones, according to a new study. Men’s punitive decisions may be less shaped by self-protection motives or perceptions of formidability.
https://www.psypost.org/self-protection-motives-bias-legal-decisions-against-physically-formidable-men/
https://redd.it/1hggtan
@r_science
Researchers found that vegetarians consuming Plant-Based Meat Alternatives (PBMAs) had a 42% increased risk of depression compared to those who did not. PBMAs are considered ultra-processed foods and may be associated with similar harms
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/fake-meat-good-eat-processed-plant-based-meat-alternatives-linked-depression-risk-vegetarians
https://redd.it/1hgdspc
@r_science
Imagine a single switch determining whether puberty begins at age 13 or 20 in humans. A study carried out at the University of Helsinki shows how a single gene in Atlantic salmon can dramatically influence the timing of puberty - a key factor for salmon life cycle and survival.
https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/evolution/salmon-genes-unlock-secrets-puberty-and-evolution
https://redd.it/1hg9ks8
@r_science
White men who were drafted for the Vietnam War subsequently expressed less negative attitudes toward Black people and toward policies designed to help them. This suggests that interracial contact during military service led to attitude change.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/vietnam-draft-lottery-and-whites-racial-attitudes-evidence-from-the-general-social-survey/0E87B538B39CD973FDAC9FE3689933CC
https://redd.it/1hg9nsn
@r_science
Scientists Have Confirmed the Existence of a Third Form of Magnetism
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a63204830/third-form-of-magnetism/?utm_campaign=trueanthemFBPOP&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook
https://redd.it/1hhju4r
@r_science
Elevated levels of ‘forever chemicals’ (PFAS) found in several smartwatch wrist bands. Durability makes the bands great for sweaty workouts, but it might also present a source of these compounds to get under the wearer’s skin — literally.
https://www.acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2024/december/elevated-levels-of-forever-chemicals-found-in-several-smartwatch-wrist-bands.html
https://redd.it/1hh7ukq
@r_science
Symptoms of complex PTSD predict the appearance of psychotic symptoms in daily life, study finds | Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (complex PTSD) is a mental health condition that arises from prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic events.
https://www.psypost.org/symptoms-of-complex-ptsd-predict-the-appearance-of-psychotic-symptoms-in-daily-life-study-finds/
https://redd.it/1hh15qq
@r_science
Bias in AI amplifies our own biases, finds study | Artificial intelligence systems tend to take on human biases and amplify them, causing people who use that AI to become more biased themselves, finds a new study by UCL researchers.
https://techxplore.com/news/2024-12-bias-ai-amplifies-biases.html
https://redd.it/1hh1qcc
@r_science
Study examines women’s proximity to incinerators and chemical level in breast milk | Researchers find winds affecting emissions from incinerators play role, though diet still thought to be largest factor
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/18/study-examines-womens-proximity-to-incinerators-and-chemical-level-in-breast-milk
https://redd.it/1hh0czj
@r_science
Almost three quarters of adolescents experience clinically significant depression or anxiety symptoms, with most being chronic, according to a new study.
https://www.mcri.edu.au/news-stories/almost-three-quarters-adolescents-experience-depression-anxiety
https://redd.it/1hgw5s7
@r_science
Women opting for a medical abortion at home are often advised that the procedure is likely to be no more painful than period cramps. This leaves many women unprepared for the intensity of the pain they experience.
https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/women-arent-being-prepared-for-how-painful-a-medical-abortion-can-be
https://redd.it/1hgx7ou
@r_science
Study finds reduction in Sulphur emissions from shipping has led to acceleration in global warming
https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/13681/2024/
https://redd.it/1hgtcro
@r_science
Hiking by yourself deep in a forest and similar episodes of intense solitude are not as likely to restore energy and enhance social connectedness as less complete forms of solitude, such as reading in a café or listening to Spotify while commuting, research finds
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1068610
https://redd.it/1hgs3co
@r_science
Researchers measured radiofrequency exposure from smart home devices and found levels far below public safety limits. Even in homes with over 100 devices, exposure remained a small fraction of the ICNIRP 2020 guidelines. Predictive software validated the findings.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bem.22518
https://redd.it/1hgkygk
@r_science
A global meta-analysis of climate change extinction risk emphasizes that we are at a crucial point and drastic action is needed. The impacts of climate change are intensifying, and according to the most recent studies, urgent measures are required to keep warming below 1.5°C.
https://today.uconn.edu/2024/12/climate-change-extinction-risk/
https://redd.it/1hga1eo
@r_science
Huge math error corrected in black plastic study; authors say it doesn’t matter
https://arstechnica.com/health/2024/12/huge-math-error-corrected-in-black-plastic-study-authors-say-it-doesnt-matter/
https://redd.it/1hgg3k2
@r_science
Almost three-quarters of adolescents in Australia experience clinically significant depression or anxiety symptoms, with most being chronic, according to a new study. Girls were at increased risk of anxiety and depression, with 84% of girls compared to 61% of boys reporting symptoms at least once.
https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/almost-three-quarters-of-adolescents-experience-depression-or-anxiety
https://redd.it/1hgbuto
@r_science
'Dog-Like' Fossil Discovery May Be Oldest Known Saber-Toothed Animal | 270-million-year-old saber-toothed predator on the island of Mallorca is a new species of gorgonopsian.
https://www.newsweek.com/dog-fossil-discovery-oldest-known-saber-toothed-animal-2001685
https://redd.it/1hgaae1
@r_science
Researchers have modified the peptides from the Brazilian tarantula and the Japanese horseshoe crab and found they can kill samples of melanoma cells derived from a cancer model in mice that are resistant to other cancer therapies.
https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/nature-may-provide-the-key-to-beating-drug-resistant-melanoma
https://redd.it/1hg6tvy
@r_science
