Researchers tested whether everyday words flagged by institutional "harmful language" guides (e.g., master bedroom, pipeline) actually cause distress. In two experiments led by Michael A. Eskenazi et al. (study: "Pipelines and Master Bedrooms: How Harmful is Harmful Language?," Journal of Open Inquiry in the Behavioral Sciences), 616 U.S. adults rated 175 target/alternative word pairs on familiarity, acceptability, and anxiety, and 334 different adults read one of two short stories that either contained 25 targeted terms or their recommended substitutes. Measures included reading comprehension, current anxiety, positive and negative affect, feelings of social inclusion, and personality traits such as interpersonal victimhood and moral elitism. The researchers also examined responses from members of marginalized groups.
Participants slightly preferred the recommended alternatives but nonetheless rated most targeted words as highly acceptable; only clear slurs and pejoratives generated negative ratings. Exposure to a story containing targeted language produced no measurable harms: anxiety, belonging, and positive affect did not differ across groups, and comprehension was slightly higher in the targeted-language condition. Marginalized participants were not more affected, and only individuals high on moral elitism/interpersonal victimhood showed small increases in negative emotion. The authors note limits: single, fictional exposures cannot capture cumulative or community-level effects, and findings do not apply to explicit epithets.
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Researchers are exploring the potential of older gene-editing techniques, such as VIPR, as the next advancement in gene editing technology. These methods could complement or enhance current tools like CRISPR, offering new possibilities for genetic modification. (nytimes.com)
Scientists have identified the tilcayo, a new wildcat species in Bolivia's cloud forests, the first discovery of a new wildcat in over a century. The small, leopard-spotted feline was found after genetic testing revealed it diverged from its closest relative 1.4 million years ago. (scientificamerican.com)
Japan has surpassed 100,000 centenarians for the first time, with a total of 107,677 people aged 100 or older. The increase is attributed to advances in medicine, a healthy diet, and active lifestyles, but poses challenges for social security sustainability. (bbc.com)
ERBB4 expression in excitatory neurons drives early Alzheimer's disease pathology, including synapse loss and reactive gliosis. Blocking ERBB4 in neurons prevents these effects, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target. (nature.com)
A small, spotted tiger cat from Bolivia has been identified as a new species, Leopardus tilcayo, the first discovery of a new cat species in over 100 years. The cat was initially mistaken for a known species but was confirmed as new after detailed analysis and photographs. (nationalgeographic.com)
The Hafnium controversy centers on claims of triggering rapid energy releases through gamma-ray emission from a nuclear isomer, 178m2Hf. These claims, first reported in 1998, remain unproven and widely disputed by experts, with no independent reproduction of the results. (en.wikipedia.org)
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