Articles
How natural disturbances sustain diversity
While natural disturbances like fires and floods can pose a risk to human life, in some places these events can help to support a diverse ecosystem. Forest fires, for example, allow species like oak to thrive and support a rich insect population, which in turn feeds many different birds. Dr Mike Eichholz of Southern Illinois University Carbondale studies the influence […]
Earth’s magnetic field and its changes through time
Complex convection currents in the Earth’s core create a vast magnetic field around the Earth, protecting us from the charged solar particles that emanate from the Sun. However, the Earth’s magnetic field has not always been quite the same. Earth’s rocks provide a record of geomagnetic reversals and variations through time in the geomagnetic field. Dr Daniel Franco and his […]
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Brand governance in National Sport Organizations
How can non-profit National Sport Organizations in Canada create effective brands, especially on social media, from which they can co-create value with stakeholders such as athletes, fans, sponsors, and the media? In a three-phase project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Marijke Taks, Benoit Séguin (University of Ottawa) and colleagues examined the challenges faced in […]
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Globalization and the erosion of geo-ethnic checkpoints
Understanding the ecology of complex adaptive systems, such as organisms, societies, and languages, poses many challenges. Dr Chris Girard, Associate Professor of Sociology with the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies at Florida International University, has developed an evolutionary model, known as coevolving informatics, that offers a transdisciplinary approach to understanding complex adaptive systems. Coevolving informatics employs complexity and evolutionary […]
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Novel imaging technique could lead to early diagnosis of lung cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the most widespread forms of the disease. As with many other cancers, the best chance of survival comes with early diagnosis; unfortunately, at present this often doesn’t happen. In research that has the potential to improve the prognosis of lung cancer patients, Dr Claudio Scafoglio and colleagues at the University of California, Los […]
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Engineers’ pre-eminent role: An account of six decades in the industry
Prof Sudhangsu Chakraborty’s book takes us on a very personal journey, detailing his life and work. His life story serves to highlight the pre-eminent role that engineers play in society. Engineers bridge the gap between art and science, often creating artifacts that are technically innovative but also become landmarks. Chakraborty points out the importance of engineers playing a role in […]
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Emerging enterprises: Transformational leadership and customer-centric approaches
Micro enterprises and start-up enterprises (SUEs) are a critical part of the commercial environment and global business models in emerging markets. These enterprises have high growth potential by effectively administering their competitive advantages in a short period of time as compared to more established and bureaucratic organisations. However, many emerging organisations do not realise their full potential due to leader-centred […]
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How sleep may be key to antisocial behaviour in young people
Sleep is vital to our health and yet remains understudied in young people and especially in its links to behaviours. Professor Alexander Vazsonyi at the University of Kentucky is focused on highlighting the role of sleep in problem behaviours in adolescents. His work on sleep unearths some important influences on deviant behaviour but also points to ways that young people […]
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Why we need to reassess the sustainability of aging populations
Modern societies have largely been able to grow and develop due to fossil fuels and monetary systems. However, with more aging populations around the world, questions are starting to be asked about the sustainability of this paradigm. Professor Kozo Torasan Mayumi of the Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics in Japan reassesses the double-edged nature of fossil fuels and […]
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Phones down, eyes up: Tackling media misbehaviour in the classroom
In the age of smartphones, teachers must compete for the attention of students against a world they possess in their pockets. And the stakes are high for educational outcomes. When pupils are glued to their phones in class, they disrupt their own learning as well as that of others, while increasing the teacher’s stress and risk of burnout. So how […]
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