Researchers have found that artificial intelligence algorithms can influence people’s preferences for fictitious political candidates or potential romantic partners, depending on whether recommendations were explicit or covert. From Facebook to Google search results, many people encounter A.I. algorithms every day. Private companies are conducting extensive research on the data of their users, generating insights into…

Researchers have shown that an approach called federated learning is successful in the context of brain imaging, by being able to analyze magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of brain tumor patients and distinguish healthy brain tissue from cancerous regions. An emerging technique called federated learning is a solution to this dilemma, according to a study…

A study found a significant increase in the number of online search queries for ‘insomnia’ between April and May 2020, when governments across the U.S. and around the world implemented stay-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results show there were 2.77 million Google searches for insomnia in the U.S. for the first five…

With the addition of just a small number of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the road, traffic flow can become faster, greener, and safer in the near future. Researchers present a simple set of guidelines and regulations for achieving the self-organization of AVs into constellations that dynamically control the entire traffic flow even when fewer than…

Inclusionary zoning policies that increase the supply of affordable housing may be good for the heart, according to new research. The study notes that such zoning programs were associated with lower rates of heart disease. «Many cities around the country are facing a severe shortage of affordable housing,» Antwan Jones, lead author of the study…

Peer approval is the best indicator of the tendency for new college students to drink or smoke according to new research from Michigan State University. This new finding is key to help universities address the problems of underage or binge drinking. This new finding is key to help universities address the problems of underage or…

A new study of COVID-19 shutdowns in the United States reveals pronounced disparities in air pollution — with disenfranchised, minority neighborhoods still experiencing more exposure to a harmful air pollutant compared to wealthier, white communities. «New York and other major urban areas had cleaner air as many commuters and others stayed off the roads,» Gaige…

New research has found that fungal infections account for $6.7 billion in health care spending in 2018. And that’s just the cases that were directly responsible for inpatient hospital stays. Combined with secondary infections and diagnoses, the total cost of hospital stays associated with fungal infections was a whopping $37.7 billion, comprising 1.1% of total…

The longer immigrants live in the United States, the more likely they are to use prescription opioids — a fact that contradicts popular views linking wealth and health, and suggests that American culture is uniquely favorable toward prescribing opioids. A new study from the University of Michigan and Dartmouth University found that in an adjusted…

Events of the past year have exposed the crisis of the digital divide in the U.S. To tackle this problem, researchers have developed a new tool to smooth the collection of federal broadband access data that helps pinpoint coverage gaps across the US. To tackle this problem, Michigan State University researchers have developed a new…