All posts tagged: consumption

Social status shapes green consumption in an S-shaped pattern across socioeconomic levels

Social status shapes green consumption in an S-shaped pattern across socioeconomic levels

Published by José

A study published in Social Psychological & Personality Science revealed an S-shaped relationship between social status and green consumption, challenging existing models of how social hierarchies influence eco-friendly behaviors. Green consumption, defined as choosing eco-friendly products and practices, plays an important role in mitigating climate change. Social status has been identified as a key determinant of green consumption, but prior research has proposed conflicting patterns: an inverted U-shape, where middle-status individuals exhibit the highest green consumption; a negative linear relationship, suggesting higher-status individuals are less eco-friendly; and a positive linear relationship, where higher-status individuals consume more green products. In this work, Joe J. Gladstone and Silvia Bellezza analyzed a nationally representative U.K. dataset to map green consumption across the social spectrum. Building on theories like conspicuous conservation, which frames green consumption as a status signal, and the middle-status anxiety hypothesis, which posits that the middle class strives for distinction through eco-friendly behaviors, this study provides a novel perspective on the dynamics of social status, environmental values, and consumption patterns. The research leveraged data from the …

The surprising link between finger length and alcohol consumption

The surprising link between finger length and alcohol consumption

Published by skeptic

The lengths of your fingers might reveal more about your behavior than you think. Recent research has identified intriguing links between the ratio of your second digit (index finger) to your fourth digit (ring finger) and various traits, including alcohol consumption. This relationship sheds light on the effects of prenatal sex hormones on behavior and health outcomes later in life. The second-to-fourth digit ratio, known as 2D:4D, is widely regarded as a marker of prenatal exposure to testosterone and estrogen. Lower 2D:4D ratios are thought to indicate higher prenatal testosterone exposure relative to estrogen. Studies have consistently shown that 2D:4D is sexually dimorphic across species. For example, in humans and apes, males typically exhibit lower 2D:4D ratios compared to females. However, some Old-World monkeys show the opposite trend. In humans, this sex difference remains stable across age groups and ethnicities, unaffected by variations in digit length. Experimental studies in animals have demonstrated the influence of prenatal hormones on digit ratios. For instance, manipulating testosterone and estrogen levels in mice, rats, and rhesus monkeys has altered …

France’s great consumption slump

France’s great consumption slump

Published by Sam

“Consumers have only one priority, and that’s to have food on their plates,” observed Michel Biero, Lidl’s number two in France. “And they do so with canned tuna rather than salmon, and minced beef rather than rib steak.” In his opinion, one figure in the sales of the company’s more than 1,600 supermarkets in France illustrates the difficulty French people have in making ends meet: the popularity of “flash sales,” with power tools, food processors, and textiles at knock-down prices. The “bargain bins” used to entice many customers when they were filled up with discounted products twice per week. But that’s no longer the case. “Before the Covid-19-related crisis, the war in Ukraine and the inflationary crisis, non-food products accounted for 10% of store sales; today, we’re between 6% and 6.5%. Anything over €10 is selling less well,” said Biero. Despite the fall in inflation – it fell to 1.2% in September year-on-year, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), down from 4.9% a year earlier – the recovery in consumption, …

Study suggests that the consumption of olive oil reduces the risk of dementia – OpentheWord.org

Study suggests that the consumption of olive oil reduces the risk of dementia – OpentheWord.org

Published by skeptic

Stuffed Green Olives On A Cutting Board “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5 ESV) Any time you see references to oil in the Bible, it was referring to olive oil. It was used to anoint people and as such was symbolic of the Holy Spirit. It was also used as fuel for lamps, cooking, and even as a medicinal salve. It was so valuable, that the abundance of olive oil was symbolic of joy and health (Jeremiah 31:12). So perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are suggesting there may be health benefits to using olive oil in cooking, Fox News reports. The researchers came to this conclusion after studying 92,000 adults, with an average age of 58, over 28 years, Their study found that those who consumed at least 7 grams of olive oil daily had a 28% reduced risk of a dementia-related death compared to those who didn’t …

Electricity Maps calculates the carbon intensity of electricity consumption to optimize usage at scale

Electricity Maps calculates the carbon intensity of electricity consumption to optimize usage at scale

Published by skeptic

If you’re an electricity nerd, chances are you’ve already spent quite a few hours looking at Electricity Maps and its mesmerizing export flow animations. This open-source data visualization project has been around since 2016. But companies like Google and Samsung are increasingly relying on this rich data set to hit their sustainability goals and empower their own users. There are currently 20 people working for Electricity Maps and the company has been profitable for a few years. But TechCrunch has exclusively learned it recently raised a $5.4 million (€5M) funding round from Transition and Revent, to take things up a notch by investing in the product and the business. Electricity Maps is now both a data visualization tool and an enterprise API for data-driven decarbonization — and one wouldn’t work without the other. Founded by Olivier Corradi, a French and Danish entrepreneur and data scientist who previously worked for voice assistant startup Snips, Electricity Maps started from an itch to know more about electricity production and consumption. “There were articles in the press saying that …

A particular type of language boosts online news consumption, study suggests

A particular type of language boosts online news consumption, study suggests

Published by José

A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour has shed light on the impact of emotional language on online news consumption. The findings reveal that negative words in news headlines significantly increase the likelihood of users clicking on the news stories, with each additional negative word boosting the click-through rate by 2.3% on average. The digital age has transformed how we consume news. Today, most people obtain their news online, engaging with content for brief periods despite vast available sources. This shift has driven media outlets to fiercely compete for reader attention, often resorting to emotionally charged “clickbait” headlines. Prior research has consistently shown that negative stimuli attract more attention than positive ones, a pattern observable from infancy through adulthood. The new study aimed to quantitatively assess how this dynamic plays out in online news consumption, leveraging data from Upworthy.com, a site known for its mastery in crafting viral content. “During Covid, I noticed myself engaging in ‘doomscrolling,’ or the tendency to let myself be sucked down into a negative news spiral,” said study author …

Stress and alcohol consumption increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Stress and alcohol consumption increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Published by José

A review of the available scientific literature indicates that alcohol consumption and exposure to stress are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. However, the specific mechanisms responsible for this association remain unknown. The paper was published in Neurobiology of Stress. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects elderly individuals, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and personality changes. It is caused by the buildup of abnormal proteins in and around brain cells – amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which disrupt brain function. It is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. However, Alzheimer’s disease is not the only medical condition that involves progressive degeneration of brain cells leading to cognitive decline. Conditions involving these changes include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. All these types of dementia share symptoms that are common with Alzheimer’s disease, such as cognitive decline and memory loss, but are caused by different changes in the brain. Vascular dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, typically …

Coffee consumption linked to cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson’s, study finds

Coffee consumption linked to cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson’s, study finds

Published by skeptic

TCE, a chemical commonly used for decaffeinating coffee, degreasing metal, and dry cleaning clothes, is believed to be contributing to the rise of Parkinson’s disease. (CREDIT: Creative Commons) Trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical commonly used for decaffeinating coffee, degreasing metal, and dry cleaning clothes, is believed to be contributing to the rise of Parkinson’s disease, the world’s fastest-growing brain condition. TCE is a pervasive contaminant, present in several sites including the Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune, 15 toxic Superfund sites in Silicon Valley, and up to one-third of groundwater in the U.S. TCE is known to cause cancer, linked to miscarriages and congenital heart disease, and has been associated with a 500 percent increased risk of Parkinson’s disease. Countries with published studies of sites of groundwater TCE contamination. (CREDIT: Journal of Parkinson’s Disease) The paper provides details about the widespread use of TCE, the evidence linking the chemical to Parkinson’s disease, and profiles seven individuals who developed Parkinson’s disease after being exposed to the chemical in their work or the environment. A ubiquitous and widespread industrial …

Researchers uncover link between caffeinated soda consumption and alcohol sipping in children

Researchers uncover link between caffeinated soda consumption and alcohol sipping in children

Published by José

A study involving 9 and 10-year-olds discovered that children who consume caffeinated soda drinks daily are twice as likely to begin sipping alcohol within the next 12 months compared to those who consume these drinks less frequently. Additionally, these children appeared to be more impulsive and had poorer working memory. The paper was published in Substance Use & Misuse. Caffeinated soda drinks are carbonated beverages that contain caffeine, a stimulant that can increase alertness and energy levels. These beverages include popular options like Mountain Dew, Jolt, Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, and Barq’s root beer, among others. Besides caffeine, these sodas often contain high levels of sugar or artificial sweeteners, along with a variety of flavors and additives, making them a favorite worldwide for a quick energy boost or a refreshing drink. However, studies have suggested that the consumption of caffeinated soda drinks may be linked to substance misuse. Regularly drinking these sodas, especially in large amounts, has been associated with an increased likelihood of experimenting with other substances that offer similar stimulating effects. While most …

Study of NFL players finds no link between time spent playing football and alcohol consumption

Study of NFL players finds no link between time spent playing football and alcohol consumption

Published by José

A longitudinal study of NFL players found no association between the number of years an individual spent playing American football and alcohol use habits later in life. Similarly, alcohol use showed no association with the number of concussions a player sustained. The paper was published in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. Traumatic brain injury, a type of brain damage resulting from sudden impact or force to the head, can disrupt normal brain function. These injuries vary from mild (such as concussions) to severe. Severe traumatic brain injuries can result in long-term cognitive, physical, and emotional impairments. Moreover, repetitive brain injuries, sustained over time, can lead to similar effects. Individuals who play American football are at a heightened risk of traumatic brain injuries, given the sport’s high-impact nature. The frequent collisions and tackles inherent to the game often result in head impacts. Research indicates that these repeated impacts, even without diagnosed concussions, can accumulate and elevate the risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated head traumas. Efforts to mitigate the risk …