Imagine you're in a big group, and someone important—say, a news anchor—has an update. That person tells a few influential friends, who then share it with everyone else. This is how messages and opinions move around, according to something called mass media theory. Most models only look at how opini
Ever been in a chat group where everyone starts with different views? Scientists used the Deffuant model to study this on a social media-like network. They found that over time, people's opinions tend to move towards the average of their starting points. This is known as "focusing. " Just like when
Prince William recently showed off a unique bracelet during his trip to South Africa. This wasn't just any jewelry—it was a handmade piece by his daughter, Princess Charlotte. The bracelet spells out "Papa, " a sweet nickname used by all his kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Religious adherence can be seen as a choice, like picking a favorite color. Scientists studied 58 religions from 1900 to 2000, using data from the World Christian Encyclopedia. They found 40 growing religions, 11 of which had a big change in the 1900s. 18 religions were shrinking, with 12 hitting th
Ever wondered how technologies interact with each other in complex systems? This study proposes a new way to classify these interactions, drawing inspiration from ecology. Imagine two technologies, T1 and T2, working together in a system called S. Sometimes, one technology benefits while the other s
Ever wondered how our daily routines and travels paint a picture of city life? Scientists are using aggregated data from places we visit to create networks and study these urban lifestyle patterns. They've looked at counties like Harris in Texas, Dallas (also in Texas), New York County in New York,
Imagine escaping a dying Earth to find yourself in a hostile galaxy. That's the premise of "Exodus, " an upcoming open-world RPG developed by Archetype Entertainment. Recently, actor Matthew McConaughey, playing an eternal observer named C. C. Orlev, shared four new reveal teasers about strange crea
Imagine this: A sunny day in New Haven. Jennifer Lopez's sister, Lynda, is walking around Yale University. But she's not alone. She's with Violet Affleck, Ben Affleck's daughter, who's just started her freshman year. A selfie shows the two smiling, enjoying the autumn weather. "New Haven with my fav
Hey, let's talk about family reunions. A guy from Iowa is upset because his older brothers are inviting his ex-wife to their family reunion, but not his current wife of 20 years. He thinks that when you divorce, you're out of the family. But his brothers disagree and say his ex is still part of the
Judge Mathis, more known for his stern but fair judgment on TV, surprised everyone recently with a different kind of decision. He reversed his divorce filing and is now working on saving his 39-year marriage. The judge, known for his strong commitment to helping street kids, sees this as his new mis
