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As a result of that research, there’s a new ","_key":"829fc122639b0","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"_type":"span","marks":["c233ee1919e3"],"text":"strategy","_key":"829fc122639b1"},{"text":" for deterring sharks from attacking surfers or kayakers.","_key":"829fc122639b2","_type":"span","marks":[]}]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"At first sight","_key":"2dbb662ceda80"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"184dfec594f7","markDefs":[]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Essentially, researchers found that by affixing LED lights to the underside of surfboards and kayaks is enough to interrupt a shark’s hunting instincts.","_key":"6437c204c0380"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"4c361e4b413b","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Macquarie University researcher Dr. Laura Ryan chose Mossel Bay to conduct the study due to the high number of sharks. She used","_key":"b18cfd3f6dcb0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" decoys shaped like seals ","_key":"d1606449eed2"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"and tested shark responses. Evidence showed that attacks were significantly less likely on the decoys equipped with LED lighting.","_key":"c6a483ff7cd5"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"2d16c0f5eab0"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The reason bright lights are so effective on sharks is that these animals depend on their incredible vision to track and hunt prey. While constant, bright light appears to be the best way to","_key":"f1396895f5d10"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" disrupt that sense of sight","_key":"25b2aa4f1582"},{"_key":"4c18b635bbfd","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", evidence shows that other lighting methods aren’t as effective."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"9ba907a16c71"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"b87835385f430","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Strobe lights, for example, didn’t prevent sharks from identifying prey even during the brief moments that the light flickers off."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"761f1e0af0c2"},{"children":[{"text":"Simply misunderstood","_key":"8657ff5469d20","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"ab4296d7aa94","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Although shark attacks are relatively rare, they receive a lot of media attention due to their often vicious nature. And while this has earned the species a reputation for being overtly aggressive toward humans, ","_key":"cecdde344bce0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"experts say that’s not the case","_key":"b1b8a5266ac6"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":".","_key":"481d17be0228"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"aa720de85af8"},{"_key":"af364ab3f50a","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In fact, most shark attacks appear to be a case of mistaken identity. As it turns out, the bottoms of surfboards and kayaks can look a lot","_key":"6cb3aed94a410"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" like a seal or some other tasty snack","_key":"29b255b5c3c8","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" from the shark’s perspective.","_key":"23c28ab25226"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"So before you head out into the ocean, make sure you pick up a few ultra-bright LED lights.","_key":"25e548aa5b490"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c11a39b4ca97","markDefs":[]}],"id":"v8iRm4ST","_updatedAt":"2024-11-12T21:43:18Z","image":{"asset":{"extension":"gif","_rev":"Z3DrWm5UtVbMdlw47beHex","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","mimeType":"image/gif","_updatedAt":"2024-11-12T21:41:37Z","uploadId":"2NZCgS140LUvQervOmndUivjxvBci8nB","sha1hash":"4a9b8c127c8cc7030006e64ead968ee3c770b4b9","assetId":"4a9b8c127c8cc7030006e64ead968ee3c770b4b9","metadata":{"hasAlpha":true,"lqip":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAALABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFwAAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIFCP/EAB8QAAMAAgAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgRRAwURFCExQf/EABYBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMEBv/EABkRAAIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAxITUf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8Azn3T2NWQ5lU37Jbb2I6e2aBzMiwTLt87yanhy7XSJUT4+AQG3sA7rgmR/9k=","dimensions":{"aspectRatio":1.7777777777777777,"height":270,"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","width":480},"isOpaque":true,"blurHash":"M82PQ8NMxWRos,x|NIxWRns-xbNIxYR,od","_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","palette":{"dominant":{"population":0.02,"background":"#f9d461","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000","title":"#000"},"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"background":"#4e4026","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":0.02},"muted":{"background":"#5574a2","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":0.02},"lightVibrant":{"title":"#000","population":0.02,"background":"#f9d461","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000"},"darkVibrant":{"title":"#fff","population":0.01,"background":"#040c84","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff"},"lightMuted":{"title":"#fff","population":0,"background":"#bcb4a4","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000"},"vibrant":{"foreground":"#000","title":"#fff","population":0.01,"background":"#fcb41a","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch"}}},"source":{"name":"Shark Attack GIF by CuriosityStream","id":"J4yXUPDjuaef1OJ4hV","url":"https://giphy.com/gifs/CuriosityStream-curiosity-curiositystream-stream-J4yXUPDjuaef1OJ4hV"},"url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/8mioycse/v3/4a9b8c127c8cc7030006e64ead968ee3c770b4b9-480x270.gif","path":"images/8mioycse/v3/4a9b8c127c8cc7030006e64ead968ee3c770b4b9-480x270.gif","originalFilename":"adbdb377-70b1-42cb-bb35-9b050c3c832f.gif","size":1576315,"_createdAt":"2024-11-12T21:41:37Z","_id":"image-4a9b8c127c8cc7030006e64ead968ee3c770b4b9-480x270-gif"},"crop":{"_type":"sanity.imageCrop","right":0,"top":0,"left":0,"bottom":0},"hotspot":{"y":0.5,"height":1,"_type":"sanity.imageHotspot","width":0.924657534246575,"x":0.5},"_type":"image","attribution":"Giphy"},"title":"Researchers Think They Have Found A Way To Reduce Shark Attacks On Surfers","author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"slug":"/story/2024/11/researchers-think-they-have-found-a-way-to-reduce-shark-attacks-on-surfers","_createdAt":"2024-11-12T21:36:20Z","_type":"story","summary":"All it takes is a blinding light shining in the right direction.","category":"nature","visibility":"true","publishDate":"2024-11-13","_rev":"5Gqb6ZZdooQz9bRCMPDdmw"},{"category":"nature","summary":"The variety of viruses was beyond what researchers expected to find.","publishDate":"2024-10-10","slug":"/story/2024/10/whats-lurking-on-your-toothbrush-even-experts-arent-quite-sure","body":[{"markDefs":[{"href":"https://gizmodo.com/viruses-found-on-toothbrushes-are-unlike-anything-seen-before-2000508550","_key":"9290b513f8b3","_type":"link"}],"children":[{"text":"A seemingly endless assortment of bacteria exists everywhere on a microscopic level, but the bathroom is a particularly hospitable environment. 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The research started out"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" with a focus on toothbrushes","_key":"62d206659bf4"},{"_key":"685a669e45b1","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", which inspired the study’s “Operation Pottymouth” nickname."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"8ae138c8924b","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Lead researcher Erica Hartmann revealed that the variety of viruses on both toothbrushes and showerheads was far more diverse than anyone expected.","_key":"1c4763e23e950"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"befac19ee860"},{"style":"normal","_key":"5b5d72defe45","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"7cda3db0ba340","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“Not only did we find different phage on toothbrushes and showerheads, we found different phage on each toothbrush and each showerhead,” she said. “This amount of diversity is huge, and it isn’t because of anything specific to toothbrushes or showerheads. There are just"},{"_key":"3869b7572632","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" so many phage out there "},{"text":"waiting to be discovered.”","_key":"3cadfebaa17c","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"f3cba1b09a980","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"With so much microscopic activity happening on your toothbrush, you might be concerned about safety. But the researchers determined that the viruses they commonly observed were completely harmless to humans."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"235155f2d4ae"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"075daacd002d","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The phage factor","_key":"c3c8a0876fac0"}]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"It would be interesting enough if the study only led to discovering just how varied the bacterial biomes all around us actually are. But Hartmann says there are ","_key":"1ee4d790966a0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"even more valuable lessons","_key":"a4fc4ffdfcc2"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to be learned.","_key":"51c11123534f"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"ac22009e0b2c","markDefs":[]},{"_key":"720983c4da31","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"She said bacteriophage (or simply “phage”) represents the “next frontier of biology.” It refers broadly to viruses that infect bacteria and begin replicating.","_key":"59254e9701a70"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“It could be that the next great antibiotic will be based on something that grew on your toothbrush,” Hartmann said. “Even if this doesn’t lead to some great new technology, it’s important to observe and record the diversity of phage because it","_key":"7712970d95310"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" expands our fundamental understanding ","_key":"4404de2f0456","_type":"span"},{"text":"of biology.”","_key":"db6aa5b7f79e","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"93f18b30c60b","markDefs":[]}],"_rev":"8mo9ZmDiJjo0jbbc0JYU0S","image":{"crop":{"top":0,"left":0,"bottom":0,"_type":"sanity.imageCrop","right":0},"hotspot":{"x":0.5,"y":0.5,"height":0.9695315165992299,"_type":"sanity.imageHotspot","width":0.9349315068493148},"_type":"image","attribution":"Giphy","asset":{"sha1hash":"4e12dac93b1052d3be9daa6f15322b410e1dd352","_id":"image-4e12dac93b1052d3be9daa6f15322b410e1dd352-500x281-gif","metadata":{"isOpaque":true,"blurHash":"MFHUz;00-;IVMH.AMwe7%$a#JCNeZ~xut8","_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","palette":{"darkMuted":{"title":"#fff","population":0.38,"background":"#614238","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff"},"muted":{"background":"#aa6761","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":0.15},"lightVibrant":{"population":0.4,"background":"#e27c7e","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000","title":"#fff"},"darkVibrant":{"title":"#fff","population":0.01,"background":"#602c14","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff"},"lightMuted":{"background":"#acbcd4","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000","title":"#fff","population":7.95},"vibrant":{"population":7.4,"background":"#875d40","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff"},"dominant":{"title":"#fff","population":7.95,"background":"#acbcd4","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000"},"_type":"sanity.imagePalette"},"hasAlpha":true,"lqip":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","dimensions":{"aspectRatio":1.7793594306049823,"height":281,"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","width":500}},"_updatedAt":"2024-10-09T18:24:45Z","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/8mioycse/v3/4e12dac93b1052d3be9daa6f15322b410e1dd352-500x281.gif","size":5888023,"assetId":"4e12dac93b1052d3be9daa6f15322b410e1dd352","originalFilename":"3af8e721-4e74-4ba5-aace-16034377e68a.gif","extension":"gif","_rev":"nhl2tAM31NFsXuZk9DmgLc","source":{"name":"Channel 9 Brush GIF by Married At First Sight Australia","id":"Q7VnMyJDbUdM4Fkc8f","url":"https://giphy.com/gifs/mafs-channel-9-married-at-first-sight-mafsau-Q7VnMyJDbUdM4Fkc8f"},"path":"images/8mioycse/v3/4e12dac93b1052d3be9daa6f15322b410e1dd352-500x281.gif","_createdAt":"2024-10-09T18:24:45Z","uploadId":"1tHM4c5vo8uaNSHgs0PkhtedqDKWGikX","mimeType":"image/gif"}},"_updatedAt":"2024-10-09T18:25:56Z","_type":"story","title":"What’s Lurking On Your Toothbrush? 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All it took was a few social media posts to send her into online superstardom, racking up 33 million views and even inspiring a bit on “Saturday Night Live.”","_key":"78793c4d1fdd"}]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Pesto","_key":"2519284f9f030"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": A 9-month-old king penguin at an aquarium in Melbourne, Australia, gained popularity when the public got a glimpse of just how big he is. Despite his young age, this flightless chick has grown to be at least twice as large as either of his parents.","_key":"32d591e18b8a"}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c9bce0d45506","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Nibi","_key":"373023b56a590"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": There’s more behind this 2-year-old beaver’s story than just a memorable expression or an extra-large stature. 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And it’s during sleep that brain cells, specifically the so-called “neuronal ensembles,” are able to categorize that data and","_key":"9dd214819d410"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" turn the most important information into memories","_key":"1e85a3fe2a17"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":".","_key":"c6720c528512"}]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The same cells are also apparently capable of anticipating future events based on previous experiences, thus preparing us for what we are likely to encounter after waking up.","_key":"f7c292d82ba70"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"d6d05d99b2da","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"And this isn’t just some theory. A group of scientists at none other than Yale University","_key":"9a88207376870"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" conducted an in-depth study ","_key":"dd09003c1a90"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"on the region of the brain (known as the hippocampus) that aids in learning and memorization. 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Dogs don’t have this problem … and it shows."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"28fe70939ffe","markDefs":[]},{"_key":"9764a088dd8a","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"And although deep thought is perfectly appropriate and even necessary in a variety of situations, there are other times when Rowlands says we’d be better off taking a page from a puppy’s playbook.","_key":"0730d1abfc420"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"style":"normal","_key":"297fa88c2822","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Dogs don’t bother with","_key":"4113e0bc898b0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" analyzing the unknowns of their lives ","_key":"48e9bb1751f0"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"or the world around them but instead seem to perfectly embody a “seize the day” philosophy.","_key":"1757dfea72fb"}],"_type":"block"},{"children":[{"_key":"b30e0940fd450","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Get busy living your life"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"2b609218f299","markDefs":[]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"58c9fc186603","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"At the root of Rowlands’ research was the realization that his own dog, a German shepherd named Shadow, seemed to display a type of eager anticipation for every day that he wished he could experience.","_key":"d611747db5d70"}]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"He wrote that doubts and worries can","_key":"b79a8b1de61f0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" stand in the way of human joy","_key":"6559079de526"},{"text":". 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","publishDate":"2024-07-20","body":[{"markDefs":[{"href":"https://www.sciencealert.com/earths-water-is-rapidly-losing-oxygen-and-the-danger-is-huge","_key":"ba0b76faddd1","_type":"link"}],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Water’s chemical compound is H2O, which denotes two hydrogen atoms for every oxygen atom. 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It’s an oversimplification of a very complex subject, but that’s essentially how Buszaki’s research characterizes the rapid-fire explosion of brain waves — known as sharp wave ripples — that take place during periods of rest.","_key":"32db8392456e0"}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"3d7e0ccf8ed50","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"These neural bursts are "},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"most common during sleep","_key":"36a03643a3ac"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", but also occur during breaks in our daily routines.","_key":"0f186e9e5a8b"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"9e3022a68666"},{"_key":"315e7a9e7303","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Scientists have long known about this phenomenon, as well as its role in creating memories. 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But in most years, those parameters are established as broad dates during which conditions in the Atlantic Ocean could theoretically cause the formation of a serious tropical storm."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"9a07c26cb3cb"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Most of the time, significant storms (and hurricanes in particular) don’t start forming until the waters reach their highest temperatures late into the summer. 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But prior to this year, the","_key":"0866928422ab0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" earliest date on record ","_key":"c13d7df40aa6"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"that a Category 5 hurricane had ever formed in the Atlantic was July 16.","_key":"679b858f912e"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"text":"What does it mean?","_key":"d84a76b6ae9a0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"76810067a08b","markDefs":[]},{"_key":"cbfca6f4e7be","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"f5f24b6cfbaf0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Scientists unsurprisingly place some of the blame for this and other weather-related anomalies on the impact of climate change. But there are also"},{"_key":"5c7789559c8e","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" cyclical patterns"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" that can make one hurricane season significantly more severe than the last.","_key":"2357ba1c1dc6"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"As atmospheric scientist Brian McNoldy said the day before Beryl reached Category 5 status, this year is shaping up to be an unprecedented one.","_key":"e612747d281d0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"76576e8adea0"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"fb07beb488be0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“With La Nina on the way and the ocean temperatures already looking like the second week of September, this is precisely the type of "},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"outlier event ","_key":"a4b880bb3e1e"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"that people have been talking about for months heading into the season,” he said.","_key":"5992fd9b7f00"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"cb2260a93fbb"}],"_updatedAt":"2024-07-02T20:58:03Z","category":"nature","_type":"story"},{"slug":"/story/2024/07/first-impressions-might-not-be-as-valuable-as-youve-been-led-to-believe","_createdAt":"2024-06-30T20:20:38Z","publishDate":"2024-07-01","body":[{"_key":"a36207f872da","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"ee6fc0e4ca790","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"There’s an often-repeated adage that advises: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.psypost.org/psychology-how-first-impressions-can-trap-us-into-making-suboptimal-decisions/#google_vignette","_key":"dc9366d87049"}],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Although it’s true that people frequently make ","_key":"76b11407a4860"},{"_type":"span","marks":["dc9366d87049"],"text":"assumptions","_key":"76b11407a4861"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" based on a split-second initial encounter, that doesn’t mean it’s smart.","_key":"76b11407a4862"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"9f45ad2aeaa9"},{"_key":"2d401afbcc59","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":["strong"],"text":"What the research shows","_key":"5ff962e41b6a0","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_key":"46f1db3e1d4e","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Experts recently conducted research for a study that was just published in Motivation Science … and the results are pretty eye-opening.","_key":"f23133ab0afc0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Professor Chris Harris, who wrote the new report, explained how","_key":"7604fbcb50c40"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" inherent biases seem to influence our first impressions","_key":"7e2f99a7690c"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" far more than the facts. He added that this can lead us to believe we’ve made the best choice in a situation even if a more rational approach would have resulted in an objectively better outcome.","_key":"d91ee3863773"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"f44b7fa7232d"},{"style":"normal","_key":"cd2b5e061d2d","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“In other words, even when we get to make many repeated choices and even when the alternative is better, we might still continue","_key":"1517e07d24470"},{"_key":"7d2f9e6ee4d2","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" wrongly thinking that we have the best option"},{"_key":"0e0e3e4e5a10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":",” Harris said. “I believe this research has implications for why stereotypes are so pervasive.”"}],"_type":"block"},{"_key":"ee5b4b8e325c","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Two different experiments","_key":"e552ff168f900"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"text":"In one study, subjects were asked to choose balls from a bag that would either add or subtract points from their total. Because the bag with the lowest reward was shown more frequently, participants demonstrated a bias toward it despite the presence of a better option.","_key":"d65976205b910","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"241d375485a2","markDefs":[]},{"_key":"04e6cbff8cd9","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In another, researchers upped the ante with","_key":"d680d46d95b70"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" an even bigger difference in reward probability","_key":"8626381b0cb5"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". While most participants finally shifted their preference toward the better option, it took longer than researchers anticipated.","_key":"048a1b599cbf"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"The same trend can play out in your everyday life.","_key":"28c76f84bec80","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c012495218e1"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"0e71acd752d70","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“Say you preferably interact with one group of people, this often means that you then interact less with other groups,” Harris said. “But as a result, it will be"},{"_key":"e18c983df0ba","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" much more difficult to realize"},{"_key":"804e2b1bd4c9","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" whether this other group is equally fun to hang out with or perhaps even more fun.”"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"e1dd35b2c729"}],"id":"dL8rSgyE","_id":"353c1220-2dd0-4858-8360-4e625e849ba3","category":"nature","_updatedAt":"2024-06-30T20:23:43Z","visibility":"true","author":{"_type":"reference","_ref":"phCNL32Gn"},"_rev":"0sm0cIPrrxmscoBjhVWism","summary":"As it turns out, our intuition might not be all that reliable after all.","image":{"hotspot":{"y":0.5,"height":1,"_type":"sanity.imageHotspot","width":0.9315068493150683,"x":0.5},"_type":"image","attribution":"Giphy","asset":{"extension":"gif","assetId":"472ea64fd869f9122d2b14f21a19fa33ab294c86","_createdAt":"2024-06-30T20:22:17Z","_updatedAt":"2024-06-30T20:22:17Z","originalFilename":"2b605903-9960-4b3c-8b4b-78868cd9c786.gif","metadata":{"blurHash":"M27v_hBV0g:m#Q0L-C^76fS2~WburqixIo","_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","palette":{"muted":{"title":"#fff","population":0.01,"background":"#8c808c","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff"},"lightVibrant":{"population":0,"background":"#d5b8a4","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000","title":"#fff"},"darkVibrant":{"background":"#7a080e","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":4.78},"lightMuted":{"background":"#cfbfb9","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000","title":"#fff","population":1.9},"vibrant":{"foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":1.03,"background":"#765036","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch"},"dominant":{"background":"#7a080e","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":4.78},"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"title":"#fff","population":3.74,"background":"#4f3026","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff"}},"hasAlpha":true,"lqip":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAKABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGAAAAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQFBgj/xAAhEAEAAQMEAgMAAAAAAAAAAAABAgADEwQFEVEhQTEycf/EABYBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQBBf/EABsRAAMAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMSBBFR/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDnnbNZju45ZI8iIHdP66wlhxgsWKPtqtsduDdksIrz7KevRjh+p89UW62ao0OLKvaX4Y0bttYxj4HrmiquuCOoQOPyiqHeSk+j/9k=","dimensions":{"width":480,"aspectRatio":1.9834710743801653,"height":242,"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions"},"isOpaque":true},"uploadId":"e5oxqCXQD9RaPbQNEHAc48Bigq3owXWW","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/8mioycse/v3/472ea64fd869f9122d2b14f21a19fa33ab294c86-480x242.gif","path":"images/8mioycse/v3/472ea64fd869f9122d2b14f21a19fa33ab294c86-480x242.gif","_rev":"0sm0cIPrrxmscoBjhVWe5d","mimeType":"image/gif","_id":"image-472ea64fd869f9122d2b14f21a19fa33ab294c86-480x242-gif","sha1hash":"472ea64fd869f9122d2b14f21a19fa33ab294c86","source":{"name":"season 21 rachel GIF by The Bachelor","id":"l0MYznthASduzAYuY","url":"https://giphy.com/gifs/abcnetwork-abc-nick-l0MYznthASduzAYuY"},"size":1417319},"crop":{"left":0,"bottom":0,"_type":"sanity.imageCrop","right":0,"top":0}},"_type":"story","title":"First Impressions Might Not Be As Valuable As You’ve Been Led To Believe"},{"author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"id":"MNZZvbXp","body":[{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c6c26eb029a1","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"School’s out and the sun is shining, so it’s no surprise that many people choose summer as their favorite season. 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Avoid balconies or any area too close to your home’s siding. When in doubt, consult the owner’s manual.","_key":"552b526e4b40","_type":"span"}],"level":1,"_type":"block"},{"style":"normal","_key":"948486a87f1c","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"db9ea5a4de160","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Watch the water"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Kids of all ages love splashing around in the heat, but pools can pose a serious risk. That’s why an attentive (and sober!) adult should always be in charge of keeping an eye on all children.","_key":"ed007b35b8c8"}],"level":1,"_type":"block"},{"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"Beat the heat","_key":"692b89828d1c0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"text":": If you’ve got AC in your home, use it. Take frequent breaks from the sun to avoid heat-related illness. And if you don’t have AC, find a public place that does, like a mall, library, or coffee shop.","_key":"877b8618930e","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"aa95daaad7c5"},{"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"073c20df0a420","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Pay close attention"},{"_key":"b45b710967f3","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": The heat can take its toll on our cognitive and mental health, so you might start feeling more forgetful than usual. Focusing on specific things will help you remember them for longer."}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"6c933fda0201"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Not all of the expert tips are specifically related to summer, but they can all be used throughout the season to get the most out of each day.","_key":"f50dc3eb0ae80"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"60f9a2397526"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For example, if you’re feeling stagnant at your job or in your personal life, you might benefit from a change in scenery.","_key":"01c28ee955de0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"1c995643d6be"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"672ecda27b85","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Cognitive neuroscientist Tali Sharot referenced research showing that “if you","_key":"4a21c37f59e50"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" change your environment in a very simple 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Even though there’s not an official tally of cases like there was during the pandemic, other statistics are pointing toward a troubling trend as we get deeper into summer."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"60ccae8d4313","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The rate of infection appears to be up in","_key":"24d3d5cc1e0c0"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" more than three dozen","_key":"b28368c7ada4","_type":"span"},{"marks":[],"text":" states.","_key":"b46ca05ae27c","_type":"span"}],"level":1},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"There’s ","_key":"9167045a40130"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"no U.S. state","_key":"f54cd19ce6fa"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" where cases are decreasing.","_key":"5392653cde3b"}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"bf48834a3b37","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Reported COVID-19 hospitalizations ","_key":"27b9b8db3d810"},{"text":"spiked 25%","_key":"0c57d601fd90","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" between May 26 and June 1.","_key":"a141342e103b"}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"80b7280a0a41","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[]},{"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"65690903e21d","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In California, positive tests ","_key":"8801349739830"},{"text":"more than doubled","_key":"99c0c236e668","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" over the past month.","_key":"e08744279375"}]},{"style":"normal","_key":"2bcbef51b2c2","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"Infectious disease specialist Dr. Thomas Russo concluded: “It looks like the summer wave is starting to begin.”","_key":"ba5620f631ea0","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Analyzing the risks","_key":"8ee10600a63d0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"602e3459c96a"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Summer has typically ushered in an increase in COVID-19 cases since more people are indoors together during the hottest months of the year. So the fact that infections are on the rise isn’t altogether unexpected — and experts seem to agree that there’s reason to believe this year’s variants won’t be as severe as those in years past.","_key":"7e95582f01480"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"39de7bd7acd6","markDefs":[]},{"style":"normal","_key":"2339e588b855","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Nevertheless, some people are at higher risk of serious illness, and there’s a new variant — LB.1 — that is quickly spreading, currently ","_key":"cc61b3a0f3c20"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":"accounting for more than 17%","_key":"9f71e4f1e367","_type":"span"},{"marks":[],"text":" of reported cases.","_key":"65f6a225a847","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block"},{"style":"normal","_key":"448a5a9dd65b","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"“It’s sort of ","_key":"80800306c21f0","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"the newest kid on the block","_key":"c8e260328768"},{"marks":[],"text":",” explained Dr. Dan Barouch of the Beth Israel Deaconess Center for Virology and Vaccine Research. “There’s not much known about it.”","_key":"925c7bf5411d","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block"},{"style":"normal","_key":"89e400bbecda","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Early evidence suggests LB.1 is more infectious and less responsive to vaccines than other variants.","_key":"384f35db1ca00"}],"_type":"block"}],"summary":"The trend is becoming pretty obvious, but the news might not be all bad.","_id":"e2109f85-51a8-4710-9845-83e042445d9e","slug":"/story/2024/06/covid-is-staging-a-summertime-comeback-should-you-be-worried","_type":"story","title":"COVID Is Staging A Summertime Comeback … Should You Be Worried?","publishDate":"2024-06-26","_createdAt":"2024-06-25T23:02:19Z","_rev":"7YCb8XteISzS2gdvNNn2nH","_updatedAt":"2024-06-25T23:02:19Z"},{"_id":"02d9f65b-25ae-4230-8add-68710b316842","slug":"/story/2024/06/its-not-just-you-scientists-say-summer-actually-did-arrive-early-this-year","_rev":"UU5Xfjrqun1nrUABczIRFB","title":"It’s Not Just You … Scientists Say Summer Actually Did Arrive Early This Year","author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"body":[{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"2d4b0b4b97520","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If you’ve been living under the so-called “heat dome” lately, it might feel like summer began long before yesterday’s official start. 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Due to the roughly one-quarter of a day extra in each year — i.e., the reason leap years exist — we’re always on a pendulum in which solstices and equinoxes either get earlier or later every four years.","_key":"b02220af71920","_type":"span","marks":[]}]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The current trajectory is the former, and that is going to continue until 2096, when the leap year solstice will arrive","_key":"e9dca3f5df970"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" bright and early at 2:32 a.m.","_key":"25ce454128b4"},{"marks":[],"text":" Eastern Time.","_key":"8f727342e5ff","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"ae5c1c85fd07","markDefs":[]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"As astrophysicist Ethan Seigel explained, that distant year will mark “the only summer solstice that people in the Pacific Time Zone of the Americas will experience on June 19 for several hundreds of years!”","_key":"499ac63191ba0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c8a64b6d58f5","markDefs":[]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"f70cdb7b1ad9","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"9f23a6ff539c0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"More than a moment"}]},{"style":"normal","_key":"6c79e210b3d2","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"We might put a lot of emphasis on the solstice itself, but that’s just a way to gauge the shift between seasons. 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A recent study, results of which were published earlier this week, determined that these animals","_key":"42188dfcbdb60","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" use specific sounds to call out individuals","_key":"299e4e123133"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" from within their herds.","_key":"62e733ece313"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"e29594811e5c"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"b97aa3203d5e","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"They might not sound like names as humans would recognize them (elephants emit low rumbles capable of spanning long distances) but they serve the same purpose.","_key":"e3302ae085ca0","_type":"span","marks":[]}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Ecologist Stuart Pimm of Duke University did not work on the study, but explained why it makes sense.","_key":"d551e0c6744d0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"ecd365f009d2"},{"style":"normal","_key":"6acfd4c84780","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"“If you’re ","_key":"ca965f5ae3020","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"looking after a large family","_key":"b94b42429326"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", you’ve got to be able to say, ‘Hey, Virginia, get over here!’” he said.","_key":"2bbef39fcc7d"}],"_type":"block"},{"style":"normal","_key":"2a0fdc8e7a71","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Researchers used a computer model to predict which elephant was being called using audio recorded in nature. The results were","_key":"373902caf6e00","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" accurate 28% of the time","_key":"77e8e31d8b63"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", compared to just 8% when the program was given a different audio input.","_key":"44849be0fa2a"}],"_type":"block"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"72abd00a77b5","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"18683d3f17c00","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Not just elephants"}]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"7617998709bf","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"While elephants are the subject of this report, researchers say other species known for living in social and familial groups likely exhibit similar behavior. 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