95 articles from MONDAY 30.1.2023

U.S. scientists brace for tighter scrutiny of potentially risky research

Federally funded scientists who work with potentially harmful bacteria, viruses, and other agents could soon face a major expansion of U.S. government oversight. An expert group last week recommended broadening rules that require universities and funding agencies to determine whether proposed studies count as dual-use research—work that carries the risk of intentionally or accidentally...

Predicting human group sizes with physics

Only by knowing the average number of friends each person has, scientists at Complexity Science Hub (CSH) were able to predict the group sizes of people in a computer game. For this purpose, they modeled the formation of social groups on an example from physics, namely the self-organization of particles with spin.

How to reduce the temptation to cheat: Empathy

Adopting a partner's perspective increases commitment and desire for the partner, while simultaneously decreasing sexual and romantic interest in alternative mates, according to a new study by a team of psychologists. The findings suggest that perspective taking discourages people from engaging in behaviors that may hurt their partners and damage their relationship.