“Scent analysis reveals the composition of ancient Egyptian embalming materials.”
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Accessed on 15 February 2026, 0417 UTC.
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Russ Roberts (https://hawaiisciencejournal.com).
Scent analysis reveals the composition of ancient Egyptian embalming materials
In a recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, Wanyue Zhao and her colleagues used volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to analyze the composition of scents given off by mummies and their embalming materials. …
More than a feeling: Thinking about love as a virtue can change how we respond to hate
Love and hate seem like obvious opposites. Love, whether romantic or otherwise, involves a sense of warmth and affection for others. Hate involves feelings of disdain. Love builds up, whereas hate destroys.
Social Sciences
2 hours ago
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Saturday Citations: Pig-boar hybrids in Japan; neuroprotective lattes; the exercise/weight-loss conundrum
This week, researchers reported on a juvenile great white shark caught by fishermen in Spanish Mediterranean waters. China’s clean air initiatives have resulted in major public health gains, but may have one unintended consequence. …
Replacing humans with machines is leaving truckloads of food stranded and unusable
Supermarket shelves can look full despite the food systems underneath them being under strain. Fruit may be stacked neatly, chilled meat may be in place. It appears that supply chains are functioning well. But appearances …
Economics & Business
7 hours ago
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4
Distrust and disempowerment, not apathy, keep employees from supporting marginalized colleagues
What really holds people back from stepping up as allies in support of their marginalized colleagues? For example, why don’t more men say something when they see a colleague or a customer make a sexist remark about a female …
Economics & Business
3 hours ago
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When it comes to homelessness, what we call ‘compassion fatigue’ is something else entirely
The 20th-century French philosopher Simone Weil once said that compassion was an impossibility. She said it is “a more astounding miracle than walking on water.” The word she used for meeting the needs of the sufferer is …
Social Sciences
5 hours ago
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Reading to young kids improves their social skills, and it doesn’t matter whether parents stop to ask questions
In 2024, 51% of families read aloud to their very young children, while 37% read aloud to their kids between the ages of 6 and 8 years old.
Education
14 hours ago
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Teens see social media, more than school, as the place to learn about race and faith
For most young people, learning about social and political issues doesn’t start with a textbook. It starts with a phone.
Social Sciences
12 hours ago
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Northern Britain’s oldest human remains are of a young female child, DNA analysis reveals
The oldest human remains ever found in Northern Britain have been identified as a young female three years after being discovered in a Cumbrian cave. Excavated at Heaning Wood Bone Cave in Cumbria’s Great Urswick by local …
Archaeology
Feb 13, 2026
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161
Stressed couples may benefit most from ‘joint savoring,’ new research suggests
Couples who spend more time savoring the pleasurable moments they share are happier together, argue less, and are more confident their relationship will last, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers say in a new …
Social Sciences
Feb 13, 2026
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46
When consent meets reality: How young men navigate intimacy
A new study suggests that young men overwhelmingly support affirmative sexual consent in principle—yet often find its verbal implementation difficult in practice. The research, led by scholars at Columbia University’s Mailman …
Social Sciences
Feb 13, 2026
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1
It takes three types of thinking to be smart
Do you know what it means to be smart? It’s a more complicated question than it may seem. There are several ways to think about intelligence—as the well-known “book-vs.-street smart” binary illustrates. By most people’s …
Social Sciences
Feb 13, 2026
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39
Using books as discussion prompts can help children with language delay
Since the pandemic, more children have been starting school without being “school-ready.” In 2022–23, 33% of all children starting reception in England did not have the skills needed for success in school, rising to 45% …
Education
Feb 13, 2026
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0
Putting economic theory to the test: Cutting local taxes cuts household income
Voters might think less taxes would equate to more money in their pockets, but a new study shows that at the local level, the opposite may actually be true. Economists and politicians have weighed the benefits of different …
Economics & Business
Feb 13, 2026
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Collaboration between universities and hospitals intensifies in times of crisis, finds study
Economic and public health conditions influence universities’ research priorities. A study led by INGENIO, a joint research center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Universitat Politècnica de València …
Economics & Business
Feb 13, 2026
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0
Science academies failing to put women at the top
National science organizations may have more women members today than a decade ago, but representation at the highest level has failed to keep pace, according to analysis published on International Day of Women and Girls …
Economics & Business
Feb 13, 2026
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0
Psychosocial safety pressures across Australian universities
A landmark report from Adelaide University is providing the most comprehensive picture to date of psychosocial safety across Australia’s higher education sector. The study identifies widespread well-being and psychosocial …
Education
Feb 13, 2026
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0
Who stays together for life? The ‘three-legged stool’ of love
Valentine’s Day is upon us again. But what does it really take for couples to stay together for a long time?
Social Sciences
Feb 13, 2026
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1
Scientists uncover Iron Age origins of Vietnamese tooth blackening practices
Not everyone wants their teeth to be white and gleaming. Tooth blackening is a recognized part of modern Vietnamese culture, and a recent discovery hints that the roots of this practice may stretch all the way back to the …
What dating apps are really optimizing. Hint: It isn’t love
In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, dating apps typically see a spike in new users and activity. More profiles are created, more messages sent, more swipes logged.
Social Sciences
Feb 12, 2026
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