News Focus Channel: Hidden - Vermont

Is the Most Effective Weight-Loss Strategy Really That Hard?

University of Vermont — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 03:00:00 EST

Dietary self-monitoring is the best predictor of weight-loss success. But the practice is viewed as so onerous, many would-be weight-losers won't adopt it. New research published in Obesity shows for the first time how little time it actually takes: 14.6 minutes per day. Frequency of monitoring was the key success factor.

In Disasters, Twitter Influencers Get Out-Tweeted

University of Vermont — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 14:00:00 EST

A first-of-its-kind study on Twitter use during 5 of the costliest U.S. natural disasters offers potentially life-saving insights. The research, in PLOS ONE, finds that Twitter users with small networks (100-200 followers) increase activity more than those with larger networks in these situations. It also finds that each disaster type (hurricanes, tornadoes, floods) has a unique pattern of social media use.

Farm Manure Boosts Greenhouse Gas Emissions -Even in Winter

University of Vermont — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 14:30:11 EST

Researchers have shown, for the first time, that manure used to fertilize croplands in spring and summer can dramatically increase greenhouse gas emissions in winter. While it's known that farmers' decisions to add nutrients to their fields affects greenhouse gas emissions during the growing season, the study is the first to show that these choices have long-lasting effects, especially as winters warm and soils thaw more frequently.

On Facebook and Twitter your privacy is at risk -- even if you don't have an account

University of Vermont — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 11:00:00 EST

A study from the University of Vermont shows that if a person leaves a social media platform--or never joined--the online posts and words of their friends still provide about 95% of the predictive accuracy of a person's future activities--even without any of that person's data.

Wearable sensor can detect hidden anxiety, depression in young children

University of Vermont — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 14:00:00 EST

Anxiety and depression in young children are hard to detect and often go untreated, potentially leading to anxiety disorders and increased risk of suicide and drug abuse later. In a PLOS ONE study, researchers showed a wearable sensor detected these "internalizing disorders" in children with 80 percent accuracy, reducing to 20 seconds what would take clinicians months to diagnose, opening the door to inexpensive screening that could be part of routine developmental assessments.

Study: Despite Progress, Gay Fathers and Their Children Still Structurally Stigmatized

University of Vermont — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 15:45:03 EST

A study published in the February 2019 "Pediatrics" journal suggests the majority of gay fathers and their children continue to experience stigma with potentially harmful physical and psychological effects, despite legal, media and social advances. Study participants specifically cited structural stigma, such as state laws and beliefs of religious communities, as affecting their experiences in multiple social contexts.

The Secret to Better Berries? Wild Bees

University of Vermont — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 11:35:58 EST

New research shows wild bees are essential for larger and better blueberry yields - with plumper, faster-ripening berries. The study is the first to show that wild bees improve not only blueberry quantity, but also quality. It finds they produce greater berry size (12%), quantity (12%), size consistency (11%), and earlier harvests - by two and a half days.

Study: Tall Plants More Likely to become Invasive

University of Vermont — Thu, 08 Nov 2018 13:05:18 EST

New research from the University of Vermont provides insight to help predict which plants are likely to become invasive in a particular community. The results showed that non-native plants are more likely to become invasive when they possess biological traits that are different from the native community and that plant height can be a competitive advantage.

Microbiome Implicated in Sea Star Wasting Disease

University of Vermont — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 10:50:03 EST

A first-of-its-kind study shows that the sea star microbiome is critically important to the progression of a disease that is killing millions of sea stars from Mexico to Alaska--and that an imbalance of microbes might be the culprit.

Fish give up the Fight After Coral Bleaching

University of Vermont — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 11:00:00 EST

Researchers found that when water temperatures heat up for corals, fish 'tempers' cool down, providing the first clear evidence of coral bleaching serving as a trigger for rapid change in the behavior of reef fish. Publishing in Nature Climate Change, the researchers show how butterflyfish, considered to be sensitive indicators of reef health, offer an early warning sign that reef fish populations are in trouble.

Adoption of Green Stormwater Infrastructure Likely to Increase After Floods

University of Vermont — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 09:25:24 EST

Residents and property owners are more likely to adopt some green stormwater infrastructure practices if they have experienced flooding or erosion on their property or in their neighborhoods, according to new research from the University of Vermont. With the number of extreme weather events rising, more people may seek ecologically friendly practices to manage stormwater.

Global Warming: More Insects, Eating More Crops

University of Vermont — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 14:00:00 EST

Rising global temperatures are expected to significantly increase crop losses from insects, especially in temperate regions, a new study finds. Losses for three top staple grains (wheat, rice, maize) are projected to rise by 10-25% per degree of warming. A 2-degree rise in global average temperature would result in crop losses of approx. 213 million tons.

New Book: Entertainment Media Shape Our Politics More Than We Know

University of Vermont — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 13:05:46 EST

A new book argues that entertainment media like Game of Thrones shape our beliefs, in way we aren't aware of, about social justice, crime and terrorism, tolerance and diversity, the benefits or dangers of technology, and the characteristics of leadership. The author, a political science professor at the University of Vermont, based his conclusions on 13 separate studies and experiments.

How Forests Improve Kids' Diets

University of Vermont — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 14:00:00 EST

A first-of-its-kind global study shows that children in 27 developing countries have better nutrition--when they live near forests.

Why Nanowires Lose Their Superpowers

University of Vermont — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 15:05:20 EST

Scientists uncovered the microscopic process by which metal wires can lose their superconductivity. The ability to control this transition in nanowires could lead to a new class of energy-efficient information technologies based on tiny superconductors.

Study: Lack of Inquiry-Oriented Instruction by Eighth-Grade Science Teachers Without Educational Backgrounds in Science Offers Insight Into Why U.S. Students Lag Behind Global Peers in Scientific Literacy, Stem Jobs

University of Vermont — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 16:05:49 EST

A new study shows that eighth-grade science teachers without an educational background in science are less likely to practice inquiry-oriented science instruction, a pedagogical approach that develops students' understanding of scientific concepts and engages students in hands-on science projects. This research offers new evidence for why U.S. middle-grades students may lag behind their global peers in scientific literacy. Inquiry-oriented science instruction has been heralded by the National Research Council and other experts in science education as best practice for teaching students 21st-century scientific knowledge and skills.

GE, Harvard Professor Advocate for More College-Corporate Partnerships to Build Workforce of Tomorrow

University of Vermont — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 15:30:54 EST

For the first time in two decades there are more job opening in the United States than unemployed Americans. A lack of college-educated workers, however, could result in 20 million high-paying jobs going unfilled over the next decade. Leaders in business, education and philanthropy met at a summit at CFES Brilliant Pathways in Essex, NY, to address this critical economic and social justice issue by identifying strategies for helping students from underserved urban and rural areas become ready for the workforce of tomorrow.

Mandatory Labels Reduce GMO Food Fears

University of Vermont — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 14:00:00 EST

As national regulators work to develop mandatory GMO food labels, new research by UVM's Jane Kolodinsky finds that consumer opposition to GMOs dropped significantly after Vermont adopted mandatory labels.

Making Quantum Puddles

University of Vermont — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 07:05:28 EST

A team of physicists at the University of Vermont have discovered a fundamentally new way surfaces can get wet. Their study may allow scientists to create the thinnest films of liquid ever made--and engineer a new class of surface coatings and lubricants just a few atoms thick.

Vermont Start-Up's Small Packets a Big Deal for Energy Industry

University of Vermont — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 16:25:49 EST

The innovative products developed by the University of Vermont spinoff company Packetized Energy take a new approach to helping utilities tap the power of renewables. The rapidly growing company is being watched by the utility industry as demonstration projects with two Vermont utilities play out in 2018.