If You're Not Failing, You're Not Learning
The learning scientist Manu Kapur, architect of the theory of productive failure, on reframing our notion of failure, and letting kids stumble (but with purpose).
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The Big Picture: How Data Science and Earth Observation Intersect to Study Climate Risks
School Environments and Obesity
The rapid rise in obesity rates among school children in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) could have a direct impact on the region's physical and mental health, disability, and mortality. This review presents the available interventions likely to reduce, mitigate and/or prevent obesity among school children in LAC by modifying the food and built environments within and around schools. Two independent reviewers searched five databases: MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature for peer-reviewed literature published from 1 January 2000 to September 2021; searching and screening prospective studies published in English, Spanish and Portuguese. This was followed by data extraction and quality assessment using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2) and the Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I), adopting also the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Due to the heterogeneity of the intervention's characteristics and obesity-related measurements across studies, a narrative synthesis was conducted. A total of 1342 research papers were screened, and 9 studies were included; 4 in Mexico, and 1 each in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. Four studies reported strategies for modifying food provision; four other targeted the built environment, (modifying school premises and providing materials for physical activity); a final study included both food and built environment intervention components. Overall, two studies reported that the intervention was significantly associated with a lower increase over time in BMI/obesity in the intervention against the control group. The remaining studies were non-significant. Data suggest that school environmental interventions, complementing nutritional and physical education can contribute to reduce incremental childhood obesity trends. However, evidence of the extent to which food and built environment components factor into obesogenic environments, within and around school grounds is inconclusive. Insufficient data hindered any urban/rural comparisons. Further school environmental intervention studies to inform policies for preventing/reducing childhood obesity in LAC are needed.
UK Research at 'significant Risk' from Brexit Brain Drain
Some of the brightest scientific minds are leaving the UK, as they lose access to European funding in the wake of Brexit, SkyNews has found.
Open Editors: A Dataset of Scholarly Journals' Editorial Board Positions
Editormetrics analyses the role of editors of academic journals and their impact on the scientific publication system - but open, structured and machine-readable data remains rare.
UK Needs Bigger Role for Science in Government, Says Chief Scientist
UK Needs Bigger Role for Science in Government, Says Chief Scientist
The UK's Chief Scientific Advisor says every government department needs to take science into consideration and invest more in R&D.
New 'Ethics Guidance' for Top Science Journals Aims to Root out Harmful Research - But Can It Succeed?
New 'Ethics Guidance' for Top Science Journals Aims to Root out Harmful Research - But Can It Succeed?
Nature's recent efforts to redefine the ethical responsibilities of scientists leave a lot to be desired.
Network of Clubs is Building a New Pipeline of Science Policy Professionals
Network of Clubs is Building a New Pipeline of Science Policy Professionals
A grassroots network led by early-career scientists offers new pathways to policy careers.
How Social Sciences and Humanities Programs Can Prepare Students for Employment
How Social Sciences and Humanities Programs Can Prepare Students for Employment
Internships and work-integrated learning for social sciences and humanities students can be part of how post-secondary institutions increase their capacities to contribute to social innovation.
Why Are There Fewer Young Women in Entrepreneurship Than Young Men?
A new French research collective set out to answer the question.
European University Alliances Say Fragmented Education Laws Could Undermine Their Future
European University Alliances Say Fragmented Education Laws Could Undermine Their Future
As the transnational European university alliances enter their fourth year, the European Commission is pumping in an extra €384 million to keep the initiative going. But the current alliances say the goal should be long-term sustainable support. The fourth call for proposals launched this week, will back existing alliances to expand and to launch new ones, as the scheme edges towards the goal of having 60 alliances with more than 500 member universities by mid-2024.
I Was a Presidential Science Adviser - Here Are the Many Challenges Arati Prabhakar Faces As She Takes over President Biden's Science Policy Office
I Was a Presidential Science Adviser - Here Are the Many Challenges Arati Prabhakar Faces As She Takes over President Biden's Science Policy Office
The director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy plays a critical role in achieving the president's science goals. Facilitating cooperation among the dozens of research agencies is key.
Assessing Social Aid: the Scale-up Process Needs Evidence, Too
Assessing Social Aid: the Scale-up Process Needs Evidence, Too
When programmes expand, new complexities and indirect consequences must be studied.
Ig Nobel Prize: Science That Makes You Laugh and Then Makes You Think
Ahead of the annual Nobel Prize Ceremony, past laureates presented Ig Nobel Prizes to unlikely discoveries that are both peculiar and profound.
Three 'Click Chemistry' Scientists Share Nobel Prize
Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and double winner Barry Sharpless devised way to click molecules together.
I Didn't Know My Mind Was So Strange Until I Started Listening to It
I took part in an experiment to decipher my inner thoughts.
Commander Cristoforetti: International Space Station is a 'beacon of Hope'
Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is the fifth European to take command of the ISS. She says the space station gives her hope for peace on Earth.
CERN Issues A Detailed Open Science Strategy
The CERN Council established a new open science policy for the organisation with immediate effect during its 209th Session in September.
Open Access Management - a New Domain?
Christian Grubak from ChronosHub and Josh Brown from MoreBrains share their thoughts on the transition to open access and the needs for its formalised management and collaborative community actions
Government Appoints Science Minister After Three-Month Vacancy
Nusrat Ghani faces pressing issues such as the future of funding for Britain's researchers.
More Horizon Europe Draft Work Programmes Leak Online
Science|Business has published an exhaustive but unapproved draft Horizon Europe work programme detailing the calls for climate and mobility projects for the next two years and an early draft outlining bioeconomy, food and environment calls.
Reward Research for Being Useful - Not Just Flashy
Funders must make pragmatism prestigious; the current obsession with novelty risks making science irrelevant.
Wax Worm Saliva Rapidly Breaks Down Plastic Bags, Scientists Discover
Its enzymes degrade polyethylene within hours at room temperature and could 'revolutionise' recycling
COP27: Activists 'baffled' That Coca-Cola Will Be Sponsor
Climate activists say Egypt should reverse its decision because of Coca-Cola's plastic pollution.
Study Shows How Math, Science Identity in Students Affects College, Career Outcomes
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