Researchers Discover Genetic Bridge between Ancient and Modern Populations of North Caucasus
Although the North Caucasus played a crucial role in the ancient colonisation of Eurasia and the shaping of its cultural and genetic heritage, the genetic history of its indigenous cultures has not yet been fully explored. Scientists have, for the first time, conducted deep sequencing of ancient DNA from members of the Koban culture that emerged in the late Bronze Age in the North Caucasus and compared this genetic data with that of modern populations of the Caucasus. Their findings confirm the role of Koban culture carriers as an ancient genetic bridge between the Bronze and Iron Ages in the North Caucasus. The study has been published in the European Journal of Human Genetics.
Participation in Crowdfunding Can Generate up to 73% in Returns Annually
Backers of projects on crowdfunding platforms can expect rewards from their pledges. For example, funding someone's idea on Kickstarter can result in an average annual return of 11.5%, with design projects known to deliver returns as high as 70%. However, it is important to note that these returns do not come in the form of direct cash payments but rather as savings on the purchase of the product once it hits the market. This has been demonstrated in a study by researchers at the HSE Faculty of Economics published in Economic Analysis Letters.
Scientists Rank Foreign Languages by Their Benefit for the Brain
An international team of researchers, with the participation of scientists from the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, studied how the choice of a foreign language affects human cognitive abilities. It turns out that languages greatly differing from one's native language stimulate cognitive function at the initial stage of their study, while those similar to the native language have a delayed effect and help the brain work more efficiently at a higher level of proficiency in a foreign language. The results of the study have been published in the journal Bilingualism: Language and Cognition.
Processing Temporal Information Requires Brain Activation
HSE scientists used magnetoencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging to study how people store and process temporal and spatial information in their working memory. The experiment has demonstrated that dealing with temporal information is more challenging for the brain than handling spatial information. The brain expends more resources when processing temporal data and needs to employ additional coding using 'spatial' cues. The paper has been published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
White Papers of AI Conformity Assessment Published on HSE University Website
The Russian Technical Committee for the Standardization of ‘Artificial intelligence’ (TC164), together with the Chamber for Indo Russo Technology Collaboration and the RUSSOFT Non-profit Partnership of Software Developers, has published new White Papers related to Artificial Intelligence Conformity Assessment. It reflects the approaches to the standardization and ethical regulation of AI technologies in two pilot industries — healthcare and agriculture.
Communication Can Increase Public Concern about Climate Change
An international team of researchers including scientists at HSE University have tested 11 communication strategies aimed to encourage pro-environmental behaviours. The sample included nearly 60,000 individuals from 63 countries. While interventions aimed at reducing psychological distance from climate problems proved to be effective, those targeting behaviours which require more effort, such as tree-planting or reducing one's carbon emissions, were not as successful. The study findings have been published in Scientific Advances.
Psychologists Study Daydreaming in Russian Cultural Context
Researchers at HSE University, having examined the role of daydreaming in the Russian cultural context, conclude that constructive daydreaming can help people with gaining insight into their life's trajectory, fostering personal growth, discovering existential meaning, enhancing psychological wellbeing, and cultivating a balanced temporal perspective. The study findings have been published in Cultural-Historical Psychology.
Neuroscientists Inflict 'Damage' on Computational Model of Human Brain
An international team of researchers, including neuroscientists at HSE University, has developed a computational model for simulating semantic dementia, a severe neurodegenerative condition that progressively deprives patients of their ability to comprehend the meaning of words. The neural network model represents processes occurring in the brain regions critical for language function. The results indicate that initially, the patient's brain forgets the meanings of object-related words, followed by action-related words. Additionally, the degradation of white matter tends to produce more severe language impairments than the decay of grey matter. The study findings have been published in Scientific Reports.
New Method Enables Dyslexia Detection within Minutes
HSE scientists have developed a novel method for detecting dyslexia in primary school students. It relies on a combination of machine learning algorithms, technology for recording eye movements during reading, and demographic data. The new method enables more accurate and faster detection of reading disorders, even at early stages, compared to traditional diagnostic assessments. The results have been published in PLOS ONE.
Mongolia's Forests Found to Be Poorly Adapted to Climate Change
Compared to meadows and steppes, the montane forest ecosystems in Northern Mongolia display less self-organisation, making them more susceptible to the impacts of climate change. This is the conclusion of a team of researchers led by Robert Sandlerskiy, Head of the International Laboratory of Landscape Ecology of the HSE Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technology. The results of the study have been published in a special issue of Entropy.