The price of persuasion: why vaccine messaging may deepen social divides
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jan-2026 22:11 ET (23-Jan-2026 03:11 GMT/UTC)
Researchers from The University of Osaka found that common arguments used to encourage COVID-19 vaccination increase compliance but also intensify negative attitudes toward people with opposing views. The study highlights the need for public health communication strategies that promote vaccination while reducing social polarization.
The Universitat Jaume I in Castelló will develop six research and innovation projects in areas such as environmental sustainability and risk detection to improve disaster response through funding obtained in the competitive call for proposals from the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) (IVACE+e innovación) 2025, which seeks to promote innovation, R&D transfer and collaboration between universities, technology centres and companies.
The UJI has obtained funding in three lines of the call financed by the European Union within the framework of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme for the Valencian Community 2021-2027 – IVACE+ for an amount of nearly one million euros, with which it will promote six projects with direct technological and social impact to respond to real challenges.
The various initiatives led by UJI research staff will provide innovative solutions in the field of environmental sustainability through advanced technologies to improve water quality and management, strengthen the circular carbon economy, promote cleaner and safer production systems aligned with green technology, and strengthen the innovation ecosystem through materials with a lower environmental impact. They also seek to anticipate responses to situations of risk due to natural disasters resulting from climate change.
Healthy, sustainable school meals could cut undernourishment, reduce diet-related deaths and significantly lower environmental impacts, according to a new modelling study led by a UCL (University College London) researcher.