A groundbreaking study finds that unsupervised screen time – both TV and handheld devices – can intensify behavioral and emotional problems in young children. Unsupervised preschoolers with limited language skills showed the greatest rise in conduct issues in just six months. Often used as a convenient “babysitter,” screens may widen developmental gaps, displacing the interactions children need to build language, social and emotional skills. Not all screen time is harmful – but when it replaces engagement with parents and peers, it can become a barrier rather than a bridge to healthy development.

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and technology company AUMOVIO are officially launching the second phase of their Corporate Laboratory partnership. The AUMOVIO-NTU Corporate Lab will translate research in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, novel materials and vehicular communications into technologically advanced solutions for tomorrow’s vehicles – enabling safe, sustainable, connected, and interactive software-driven mobility.

Leto Tech PBC, an Indiana startup and public benefit corporation (PBC), has launched a software system that allows users to more efficiently connect their clients with community resources. The software enables users to create a customized digital binder that can be searched several ways, including screening questions and key words, searching by name or location, and just scrolling. Users can share resource referrals with clients in a professional document or secure text.

Princeton researchers have revealed new links between high-fat diets and aggressive breast cancer, demonstrating the important role fat plays in making some cancers more invasive.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University and Japan System Techniques Co., Ltd. evaluated the 2019 Osaka-Higashi Line station openings using a natural experiment and health insurance claims. While the overall rail-line effect was not significant, Shigino Station, a well-connected transfer hub, showed an estimated cumulative reduction of about JPY 62,500 per medically treated person over four years, highlighting that station connectivity and local context may determinewhether new stations deliver healthcare cost benefits.

Non-fading and non-toxic structural color can now be applied to flat or 3D surfaces using an inkjet printer. The Kobe University development also opens possibilities for novel display and anti-counterfeiting technologies.

A new study from Sultan Qaboos University shows how artificial intelligence can map hidden connections within legal systems, revealing that key provisions in Oman’s Labour Law of 2023 act as highly influential “hubs” whose amendment could trigger wide-ranging legal effects. Published in The Journal of Engineering Research, the research uses Arabic-language NLP and network analysis to offer policymakers a powerful, evidence-based tool for anticipating the real impact of legal reforms — with implications extending to legal systems worldwide.