News by Subject Social & Behavior

Nature is full of examples of large-scale collective behavior; humans also exhibit this behavior, most notably in pelotons, the mass of riders in bicycle races. Using aerial video footage of bicycle races, researchers analyzed peloton motion to determine what causes changes in the group's large-scale collective behavior and found that riders move through the peloton in a manner similar to circulation in a fluid.

The majority of consumers, even those who prefer online shopping, think the extinction of brick-and-mortar stores would be bad for society, according to a new University of Arizona-led study that explores consumers' perceptions of today's transforming retail environment.

The physical presence of trails has less impact on forest birds than how frequently the trails are used by people, finds the first study to disentangle the effect of forest trails from the presence of humans. This is also the case when trails have been used for decades, suggesting that forest birds do not get used to human activity. To minimize disturbance, people should avoid roaming from designated pathways.

Researchers found that small improvements to a city's ParkScore -- an evaluation of a city's park system -- could lead to more physical exercise for its residents. The Trust for Public Land created the ParkScore as an index to rank the park systems of the nation's largest 100 cities, they added.

It may be tempting for parents or coaches to urge young children to specialize in one sport early on to help maximize their chance at making it to the big leagues, but that might not be the best path to success.

New study finds there's real skill in fantasy sports.