Social sciences

A well-timed “furrowed face”—a subtle expression we instinctively recognize as “thinking”—can make androids appear less creepy and more relatable to humans.

Examining the effects of the ONIKURU multifunctional facility on daily walking time

- Fostering field-ready professionals to lead future high-tech industries such as semiconductors, AI, and robotics - Expected to strengthen local industrial competitiveness by invigorating research based on industry–academia collaboration

- Empirical analysis of how digital transformation is changing the open innovation structure of the automotive industry - A comparison of Korea, Japan, and Germany revealed differences in collaboration across the three countries

Professor Moon received the Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning Award for his activities as a Korean member of the Council of Scientists for the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP), an international organization supporting frontier research in the sciences, and for his contributions to fostering international collaboration

A virtual reality experiment suggests that fear, pain, and expectations shaped by prior experiences can disrupt the mind’s grip on the body.

Surviving Antarctica, Probiotics ease anxiety, Ancient mariners, Addressing large urban fires, Smart patch & Dying galaxies. Plus Women experts for International Women’s Day 2025. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Lingnan University in Hong Kong is gaining ongoing recognition in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, with more subjects being ranked, reinforcing its growing academic presence on the global stage. This year, the University has twice as many subjects recognised, increasing from five to ten, with new disciplines—Communication and Media Studies, Sociology, Modern Languages, Education and Training, and Business and Management Studies—being included. While some of the University's latest advancements have yet to be reflected in this round of rankings, these achievements reaffirm Lingnan's dedication to advancing teaching and research. With a strong commitment to integrating digital-age knowledge and innovation, the University continues to prepare for new heights in the future.

Analysis of historical evolution of bureaucracy suggests that quality nation-building holds more importance

To encourage the university community to take regular exercise and think positively through physical activities, Lingnan University in Hong Kong held a fundraising film screening of the documentary Four Trails in Yuen Long yesterday, 7 March. A group of runners, along with the film’s production team, attended the post-screening sharing session, where they chatted with students and faculty, sharing behind-the-scenes stories. The event attracted an audience of about a hundred, and all proceeds will be donated to the Outstanding Athletics Awards Fund for students at the University.

A new framework formulated by SUTD researchers helps ensure digital citizen participation does not just end with feedback collection, but translates into real-world urban decisions.

Life-course perspective of households with children

- A pioneer of systems biology who challenged Richard Dawkins’ The Selfish Gene, appointed as the first Chair Professor of DGIST Biomedical Engineering Department opening in March.

DGIST Undergraduate Alumni Demonstrate Academic Excellence by Securing Professorships at Major Universities in Korea

- grants degrees to 60 PhD, 72 master’s, and 128 bachelor’s students, fostering 260 talented individuals of science and technology

Researchers used motion capture technology to create a database of body language – ranging from happiness to contempt – targeted towards an Asian population for the first time.

Unveiling the acceptance of new public mobility services for older adults

The intersection of technology and psychological health has become a critical area of enquiry in interpersonal, workplace and organisational contexts in the digital era. With the support of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance, the Department of Psychology at Lingnan University in collaboration with Sun Yat-sen University and Renmin University hosted the inaugural International Conference and Workshop on Health and Well-being in the Digital Era on the Lingnan campus yesterday, 21 February. The conference continues today, 22 February, on Sun Yat-sen University’s Shenzhen campus. It highlights the crucial role of psychological science in shaping AI applications across work, healthcare, and daily life, and attracted about 160 participants on the first day.

New evidence suggests that ancient seafarers in Island Southeast Asia had a technological sophistication comparable to much later civilizations.

Scientists know that natural disasters have negative health effects on survivors, but long-term observations are lacking. To help fill this gap, a Japanese research team has investigated the connection between the degree of housing damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and all-cause mortality, using the data from a cohort study conducted by the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project. Using long-term observation periods, this research project shows no significant relationship between the degree of house damage and all-cause mortality.

- DGIST to Host Guest Lecture by Prof. Victor Ambros, 2024 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine - Pioneer in MicroRNA Research to Present the Mysteries of Gene Regulation at DGIST

DGIST Professor Su-il In Named Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry

DGIST Professor Park has been selected as the Wireless Communications Division Editor for the Journal of Communications and Networks

Many Japanese mothers are reluctant to send their children to childcare before the age of three due to the 'Three-Year-Old Myth,' which suggests that healthy development requires a child to stay at home and be raised by their mother. However, a recent study has shown that enrolling a child in kindergarten before they turn three may actually benefit their social, motor, and problem-solving skills.

The recent LA fires drove home how dangerous wildfires can be when they encroach on urban areas. So-called 'wildland-urban interface' fires are on the rise. However, building codes and standards have long been based on fires that spread from building to building. To address this, a Tohoku University professor has updated international standards for large outdoor fires.

A hedonic price model incorporating street view images processed by machine learning and existing property data achieves nearly 75% accuracy for rent prediction in Osaka City

- Suggestion for a sustainable economic model to overcome the crisis of today’s capitalism - Researchers led by DGIST from Korea, Italy, and Australia contribute to innovating global urban policies

Mental health in the young has become a growing concern in recent years. To improve the psychological wellbeing of university students in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Department of Psychology at Lingnan University has conducted a five-year longitudinal study through a series of mental health education courses. The programme aims to enhance students' resilience, psychological knowledge, and basic counselling skills. Using questionnaires, the study seeks to find out the effect of such interventional mental health programmes on their psychological wellbeing. Results show that participants’ resilience, prosocial behaviour, and growth mindset have improved significantly, and their negative mental health symptoms such as depression and anxiety have diminished.

In a study on public psychology with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers from Osaka University found no significant differences among regions of Japan regarding either risk perception or infection-prevention behaviors during the “state of emergency,” suggesting spillover effects between targeted and non-targeted regions. However, risk perception diminished after restrictions were lifted, and both risk perception and hygienic behaviors saw further reductions after the downgrading of the legal status of COVID-19 to that of a common seasonal flu.

How people decide to confront or avoid unfairness