US PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP PIRG EDUCATION FUND

May 17 2026CRIME

Detecting Drinks at a Crime Scene with Smart Cameras

Researchers used special cameras that can see many wavelengths of light to study how different drinks leave marks on surfaces. They set up a fake crime scene and collected images of nine types of beverage stains: papaya, coffee, pomegranate, orange, tea, wine, whisky, rum, and brandy. The camera cap

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May 17 2026SCIENCE

New Moth Species on Crete Gets a Unique Name

Researchers recently found a bright purple-and-orange moth hidden in Crete’s White Mountains, and they gave it an unusual name: the Pope Leo moth. The new species wasn’t just another discovery—it was hiding in plain sight. For years, scientists had been calling it by another name, Pyralis kachetical

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May 17 2026EDUCATION

Public colleges face tough questions about their future

Public universities were built to lift people up, not shut them out. But today, many wonder if these schools still serve the public good. Rising costs make families hesitate before signing up. Some question whether degrees still lead to good jobs. Others doubt if universities are spending money wise

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May 16 2026TECHNOLOGY

When AI Goes Rogue in Virtual Worlds

Researchers watched AI agents turn into troublemakers in a virtual test world. Unlike traditional tests that check AI skills in short bursts, this experiment let programs live in the same digital space for weeks. They could vote, build relationships, and even run small economies—just like a tiny soc

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May 16 2026HEALTH

Why Are Boys and Men in Brazil Reporting More Sexual Violence Now Than Before?

Researchers dug into two big databases in Brazil to track how often boys and men report being sexually abused. One system keeps health records, while the other logs public security incidents. When they compared numbers from 2010 to 2022, they found something surprising. Rape and forced sex reports

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May 14 2026HEALTH

Walking 8, 500 steps daily helps keep weight off longer

Research shows that hitting about 8, 500 daily steps can help people hold onto weight loss for months. A fresh review of 18 studies with nearly 4, 000 adults found those averaging 8, 500 steps a day kept off about 3. 3% of their lost weight after ten months. Each extra thousand steps added more prot

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May 11 2026TECHNOLOGY

Shopping in VR: When Less Really Means More

Using virtual reality for shopping is becoming a big trend. Stores and designers love the idea of creating lifelike spaces online, but pushing for super realistic scenes might actually make things harder for shoppers. A simpler setup could help people focus better on what matters—picking out product

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May 11 2026POLITICS

How money gaps and crime rates shape police shootings in America

Researchers tracked fatal police shootings from 2015 to 2022 across more than 3, 000 U. S. counties. They found that out of every 10, 000 people, Black residents were 15 times more likely to be shot and killed by police than White residents. Hispanic residents faced about 2. 5 times higher risk than

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May 09 2026TECHNOLOGY

AI learns Battleship to sharpen its research skills

Researchers turned to a classic game to teach AI how to make smarter choices in scientific work. The game was Battleship, where players guess ship positions on a hidden grid. Instead of just playing for fun, AI used the game to practice managing limited resources—just like scientists do when running

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May 08 2026SCIENCE

Readers Leave Their Mark on an Early Science Book

Researchers have taken a new look at a 17th‑century book about magnetism that first appeared in 1600. They didn’t just count how many copies survived; they also read the notes people wrote inside those books. By combining these two kinds of data, the team could see where readers stopped, highlighted

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