Washington, DC, USA. A report released by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute finds that the K-12 science standards of most states remain mediocre to failing, questioning the viability of America’s scientific leadership, technological prowess, and commercial position.

Since the Sputnik launch of 1957, Americans have regarded science education as crucial to our national security and economic competitiveness.

London, United Kingdom. Women understand how testosterone affects behavior but the lack of hard scientific data relegates female insights to the social margins, a situation subject to change as scientific interest has ramped up in recent years.

Recent research shows how testosterone can make an individual overvalue their own opinions at the expense of cooperation, leading affected individuals to dominate group decisions.

Indianapolis, IN, USA. Law enforcement officials say the parties leading up to football’s biggest game attract human traffickers who coerce adults and children into prostitution.

Although some doubt there is a link between big sporting events and trafficking, the concern was enough for Indiana to update its laws ahead of this Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Jena, Thuringia, Germany. Public officials and community leaders can work on prevention programs for children designed to reduce prejudice and to encourage tolerance for others, but when is the right time to start?

Psychologists Tobias Raabe and Andreas Beelmann from the University of Jena (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena) have systematically summarize relevant studies and published their results in the journal Child Development.

Los Angeles, CA, USA. People who endorse conspiracy theories see authorities as part of a broader conspiracy of elites and fundamentally deceptive, fueling a conviction that what they have been told is untrue.

This suspicion of authorities and the claims they make often can lead people to believe several alternative theories despite contradictions among them.