A new study examined the impact of the recent war with Iran on health behaviors, including nutrition, physical activity, smoking, sleep, and more. The research was conducted by a team from the “For a Change” Lab at the School of Public Policy at the Hebrew University, led by Dr. Roni Lotan and Prof. Eyal Peer, together with researcher Dana Roll.
The Israel Observatory on Femicide, directed by Prof. Shalva Weil from the Seymour Fox School of Education at the Hebrew University, reports a troubling surge in femicide across Israel, with 32 women killed because they were women since January—the data point to rising firearm-related murders and distinct cultural dynamics influencing the patterns of violence. The Observatory calls on policymakers to act swiftly to prevent further loss of life.
A new experiment called QROCODILE, led by the University of Zurich and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has achieved record sensitivity in the hunt for light dark matter. Using superconducting detectors cooled to near absolute zero, the team set world-leading limits on how dark matter interacts with ordinary matter opening the door to future breakthroughs in one of physics’ greatest mysteries
Two years after October 7, its psychological impact continues to surface in unexpected ways. A new study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that Israeli men with difficulties regulating their emotions were more likely to develop gambling problems in the months following the attacks and ensuing war. The findings highlight how collective trauma reverberates not only in memory, but also in private struggles for coping and survival.
A new study analyzing spontaneous speech in 48 languages reveals that human beings across the globe structure their speech into rhythmic units at a remarkably consistent rate of one every 1.6 seconds. This low-frequency rhythm is stable across cultures, ages, and languages, suggesting a universal cognitive mechanism of human communication. The findings shed new light on how the human mind structures language in time. This may have implications for neuroscience, language learning, and speech technology.
Would you trade the ability to climb a flight of stairs for the assurance that your country is protecting democratic freedoms? A new study asked Americans to weigh surprising tradeoffs—health versus dignity, income versus rights, convenience versus environmental quality. The answers revealed consistent patterns in how people value very different aspects of life, offering a practical way to compare “apples and oranges” in policy decisions. The approach could help governments, hospitals, and other institutions design choices that reflect real human priorities.
