Though the presence of Russian influence in social media during the 2016 election was hyped unrealistically (more damaging was their funding of activism against U.S. food and energy, designed to help them compete in Europe) the Federal Election Commission is perceived as being lax in digital advertising.

Because they gave exemptions to both Facebook and Google. A new paper shows how they were able to avoid disclosing who paid for advertisements related to the election.

No one admits to being swayed by celebrities, Facebook groups, or media coverage, but their impact is clear. Whereas 10 years ago vaccine denial was only prominent among wealthy elites on the west coast, a new The Harris Poll paid for by the American Osteopathic Association says that 45 percent of American adults admit something has caused them to doubt vaccine safety.

That is bringing us near European levels of science denial.

"Lag" is a common term for the latency in human-computer interactions caused by various factors related to the environment and performance of the devices, networks, and data processing.

There is no question it impacts the user's performance, and that impacts long-term usability, as the success of "Anthem" versus games like "Fortnite" show.

Math and science students do better who take music courses score significantly better on exams than their non-musical peers, and so do all students, according to a recent paper.

This is a hot topic in education. Some argue that vocational schools should make a comeback, and that students interested in math and science should focus on that rather than music, the way musicians practice rather than taking more science classes, but a look at 112,000 Canadian students shows it's not a two-way street. Some will do more art or music and not benefit from more STEM courses, perhaps because they already do fine. But STEM students benefit from arts.

A new paper in JAMA Pediatrics correlates US immigration policy to adverse mental health outcomes in kids who are not immigrants at all - but their parents were.

A statistical correlation showed nearly a 50 percent increased risk of dementia among patients aged 55 and over who had used strong anticholinergic medication to contract and relax muscles  daily for three years or more. 

Anticholinergic drugs work by blocking acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits messages in the nervous system and is prescribed to treat a variety of conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bladder conditions, allergies, gastrointestinal disorders and symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Though they can have short-term side effects, including confusion and memory loss, there has been no scientific evidence that long-term use increases the risk of dementia.