Next Week in Science, December 4, 2025
PubTrawlr is heading to Qatar University for the Driving Change: Regional Conference on Health and Emerging Fields in Implementation Science on 5–6 December 2025. We’ll be sharing key insights, takeaways, and regional perspectives on evidence-based public health. Learn more or register here: https://www.qu.edu.qa/en-us/conference/gis-qatar-2025/
And what’s in the news
The role of theory of mind in how increasing preschoolers’ self-esteem affects their materialism: an experimental study
A new study involving 239 Polish preschoolers shows that enhancing self-esteem in areas of competence and peer acceptance can reduce materialistic tendencies, but only in those with a well-developed Theory of Mind. This suggests that early childhood interventions focusing on self-esteem could mitigate materialism, potentially influencing long-term attitudes towards possessions.
Climate change will greatly alter multifaceted biodiversity patterns in the goatfish species
A recent study on 53 species of goatfishes reveals that their patterns of species, phylogenetic, and functional diversity are expected to undergo significant changes due to climate change. These findings highlight the need for conservation strategies that account for the multifunctional nature of biodiversity, as species are projected to migrate to higher latitudes, potentially altering marine ecosystem stability and functioning.
How does scientific research generate impact beyond academia? Cross-disciplinary comparison based on REF impact cases
A new study develops a theoretical model to explain how scientific research generates impact beyond academia by detailing six stages of the impact process, which is tested using data from the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF). This model highlights differences in how disciplines generate societal impacts, informing future research evaluation and funding decisions.
