Our noses may have contributed to the success of early humans. A study has found that humans conserve water more efficiently compared to our primate cousins, which may have allowed our ancestors to hunt further away from watering holes. How? One hypothesis suggests that our more prominent noses, which started developing in Homo erectus, may have helped conserve water by condensing exhaled air into water vapor that’s then reabsorbed by our bodies. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here