Good Deeds Bring Moral Satisfaction to Russians
Researchers from HSE University have analysed why people feel happier when they help others. It turns out that joy is caused by different reasons, depending on who we help — relatives or strangers. In both cases, happiness brings moral satisfaction from doing a good deed, but helping loved ones is also associated with satisfying the need for belonging and acceptance, while helping strangers provides a sense of autonomy. The results of the research were published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
Russian Radio Astronomers Discover a Method for Predicting Solar Flares
Researchers from HSE in Nizhny Novgorod and the Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory (CAO RAS) examined data on microwave emissions from several active solar regions. Astronomers discovered that a few hours prior to a flare, there was an increase in oscillations in the region with the highest observed brightness of the microwave emission during the flare. This method can potentially be used to achieve more accurate predictions of severe solar flares. The study has been published in Geomagnetism and Aeronomy.
Teaching Masters' Students and Conducting Lectures in English Boost Academic Productivity
HSE researchers have analysed teaching load data at the HSE campus in St Petersburg to investigate the potential impact of teaching on faculty research output. They found that factors such as teaching primarily masters' courses, conducting 20% of lectures in English, and supervising only one doctoral student per year were associated with a greater likelihood of producing more high-quality academic papers. The study has been published in Higher Education Quarterly.
Stimulating the Blood-Brain Barrier Can Help Patients with Alzheimer's
Researchers at HSE University and the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Molecular Biology have proposed investigating the response of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the brain's natural filter that becomes disrupted by the disease, to transcranial brain stimulation. Understanding how the BBB changes during stimulation can, in theory, enhance treatment by facilitating more effective delivery of medications to the brain in the early stages of the disease, and by providing therapeutic support for brain function in the latter stages. The study has been published in Communications Biology.
AI Researchers Have Developed an Algorithm to Determine the Properties of Two-Dimensional Materials by Analysing their Defects
An international team of researchers with the participation of young scientists from the HSE Faculty of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Centre have developed a machine learning algorithm that can determine the properties of new 2D materials with point defects. The new method is 1000 times faster than quantum mechanical computations and 3.7 times more accurate than other machine learning algorithms. The results have been published in npj Computational Materials. The source code, dataset, and model weights are available in the repository under an open licence.
Alcohol Consumption Patterns Vary Across Social Groups in Russia, According to HSE Research
Although there is a larger percentage of drinkers among high-status professionals and executives compared to low-status workers, the former consume less alcohol. This is one of the findings of a study carried out by researchers of the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences and published in Voprosy Statistiki.
AI Helps Scientists Generate Z-flipon Map
Researchers from HSE University and Sber Artificial Intelligence Lab are using AI to predict the location of DNA fragments in the genome which can flip over and form a mirror structure known as Z-DNA. The scientists have found that these DNA fragments overlap with known mutations which can cause severe hereditary diseases and impact a person's health, height, weight, cholesterol levels, and even determine their hair colour. The study findings have been published in Life Science Alliance.
HSE Scientists Unveil New Findings Regarding Stability of Communication Systems
Researchers from the International Laboratory of Dynamical Systems and Applications at the HSE Campus in Nizhny Novgorod have discovered that the use of systems with hyperbolic solenoid attractors and repellers can lead to issues in the transmission of communication signals. The findings of this study have been published in Results in Mathematics. The research was financed by a substantial grant from the Russian Government as part of the 'Science and Universities' National Project and a further grant from the Russian Science Foundation.
HSE Researchers Question the Correctness of Experiments Denying Free Will
Neuroscientists from HSE University have criticized the famous studies that question the free will of our decisions. You can’t shift responsibility for your actions to the brain. The results of the new work were published in the Neuropsychologia journal.
‘I Don't Even Know What I Like More: Running or Working’
Sergey Stepanov is an Associate Professor at ICEF and the School of Finance. He is also the Academic Supervisor of the HSE/NES Programme in Economics, a joint programme that teaches students fundamental knowledge of economics, modern methods of economic analysis, and mathematical methods for solving economic tasks. Sergey spoke to Olga Krylova about the joint programme, his research work with colleagues and students, and his second big passion—running.
Deadline for applications to present academic reports - January 20, 2025