We are all capable of cumulative cultural evolution, but we do not need to use it all the time

Commentary of Vaesen, K., &amp; Houkes, W. (2021) 'Is human culture cumulative?'  Forum on theory in antropology,Current Anthropology, 62(2).Vaesen and Houkes provide a new perspective on claims that cumulative culture (CCE) is a defining characteristic of humans. They argue that, contrary to the broadly accepted notion that humans exhibit CCE, a granular view of typical methodological approaches to study CCE has limitations, thus prohibiting a sound test of this claim. Here, we, as developmental and comparative experimental psychologists, reflect on some points they raise.</i

Ultrafast control of inelastic tunneling in a double semiconductor quantum

In a semiconductor-based double quantum well (QW) coupled to a degree of freedom with an internal dynamics, we demonstrate that the electronic motion is controllable within femtoseconds by applying appropriately shaped electromagnetic pulses. In particular, we consider a pulse-driven AlxGa1-xAs based symmetric double QW coupled to uniformly distributed or localized vibrational modes and present analytical results for the lowest two levels. These predictions are assessed and generalized by full-fledged numerical simulations showing that localization and time-stabilization of the driven electron dynamics is indeed possible under the conditions identified here, even with a simultaneous excitations of vibrational modes.Comment: to be published in Appl.Phys.Let

Does a peer model's task proficiency influence children's solution choice and innovation?

This work was supported by a Durham Doctoral Fellowship to L.A.W.The current study investigated whether 4- to 6-year-old children's task solution choice was influenced by the past proficiency of familiar peer models and the children's personal prior task experience. Peer past proficiency was established through behavioral assessments of interactions with novel tasks alongside peer and teacher predictions of each child's proficiency. Based on these assessments, one peer model with high past proficiency and one age-, sex-, dominance-, and popularity-matched peer model with lower past proficiency were trained to remove a capsule using alternative solutions from a three-solution artificial fruit task. Video demonstrations of the models were shown to children after they had either a personal successful interaction or no interaction with the task. In general, there was not a strong bias toward the high past-proficiency model, perhaps due to a motivation to acquire multiple methods and the salience of other transmission biases. However, there was some evidence of a model-based past-proficiency bias; when the high past-proficiency peer matched the participants' original solution, there was increased use of that solution, whereas if the high past-proficiency peer demonstrated an alternative solution, there was increased use of the alternative social solution and novel solutions. Thus, model proficiency influenced innovation.PostprintPeer reviewe

Driving under the influence of an intoxicant in Ireland.

The number of specimens analysed by the MBRS has been increasing for both alcohol and drugs. Blood and urine specimens are analysed for the concentration of alcohol using Headspace Gas Chromatography. Specimens testing positive were forwarded to the State Laboratory for confirmatory analysis by either GC/MS or LC/MS. In 2000, 93 per cent of blood specimens, 91 per cent of urine specimens and 82 per cent of breath specimens were over the limit. In the same year, 57 per cent of blood specimens, 66 per cent of urine specimens and 33 per cent of breath specimens were over twice the limit. Of the 78 specimens tested for the presence of a drug or drugs, 37 were blood specimens and 41 urine specimens. Of these, 34 blood specimens and 37 urine specimens were found to be positive, while seven specimens were negative for the drug or drug classes tested (three blood and four urine specimens). There were 23 specimens found positive for one drug class and 48 for more than one drug.The number of requests for the presence of drugs in RTA blood and urine specimens is increasing annually and the high percentage of positives found in the specimens tested indicates the need for such analyses. The results showed excellent agreement for drug detection in the blood specimens analysed by the different methods, except for the cannabinoids. The number of specimens in this study is small and care must be exercised in interpreting the results