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University of Zurich: Buried Underwear Shows Land Use Is Key to Soil Health
ZURICH, Switzerland, Aug. 26 (TNSjou) -- The University of Zurich issued the following news release:
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Buried Underwear Shows Land Use Is Key to Soil Health
Five years ago, 1,000 volunteers across Switzerland buried more than 2,000 pairs of cotton underwear. The unconventional citizen science project, led by the University of Zurich and Agroscope, aimed to gain a better understanding of the activity of soil organisms. The newly published findings show that land use is the most important factor in determining decomposition rates and soil life.
Soil is the foundation of our food supply. It
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ZURICH, Switzerland, Aug. 26 (TNSjou) -- The University of Zurich issued the following news release:
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Buried Underwear Shows Land Use Is Key to Soil Health
Five years ago, 1,000 volunteers across Switzerland buried more than 2,000 pairs of cotton underwear. The unconventional citizen science project, led by the University of Zurich and Agroscope, aimed to gain a better understanding of the activity of soil organisms. The newly published findings show that land use is the most important factor in determining decomposition rates and soil life.
Soil is the foundation of our food supply. Itstores water, carbon and nutrients and is home to a large share of the world's biodiversity. More than half of global biodiversity is estimated to live below ground. Yet biodiversity, and with it soil health, is declining worldwide, with consequences for agriculture, food security and the functioning of entire ecosystems.
In 2021, researchers from the University of Zurich (UZH) and Agroscope, the Swiss federal center of excellence for agricultural research, launched the citizen science project Proof by Underpants (Beweisstuck Unterhose) to draw attention to this often overlooked ecosystem and also collect scientific data. Following a standardized procedure, 1,000 volunteers buried more than 2,000 pairs of cotton underwear and 12,000 tea bags at around 1,000 locations across Switzerland. Two months later, they dug them up, photographed them and sent them to the laboratory together with a soil sample for further analysis.
Decomposition rate as indicator of soil life
The results, a map of soil activity, have now been published in the journal Plants, People, Planet. The analysis shows that the underwear decomposed at very different rates depending on the location, with the decomposition rate providing a measure of biological activity: the more active the soil organisms, the faster they break down the cotton material.
The underwear decomposed most rapidly in private gardens, where the researchers found the highest levels of organic matter - ideal conditions for earthworms, fungi, bacteria and other soil-dwelling organisms. Soil organisms were least active in lawns, while agricultural fields and meadows fell somewhere in between.
Land use is the key factor
"Our results show that how soil is managed can significantly affect both soil life and soil quality," says co-study leader Marcel van der Heijden, UZH professor of agroecology. "Healthy, biologically active soil is crucial for fertility, nutrient cycling and many other ecosystem services." Measures that can promote soil life include keeping the soil permanently covered, adding compost, diversifying crop rotations and limiting the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides.
Land use proved to be the most important factor influencing how quickly the underwear decomposed. Whether a site was used as a garden, meadow, cultivated field or lawn explained the differences better than most of the soil properties measured. Chemical soil characteristics, such as nutrient levels, also played a significant role.
Some soils oversupplied with nutrients
The results also show that rapid decomposition of the underwear often indicates high soil fertility and a good supply of nutrients. This is particularly beneficial for agricultural production. "However, maximum decomposition is not desirable in every ecosystem," says co-project leader Franz Bender, head of the agroecological assessments team at Agroscope.
"In near-natural habitats such as forests, very high nutrient levels can indicate disruptions to the natural balance of nutrients. In gardens, too, rapid decomposition of the underwear may point to an oversupply of nutrients," says Bender. In these cases, it may be worth checking whether fertilizer use should be reduced. Soil life also depends strongly on temperature and soil moisture; if conditions are too cold or too dry, the soil is barely active.
Raising awareness of soil health
Burying cotton underwear can provide a simple yet meaningful way to reveal differences in biological activity and soil fertility. The researchers therefore propose an "underwear index" as an easy-to-understand way of illustrating soil processes and raising public awareness of the need to protect soils.
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Literature
S.F. Bender, D. Burge, L. Bragazza,, E. Knop, S. Masson, N. Peter, R. Dmarmels, D. Muller, A. Imhof, P. Viviani, A. Bieri, ... T.D. Bucheli & M.G.A. van der Heijden. Soil Health Assessment Using Buried Cotton Underpants with the Help of 1000 Citizen Scientists. Plants, People, Planet. 24 August 2026. DOI: 10.1002/ppp3.70259
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Original text here: https://www.news.uzh.ch/en/articles/media/2026/buried-underwear.html
Rutgers and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Neurosurgeon Receives $2.9 Million NIH Grant for Epilepsy Research
NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey, Aug. 26 -- Rutgers University issued the following news:
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Rutgers and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Neurosurgeon Receives $2.9 Million NIH Grant for Epilepsy Research
Hai Sun will launch a study aimed at improving the ability to target the correct area of the brain prior to epilepsy surgery
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A Rutgers researcher has received a five-year, $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to identify the areas of the brain that trigger an epileptic seizure so that doctors can know where to target when they perform surgery to eliminate seizures.
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NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey, Aug. 26 -- Rutgers University issued the following news:
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Rutgers and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Neurosurgeon Receives $2.9 Million NIH Grant for Epilepsy Research
Hai Sun will launch a study aimed at improving the ability to target the correct area of the brain prior to epilepsy surgery
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A Rutgers researcher has received a five-year, $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to identify the areas of the brain that trigger an epileptic seizure so that doctors can know where to target when they perform surgery to eliminate seizures.
Hai Sun, a neurosurgeon at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a RWJBarnabas Health facility, was awarded a five-year, $2.9 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support a study aimed at improving the accuracy of finding the areas of the brain that need attention, for patients who are seeking surgical treatment options for epilepsy.
This is the second grant Sun, who also is a professor and assistant director of research, an assistant residency program director and the vice chair of clinical affairs at the medical school and chief of neurosurgery at the hospital, has secured in just two years, for a total of $5.7 million in funding for neurological research and development. In August of 2025, Rutgers and other institutions were awarded $2.8 million over the course of three years from NIH to improve implantable devices for epileptic patients.
Sun's research will use advanced brain monitoring and computational analysis to identify the critical nodes, or choke points, of the brain networks that trigger seizures. The goal is to establish a standardized approach for planning epilepsy surgery, which will help physicians identify the most effective surgical targets to improve outcomes for patients whose seizures can't be controlled with medication.
"If medication is not adequately controlling a patient's seizures, he or she may not be able to drive, work or live independently," Sun said. "It can be very impactful on their well-being and quality of life. Surgery has proven to be effective in eliminating or reducing seizures in patients who do not respond to medications."
While current diagnostic techniques such as scalp and intracranial EEG and MRI are effective in helping clinicians identify areas of the brain that are causing seizures, their precision can be limited.
"Before performing surgery, we need to determine where the seizure is coming from," Sun said. "In some cases, the seizure zone may encompass a large area of the brain. We can't resect - surgically remove - the area of the brain because some of these areas may impact language and motor skills."
He added there is a new focus in epilepsy research and treatment on "the networks of the brain that are causing seizures."
"We hope to identify the critical nodes that are composed of these networks triggering the seizures to determine if they can be safely resected or mitigated through neuromodulation," Sun said. "The goal is to disrupt the nodes transmitting the signals causing the seizures. By targeting these choke points rather than the large area of the brain, we hope to make the surgery safer and more efficacious for the patients."
Neurostimulation (or neuromodulation) treatment for epilepsy is a way of using electrical current to help calm the brain and reduce seizures. Unlike conventional surgery, neurostimulation doesn't require removal of brain tissue and is a good alternative to resection when the targets are important for neurological function.
To define the choke points of these networks, Sun's team will compare intracranial EEG signals from the rest period with those at seizure onset.
"We believe the choke points drive the change from the rest period to a seizure. Focusing on this transition is the innovation of our approach," Sun said.
Using a combination of data from laboratory models and patients, Sun and his team will compare the surgical targets defined using the current methodology with the new approach being developed through his research. If successful, members of the team plan to demonstrate the efficacy of their method through a prospective clinical trial so that it can become standard care for patients being considered for surgery.
The current study will enroll patients at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and Emory University Hospital. Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht, an assistant professor in neurology at Emory and a co-investigator, will lead the study at the site.
"Surgical treatment is superior to medical treatment," Sun said. "You can only adjust a patient's medication so much. Currently, only about half of the patients being considered for surgery actually receive surgical treatment. And, only about half of patients undergoing surgical treatment are seizure-free. We are aiming to improve these numbers so that more patients can get the treatment they need and more can live without seizures. We are grateful for this grant, which will be critical to our goals."
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Funding for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)'s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, under award number 1RO1NS148383-01. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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Original text here: https://www.rutgers.edu/news/rutgers-and-robert-wood-johnson-university-hospital-neurosurgeon-receives-29-million-nih-grant
Pierogi and Polish-American Identity: Eastern Professor Emerita's Book Explores
WILLIMANTIC, Connecticut, Aug. 26 -- Eastern Connecticut State University issued the following news:
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Pierogi and Polish-American identity: Eastern professor emerita's book explores
By Savannah Striano
A new book by Anna D. Jaroszynska-Kirchmann, a retired history professor from Eastern Connecticut State University, explores how pierogi, a hallmark of Polish cuisine, traveled from Poland to the United States and evolved into a symbol of Polish-American identity.
"Pierogi: An American Story of Polish Food" traces the history of Polish cuisine in the United States and examines how generations
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WILLIMANTIC, Connecticut, Aug. 26 -- Eastern Connecticut State University issued the following news:
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Pierogi and Polish-American identity: Eastern professor emerita's book explores
By Savannah Striano
A new book by Anna D. Jaroszynska-Kirchmann, a retired history professor from Eastern Connecticut State University, explores how pierogi, a hallmark of Polish cuisine, traveled from Poland to the United States and evolved into a symbol of Polish-American identity.
"Pierogi: An American Story of Polish Food" traces the history of Polish cuisine in the United States and examines how generationsof Polish immigrants and their descendants adapted traditional foods while maintaining connections to their heritage.
Jaroszynska-Kirchmann was an Eastern history professor for nearly 25 years until her retirement in 2022.
"My new book is a culinary history of Polish cuisine, which together with millions of Polish immigrants journeyed across the ocean to America," said Jaroszynska-Kirchmann of her first narrative nonfiction, published by Columbia University Press this August.
While many imported foods changed over time to reflect American food trends, Jaroszynska-Kirchmann said the pierogi continued to represent connections to home, family, religion, and ethnicity.
The book examines how Polish-American culinary traditions changed alongside social and cultural shifts in the United States, Poland, and elsewhere. Jaroszynska-Kirchmann focuses on the ways pierogi, originally a modest food eaten by peasant families, became a defining dish deeply associated with Polish-American culture.
Her research draws on historical and contemporary cookbooks, menus, memoirs, and interviews with Polish-American entrepreneurs and community members. She also highlights small and large pierogi producers who adapted traditional dishes for the American market, as well as food personalities who helped bring the dish into the mainstream.
Through her research, Jaroszynska-Kirchmann said she came to recognize pierogi as more than a traditional Polish dish.
"After studying sources such as cookbooks, menus and memoirs, and exploring Polish American businesses and traditions of making and sharing food, I realized that pierogi, initially humble peasant and family food, became the dish that came to symbolize Polish-American ethnicity," she said.
The book is not only academic but also personal, taking readers into Polish-American kitchens where families, friends, and community organizations have continued traditions of preparing and sharing food together.
Jaroszynska-Kirchmann incorporates her own memories of growing up in communist-era Poland, where her family had to be resourceful during periods of food shortages, as well as her experience immigrating to the United States in the mid-1980s.
Jaroszynska-Kirchmann said her research also gave her an opportunity to reflect on her own experiences with American food and cooking after immigrating to the United States.
"I must admit that my research was both fascinating and delicious," she said.
The book builds on Jaroszynska-Kirchmann's scholarship on Polish-American history. She is the author of "The Exile Mission: The Polish Political Diaspora and Polish Americans, 1939-1956" and "The Polish Hearst: Ameryka-Echo and the Public Role of the Immigrant Press." She also coedited "Polish American Voices: A Documentary History, 1608-2020."
She is editor-in-chief of "Polish American Studies," the peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal of the Polish American Historical Association, and a past president of the Polish American Historical Association.
While "Pierogi: An American Story of Polish Food" is grounded in historical research, Jaroszynska-Kirchmann said she wrote the book with a broader audience in mind.
"The book is based on solid historical scholarship but is directed to the more popular audience and is very readable," she said.
The book has received praise for connecting the history of Polish food with immigration, identity, and cultural change.
Hasia R. Diner, author of "Hungering for America: Italian, Irish, and Jewish Foodways in the Age of Migration," praised the book for showing how pierogi is connected to Polish history and identity both in Poland and abroad. She wrote that the book will contribute to literature on food and migration and how particular dishes can embody history and culture.
* More information: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/pierogi/9780231223461/
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-26 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
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Original text here: https://easternct.meritpages.com/news/pierogi-and-polish-american-identity--eastern-professor-emerita-s-book-explores/61309
Massey University: Agriculture and Horticulture Diplomas Support Upskilling to Meet Growing Industry Demand
PALMERSTON NORTH, New Zealand, Aug. 26 -- Massey University issued the following news release:
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New agriculture and horticulture diplomas support upskilling to meet growing industry demand
Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa Massey University is introducing new graduate and postgraduate diplomas in agriculture and horticulture in 2027, creating flexible study opportunities for professionals looking to upskill, retrain or advance their careers in Aotearoa New Zealand's primary industries.
Developed in consultation with industry, the new qualifications respond to growing demand for expertise across
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PALMERSTON NORTH, New Zealand, Aug. 26 -- Massey University issued the following news release:
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New agriculture and horticulture diplomas support upskilling to meet growing industry demand
Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa Massey University is introducing new graduate and postgraduate diplomas in agriculture and horticulture in 2027, creating flexible study opportunities for professionals looking to upskill, retrain or advance their careers in Aotearoa New Zealand's primary industries.
Developed in consultation with industry, the new qualifications respond to growing demand for expertise acrossthe agriculture and horticulture sectors. They provide accessible pathways for those wanting to build on their knowledge without committing to a full degree programme.
The graduate diplomas in agriculture and horticulture are designed for people who already hold an undergraduate degree and want to develop specialist knowledge in a new field. Previous study in agriculture or horticulture is not required, making the qualifications ideal for career changers or professionals wanting to broaden their expertise.
The Graduate Diploma in Agriculture provides a strong foundation in agricultural production, farm systems, resource management and sustainability. Graduates will gain practical and scientific knowledge to support careers across the food and fibre sector or to continue into postgraduate study.
The Graduate Diploma in Horticulture equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in one of New Zealand's most innovative and rapidly evolving industries. Students will explore sustainable production systems, plant science and environmental management while developing expertise valued across the horticulture sector.
Head of Te Kura Whenua Ora School of Agriculture and Horticulture Professor Paul Kenyon says the graduate diplomas provide a practical and flexible way for people to gain industry-relevant knowledge and skills.
"The graduate diplomas are ideal for people who already hold an undergraduate degree in another discipline, but want to build their understanding of agriculture and horticulture. Whether they're already working alongside the primary industries or looking to transition into the sector, these qualifications provide valuable knowledge that can be applied immediately."
The postgraduate diplomas in agriculture and horticulture are designed for graduates who already have a background in those disciplines and want to deepen their expertise through advanced study.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Agriculture focuses on contemporary agricultural systems, sustainable production, innovation and the science underpinning New Zealand's primary industries. The Postgraduate Diploma in Horticulture develops advanced knowledge in horticultural production, innovation, sustainability and industry leadership.
Both qualifications provide a pathway towards master's study while helping graduates strengthen their professional capability and career opportunities.
As Massey approaches its centenary in 2027, demand for agriculture and horticulture education continues to grow, particularly among students studying part-time by distance while balancing employment and family commitments.
Professor Kenyon says the flexibility of distance learning is a major factor driving enrolment growth.
"Many of our students are already working in agriculture and horticulture and want to continue developing their skills while remaining in the workforce. Distance study allows them to gain a recognised qualification, apply their learning directly to their jobs and continue advancing their careers."
With more than 300 postgraduate students currently enrolled in the School, Professor Kenyon says the strong demand for advanced study reflects the sector's need for ongoing professional development.
"The primary industries are evolving rapidly, creating demand for new skills, fresh thinking and deeper expertise. These qualifications help ensure people can continue learning throughout their careers and is aligned with Massey's core purpose. Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa means from inception to infinity, indicating our mission to walk alongside lifelong learners. Massey's aim remains the same now as it did 100 years ago: to support the future growth and success of New Zealand's agriculture and horticulture sectors."
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Original text here: https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/news/new-agriculture-and-horticulture-diplomas-support-upskilling-to-meet-growing-industry-demand/
Clinton County Foundation Issues $27K Grant for Wilmington College's AgriScience Complex
WILMINGTON, Ohio, Aug. 26 -- Wilmington College issued the following news:
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Clinton County Foundation Issues $27K Grant for WC's AgriScience Complex
As Wilmington College's AgriScience Complex quickly evolves into a state-of-the-art educational facility for controlled agriculture, plans include building an adjacent livestock arena, with a community outreach component. This month, the Clinton County Foundation moved those plans a step closer to reality with a $27,600 grant from its Legacy Fund.
CCF's Legacy Fund provides financial support for projects and programs aimed at strengthening
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WILMINGTON, Ohio, Aug. 26 -- Wilmington College issued the following news:
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Clinton County Foundation Issues $27K Grant for WC's AgriScience Complex
As Wilmington College's AgriScience Complex quickly evolves into a state-of-the-art educational facility for controlled agriculture, plans include building an adjacent livestock arena, with a community outreach component. This month, the Clinton County Foundation moved those plans a step closer to reality with a $27,600 grant from its Legacy Fund.
CCF's Legacy Fund provides financial support for projects and programs aimed at strengtheningand improving Clinton County. Joe Hete, a member of the Legacy Fund Committee, noted the grant would cover the cost of accessible seating in the arena. "We think the end result will have a lot of value for the community," he said about the facility, which could be under construction in the near future.
WC President Corey Cockerill said the College is grateful to the Clinton County Foundation for this "generous investment" in Wilmington College and the community. "Our future livestock arena at the AgriScience Complex should be a place for everyone, and this gift helps ensure accessibility is part of its design from the very beginning."
Tammy Shadley, vice president and chief alumni and advancement officer, echoed those sentiments. "This donation from the Legacy Fund puts us one step closer to realizing our vision for this new complex, which we hope will serve as an asset to not only Wilmington College but the entire community," she said.
The College purchased the former BrightFarms greenhouse on Davids Drive last fall. The facility features two acres under roof on 20 acres of land bordering the College's 267-acre Academic Farm. Agriculture concentrations comprise the largest academic area at WC, accounting for nearly a third of the institution's main campus student enrollment.
The College has begun transforming the former commercial greenhouse into a living-learning laboratory that, ultimately, will integrate crop science, animal science, agribusiness and controlled food systems under one roof. This revitalized facility already includes classrooms and laboratory renovations for student use this academic year and will host an upgraded greenhouse infrastructure to support advanced agricultural research, sustainability initiatives, specialty production and workforce training. Also, a 120' x 240' livestock and equine show arena will be constructed on the property for educational activities, animal judging events and equestrian competitions.
Clinton County commissioners established the Legacy Fund with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Clinton Memorial Hospital. Its assets are held and invested by the Clinton County Foundation to provide annual funding for community grants. The foundation works with people and organizations to make a lasting, positive impact on the community. Legacy Fund Committee members are Joe Hete, Michelle Morrison, Sue Pierson, Kyle Wilson and Clinton County Commissioner Kerry Steed.
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Original text here: https://www.wilmington.edu/news/clinton-county-foundation-issues-27k-grant-for-wcs-agriscience-complex
American University Washington College of Law Welcomes New Faculty
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 -- American University issued the following news:
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AUWCL Welcomes New Faculty
By Brice Helms
A remarkable group of distinguished scholars and practitioners brings their expertise to inspire and empower the next generation of legal professionals.
* Danielle Burs
Director, Community Economic and Equity Development Clinic
Danielle Burs returns to AUWCL, where she earned her J.D., to lead the Community Economic and Equity Development Clinic. She joins from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she served as a clinical teaching fellow in the Community Development
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 -- American University issued the following news:
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AUWCL Welcomes New Faculty
By Brice Helms
A remarkable group of distinguished scholars and practitioners brings their expertise to inspire and empower the next generation of legal professionals.
* Danielle Burs
Director, Community Economic and Equity Development Clinic
Danielle Burs returns to AUWCL, where she earned her J.D., to lead the Community Economic and Equity Development Clinic. She joins from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she served as a clinical teaching fellow in the Community DevelopmentClinic, supervising students providing transactional legal services to Baltimore-area nonprofits, small businesses in underserved neighborhoods, affordable housing groups, and community associations. Her career has centered on transactional, legislative, and regulatory work in the District, including as senior policy counsel at the Council for Court Excellence and in roles at the DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Goldblatt Martin Pozen, the office of D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development, and MANNA. Her areas of expertise include community development, nonprofit law, and legislation and regulation, and she serves on volunteer boards focused on community development. She holds a B.A. in government relations and English from Clark University.
* Melanie Oberlin Knapp
Director, Pence Law Library
Melanie Oberlin Knapp became director of the Pence Law Library on July 1, following a national search, and succeeds Adeen Postar. She arrives from George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, where she served as associate dean for library and technology, overseeing library and technology services and helping guide the library through ABA reaccreditation. She previously held positions at The Ohio State University Moritz Law Library and the University of Texas Tarlton Law Library, and practiced environmental and administrative law in Texas before entering academic librarianship. She serves on the executive committee of the AALS Section on Libraries and Legal Information and as secretary of the Society of Academic Law Library Directors, and has published extensively on legal research pedagogy, citation metrics, and the role of law librarians in academe. Her current interests include generative artificial intelligence, the NextGen Bar Exam, and shifts in legal publishing.
* Kenechukwu O. Okocha
Assistant Professor of Law
Kene Okocha teaches and writes in criminal law, criminal procedure, evidence, and victims' rights. He joins the faculty after fifteen years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, where he litigated more than forty trials and spent seven years as deputy chief of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section. In that role he helped build one of the first domestic violence focused restorative justice programs in a U.S. Attorney's Office, developed with the NYU Silver School of Social Work. He earlier served as an assistant district attorney in Wisconsin. His article on body worn camera evidence and intimate partner violence prosecutions is forthcoming in the Georgetown Law Journal, and he trains prosecutors, judges, forensic nurses, and victim advocates through the Department of Justice's OPDAT program, the National Black Prosecutors Association, and the Zero Abuse Project. He holds a B.S. and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin.
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Original text here: https://www.american.edu/wcl/news-events/news/auwcl-welcomes-new-faculty.cfm
Aalto University: Emotions Help Explain Why People Click Phishing Emails
AALTO, Finland, Aug. 26 -- Aalto University issued the following news release:
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Emotions help explain why people click phishing emails
People are currently taught to recognize phishing attempts in ways that may be counterproductive. Researchers call for information security training to take emotions into account more effectively.
People may click on a link designed to steal their data because they are afraid to get in trouble for ignoring the message. This was one of the findings of a new study, which examined the emotional responses triggered by scams and how emotions influence behaviour
... Show Full Article
AALTO, Finland, Aug. 26 -- Aalto University issued the following news release:
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Emotions help explain why people click phishing emails
People are currently taught to recognize phishing attempts in ways that may be counterproductive. Researchers call for information security training to take emotions into account more effectively.
People may click on a link designed to steal their data because they are afraid to get in trouble for ignoring the message. This was one of the findings of a new study, which examined the emotional responses triggered by scams and how emotions influence behaviourin an experimental setting modelled on a workplace.
Phishing attackers know how to exploit, for example, a recipient's sense of urgency and stress. However, according to assistant professor Verena Distler from Aalto University, we still know relatively little about the psychological processes that take place in the target of a phishing attack.
'Our study is one of the first attempts to gain a richer understanding of people's emotions at the precise moment they encounter a phishing attempt. If we understand these psychological processes more deeply, we can do more to prevent scams and support technology users in making informed decisions, even in challenging situations,' Distler says.
The study was carried out by Distler and doctoral researcher Raphael Weidhaas from Aalto University in Finland, and postdoctoral researcher Alexandra von Preuschen from CISPA Helmholtz Centre for Information Security in Germany.
An experiment in a fictional office
The experimental study involved 41 volunteers. In an experiment designed to simulate an office environment, the participants were asked to handle an absent colleague's tasks in their absence as effectively as possible. They did not know that the study was related to phishing emails.
During the work task, the participants received an email that appeared to be related to their duties. However, the link in the message led to a phishing website created by the researchers. The email included different 'red flags' which allowed participants to detect the phishing email, such as the sender's name or email address. To make the messages seem genuine and work-related, the researchers used relatively moderate wording, such as 'please fill in your details' and 'your task is almost complete'.
More than half of the participants recognised the phishing attempt and did not click. Some clicked on the message, but only a few entered their details on the fraudulent website. Some participants did not notice the scam but did not click the link either.
Immediately after the experiment, the researchers used questionnaires and interviews to investigate the emotional responses triggered by the phishing attempt.
Concerns about losing face
The study found that participants clicked on the phishing email if they felt it was plausibly related to their work or to an unfinished task. Participants also clicked because of uncertainty: had they made a mistake earlier that now needed correcting? Would their manager be angry if they did not click? What would their colleagues think if they failed to complete the task?
'Feelings of anxiety, worry and nervousness do not help with problem-solving in that moment - in other words, they do not help people recognise a scam,' says doctoral researcher Raphael Weidhaas.
Those who clicked on the fraudulent link subsequently felt ashamed, disappointed and guilty.
'We were surprised that, even though the participants knew that the 'work' was part of a study, those who clicked were still afraid of losing face in front of their colleagues if they did not complete the task requested in the scam email quickly,' Weidhaas says.
According to Weidhaas, people should instead be encouraged to raise concerns about suspicious messages.
'A phishing attack might be prevented simply by asking a colleague to look at the email and assess whether it appears genuine.'
The research also provided information on why people do not click suspicious links. For many who detected the phish, the email had interrupted their current workflow, which created a feeling of suspicion.
'Many reported they intuitively felt something was odd in the email. They then applied detection strategies they had learned from previous trainings, such as checking the sender address. They reported that these detection skills made them feel safe and able to deal with the situation,' says Weidhaas.
Improved anti-phishing trainings
According to Weidhaas, current approaches to teaching people how to recognise phishing attempts may even be counterproductive. Common methods used by organisations include online courses, awareness campaigns and simulated phishing emails.
'Employees may be sent fake phishing emails, and if they click the link, they are shown educational material. However, these campaigns can cause shame and fear of the consequences,' Weidhaas says.
Weidhaas believes that people learn better through positive emotions than negative ones. Awareness activities should not leave anyone feeling miserable.
'Training could make use of genuine phishing emails received by the organisation, as these are often the most difficult to detect. Employees could analyse the messages together with an IT expert and discuss their concerns openly.'
A positive training experience can evoke emotions such as pride and confidence, which could support the development of people's ability to recognise phishing attempts.
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The study was published at the Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS 2026) conference (https://www.usenix.org/conference/soups2026/presentation/weidhaas) in August 2026.
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Original text here: https://www.aalto.fi/en/news/emotions-help-explain-why-people-click-phishing-emails
