WBI Studies Repository (WellBeing International)
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Tourism in the Arctic: A Catalyst for Good or Bad?
Get PDFThe Arctic, a region extending from the North Pole into Canada, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States, has experienced global warming at twice the rate of the rest of the planet. The likely cause of such higher temperatures? Loss of sea ice. “When bright and reflective ice melts, it gives way to a darker ocean; this amplifies the warming trend because the ocean surface absorbs more heat from the Sun than the surface of snow and ice.” (NASA)
Dog Behavior and Aggression
Get PDFAn extensive study of the genetics of dog behavior (including individual dog personality) and appearance (physical traits) has just appeared in the major academic research publication, Science. The research team reviewed the behavior and genes of 2,000 dogs who had had their entire genomes sequenced. An additional 16,000 dogs, including mixes and pure breeds (128 represented), were also reviewed for behavior traits. The study reported that less than a quarter of the differences in dog personality could be explained by genetics. In contrast, at least 80% of the physical traits were closely tied to the dog’s DNA. These findings are important for at least a segment of the dog-owning population and possibly some dogs, specifically those colloquially referred to as Pit Bull terriers. Early on, Pit Bulls were admired as America’s dogs, as depicted in 1914 by artist Wallace Robinson, or as family dogs such as Petey. Petey was the everpresent companion to the children in the 1930s TV show, Our Gang. Today Pit Bulls are more often regarded as dangerous intruders into safe neighborhoods
Global Sustainable Development Report 2019 -The Future is Now – Science for Achieving Sustainable Development.
No full texthttps://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/boocov/1033/thumbnail.jp
UN Harmony with Nature
No full texthttps://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/boocov/1027/thumbnail.jp
Why Do People Think Cultured Meat Is Disgusting?
Get PDFMeat eaters (35%) and vegetarians (55%) found the idea of cultured meat (meat produced from the cell culture of animal muscle cells) disgusting. The disgust expressed by meat eaters and vegetarians originated from different perceptions. Meat eaters\u27 disgust was influenced by the perceived unnaturalness of cultured meat whereas vegetarians were put off by the source of the cells and the similarity of cultured meat to actual meat
Vaccinations, Vegans, and the Problem of Moral Consistency
Get PDFVegans typically not only avoid the consumption of animal products, they also oppose animal research. However, the development of vaccines to prevent or lessen COVID symptoms may be an exception. Various positions are discussed
Animals may be more reliably emotional than humans
Get PDFDespite considerable advances in the study of animal sentience, reluctance to credit non-human animals with emotional capacities persists. I argue that this reluctance is untenable in light of (evolutionary) theory and empirical evidence. Humans may differ from animals in their ability to reflect on, reason about, and deliberately regulate their emotions. If anything, however, this implies animals’ emotional displays provide a more valid and reliable window into their internal states than do humans’, whose displays may be strategically altered. Any signs of pleasure or distress thus constitute direct readouts of animal wellbeing. It is time we start treating animals accordingly
Letter from the President: Biodiversity and the Smallest Floral Kingdom
Get PDFAs attention to global biodiversity heats up because of the upcoming December meeting (COP15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal, media stories on the state of the globe’s biodiversity are becoming more numerous. Humans love lists, and someone would inevitably produce a list of countries ranked according to their biodiversity. Swiftest, a data analytics company interested in the insurance and travel industries, has recently created a country-by-country biodiversity ranking. Their list includes 201 countries (193 member countries in the UN). The list is based on a relatively simple index that counts all the species of five groups of animals – birds, amphibians, fish, mammals, and reptiles – as well as the number of plant species. Each country’s score is determined on a 0-100 scale based on the total number of each of the five animal groups, with a 0-50 scale for plants. The highest possible score is, therefore, 550. Brazil ends up on top of the list with a total score of 512.34 (a result that is not that surprising given the species richness of the Amazon basin), while San Marino (a tiny country of 61 km2 located in Italy) is at the bottom with a score of 5.47
A framework for evaluating evidence of pain in animals
Get PDFCrump et al. define eight criteria indicating sentience in animals, with a focus on pain. Here, we point out the risk of false negative or false positive diagnoses of pain. Criteria of different levels of inclusivity are useful for using the precautionary principle in animal welfare considerations, and for more formal scientific evidence of pain. We suggest tightening the criteria -- from more general evidence of sentience to pain alone -- because crucial evidence for animal welfare decisions might otherwise be missed for animals subjected to invasive and injurious procedures
Pros and cons of a framework for evaluating potential pain in decapods
Get PDFThe rigorous framework for research into potential pain in decapods was successful in allowing legislators in the United Kingdom to evaluate a complex scientific issue. However, it might produce problems for research. I discuss doubts about the usefulness of the eight criteria. Some have yet to receive any investigation and others do not allow much inference about pain. In addition, some existing studies are not covered in the framework. Most worrying, however, is the potential for stifling future research of novel areas that are excluded from the framework