Commentary: Does blue uniform color enhance winning probability in judo contests?

Spanish FCYT [PETROSIS PA-18-ACB17-11]; Goverment of Asturias, Spai

Mining Royalties and Incentives for Security Operations: Evidence from India's Red Corridor

Can tax regimes shape the incentives of governments to engage in or support counterinsurgency operations? India’s Maoist belt contains a large share of the country’s most valuable mineral deposits. Indian mining royalties benefit the States, but they are set by the central government. States are largely responsible for counter-insurgency operations within their territory. Therefore, the royalty regime could shape the incentive of states to support counter-insurgency efforts ien mining areas. This paper exploits the introduction of a 10% ad valorem tax on iron ore that was responsible for a 10-fold increase in royalty collections by the affected State governments. In a panel of district-level violence outcomes between 2007 and 2011, I find that the royalty hike was followed by a significant intensification of State violence in those districts that contain deposits of iron ore. There is no such impact for the deposits of other key minerals that were not subject to the royalty hike: bauxite and coal. These results are consistent with states taking the fiscal value of districts into account when they decide on the intensity of security operations

Recruitment and literacy in World War I: evidence from colonial Punjab

Most Indian soldiers were volunteers who could not read or write before they were recruited by the British but serving in a professional army provided opportunities to acquire new skills. Here Oliver Vanden Eynde writes about his research which suggests higher post-war literacy rates in heavily recruited areas can be attributed to informal learning opportunities in the army

Attitudes towards science among Spanish citizens: The case of critical engagers

Using data obtained from Spanish surveys on the public perception of science, this article presents a critical review of current practices of population profile segmentation, including the one-dimensional representation of perceived risks and benefits and of the systematic underestimation of critical attitudes to the social impact of science and technology. We use discriminant analysis to detect a somewhat hidden cluster in the Spanish population which we call ‘critical engagers’. These individuals are critically and socially responsible and are not reticent about expressing concern regarding scientific-technological change. While they hold an overall positive attitude towards change of this kind, they are at the same time well aware of the risks posed by particular fields of application. We highlight the academic interest and political value of these individuals, attributing to this population a mature and intelligent stance which may well be employed in enhancing the relationship between science and society. </jats:p

Micro-CT and mercury intrusion porosimetry characterization of the fabric of roofing slate

The petrological fabric of roofing slate determines the main properties of the slate as a construction material, such as durability and waterproofing. Roofing slates are rocks derived from the low-grade metamorphism of lutites, with a characteristic lepidoblastic fabric. However, little attention by petrologists has been paid to the role of this fabric in the behaviour of roofin slates. This work characterizes the fabric and pore system of two roofing slate varieties from Spain, using two different techniques, each with its advantages and disadvantages: X-ray microtomography, useful to find heterogeneities and mineral inclusions on the slate bulk,and mercury intrusion porosimetry, which defines the pore system. The differentiation of mineral inclusions is very useful for predicting the weathering of a slate, while the definition of the pore system may help to understand how the slate will behave during its service life