Latest news with #EötvösLorándUniversity
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Something has gone wrong in our culture when people opt for ‘fur babies' over real babies
Recent Hungarian research generated a slew of headlines about people choosing dogs over having children. Some went as far as to blame it for the decline in birth rates. Fortunately, the study is much more nuanced. Prof Enikő Kubinyi from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest suggests that the relationship between rates of pet ownership and having children is complex. Dogs don't cause lower fertility. Instead, declining fertility rates may be increasing the importance of dogs in people's lives, with pets filling the emotional space left by fewer children and more fragile family networks. Kubinyi cites an intriguing statistic. If a woman raises two children instead of five, the number of same-generation relatives (siblings and cousins) is reduced, on average, from 44 to five. READ MORE Fewer family connections lead to more fragile real-life social networks. Family relationships create what sociologists call 'closed triangle' connections – situations where all members of a group know each other directly. This builds stronger, more stable social ties. These closed triangles are much less common in friendships. Somewhat ironically, dog ownership can increase the number of closed triangles, because people out walking dogs or discussing them can develop relationships based on their mutual love of pets. The Hungarian researcher is not the first to highlight change in the number of relatives. In China, the one-child policy led to the decline not only in siblings, but in cousins, aunts and uncles. There is also a serious gender imbalance in favour of male children, the so-called emperor children. The one-child policy has become self-reinforcing even though China is now desperate to reverse demographic decline. It may explain why by 2030, China's pets will outnumber children under four by a ratio of two to one. The estimate came from Goldman Sachs , which says the pet market will be worth $12 billion (€10.6 billion) by then. Urban Chinese, in particular, are opting for pets. The same Goldman Sachs report noted that in Japan, there are already 20 million pets, roughly four times the number of humans aged under four. Japan's pet food market is eight times larger than its infant formula market. Kubinyi suggests that many people do not currently experience an optimum level of social connection, leading to greater isolation, depression and loneliness. However, human beings are hard-wired to exist in small yet dense human networks. It is unsurprising, then, that humans turn to companion animals, with their capacity for unconditional love, to fill that need. Dogs are increasingly being bred to have characteristic features like human babies – big eyes, flatter faces and cute cuddliness. As someone who grew up on a farm where dogs were working animals and kept outside, I admit to being nonplussed by people's current relationships with dogs, particularly the first time I saw a dog buggy, complete with what seemed like a perfectly healthy dog being wheeled along. Dog clothes, including Halloween costumes, make me worry for the dog. And what pooch benefits from a puppucino? Pet ownership confers many benefits on humans. It is lovely to see elderly people light up when a dog is brought into a nursing home. But there is something askew in our culture when pets are expected to function either as substitutes for unconditional love, or as babies. Loyal creatures like dogs are not designed to be fur babies, a term that makes me deeply uncomfortable. Dogs are pack animals with strict hierarchies. The pack leader enforces strict boundaries and roles that allow the dog to relax. Expecting dogs to act like substitute humans is unfair to dogs and not great for human prospects, either. One thing that the Hungarian study may overlook is that while it correctly points out that the number of people who view their pets as children is small, it is likely to grow as a trend. Currently in Hungary, despite multiple pronatalist policies such as women who have four children being exempt from income tax for life , only 6.2 per cent of the population is aged under six. As family sizes shrink and childbearing is postponed, many adults do not have young children in their households or extended social networks and this becomes the norm. Anna Rotkirsch, a Finnish demographer , says that having children has moved from a rite of passage into adulthood to a 'capstone' experience – something you do after you have exhausted all the individualised pleasures, such as satisfying work and travel. But women's biology knows nothing about capstones. By the time people feel they are in the right place, or that they can afford children, women's fertility has often declined to the point where it becomes increasingly difficult to conceive. Rotkirsch also points out that it has become socially acceptable to say that you don't like children, and it's the only demographic that you can ever say that about. There is something sad about any society that does not have enough faith in the future to prioritise having children and ensure that women are not penalised for having children earlier. No amount of doggy cuddles will ameliorate the demographic catastrophe we are facing everywhere from Ireland to India.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk's greatest fear realized as young adults find a replacement for 'burdensome' babies
People in the West – where fertility rates are collapsing – are replacing kids with dogs, a new review suggests. Researchers have found in European countries, declining rates of births have correlated with rising rates of dog ownership. They analyzed around a half-dozen studies on young people's views about pets and children, finding they see dog parenting as less burdensome than bearing a child. The researchers identified financial stress and lifestyle freedom as key reasons for the shift. The team from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest wrote: 'Many wealthy and developed countries are now experiencing sub-replacement fertility, meaning people are having fewer children than needed to maintain the population over time,' the team shared. 'In contrast, dog ownership has gained popularity over the last decades.' In the US, more households now have dogs than children. More than 63 million households owning at least one pet compared to 32.7 million households with at least one child under the age of 18. The so-called 'baby bust' in the West has sparked concern from economists and public figures, including Elon Musk, who has warned that falling birth rates pose 'the biggest threat to civilization.' The billionaire, who has 14 children with four different women, has said that low birth rates mean few workers, increased debt, strained healthcare and pension systems and total social unrest. It comes as the US fertility rate has fallen to 1.6 births per woman, far below the 2.1 replacement rate needed to sustain a population. The new review suggests that this shift reflects a deeper transformation in society. Professor Enikő Kubinyi, senior author and head of the Department of Ethology, said: 'We argue that many people consider dogs to be family members and, more specifically, as child-like figures.' Approximately 19 percent of childless individuals and 10 percent of parents valued their dog at least partially more than any human in a recent Hungarian survey, researchers noted in the study. Up to half of the 197 million European households have at least one dog, compared to the 46 million that have at least one child under the age of 18. 'For some people, dogs may represent a fulfilling compromise, satisfying a genetically embedded drive to nurture and form social bonds without investing the substantial resources necessary to raise biological offspring,' the authors wrote. Dogs may be particularly suited for these evolving roles because of their cognitive and emotional abilities, according to the researchers. A recent survey showed that 43 percent of Millennials and Gen Z would prefer raising a dog over having a child 'Dogs exhibit a wide range of social behaviors, often comparable to those of pre-verbal children,' the study reads. Their dependency on humans mimics the relationship between children and parents: dogs rely on caregivers for food, routines, and social interaction. Still, the researchers caution that treating dogs like children isn't the same as parenting. 'Despite the high dependency and attachment of dogs to their caregivers, in the eyes of many, commitments coming with dog ownership remain less burdensome than child parenting,' said Laura Gillet, Ph.D. student and co-author of the review. Dogs generally have shorter lifespans, lower financial costs, and fewer social demands. No college tuition, no childcare, and typically no career sacrifices. 'We would like to point out that, contrary to popular belief, only a small minority of dog owners actually treat their pets like human children,' Kubinyi added. 'In most cases, dog parents choose dogs precisely because they are not like children, and they acknowledge their species-specific needs.' Nonetheless, the implications are significant. In some homes, dogs serve as 'pre-children' for couples preparing to become parents. In others, dogs can be a permanent substitutes for those who cannot have children or choose not to have them, and some are even considered siblings or companions for older adults. 'The roles that companion animals play in human lives are redefining the concept of family,' the study states.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Are Dogs Replacing Babies in Countries With Declining Birth Rates?
Forgoing the stress and expense of a child for a furbaby or two is rapidly becoming a social norm in Western society, with dog ownership rising even while birth rates plateau and fall. Across the US, Canada, Australia, and much of Europe, between a third and half of all households own at least one dog. As this number slowly creeps up, most nations are experiencing a steady drop in fertility predicted to put population sizes at risk in coming decades. A recently published theoretical review by ethologists Laura Gillet and Enikő Kubinyi at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary explores the underlying cultural reasons behind the trend, and what it means for the concept of a family in the future. Dogs have long been our treasured companions. For thousands of years, possibly on numerous separate occasions, human communities and groups of wild dogs have joined forces, forming a bond that has only strengthened down the generations. Once, this relationship may have been largely utilitarian, dominated by mutually beneficial behaviors that gave each an advantage in hunting and protection. Today, people aren't exactly buying a pooch to sniff out a choice flat white and danish from the local cafe. The dog's niche has evolved, becoming less pragmatic and more nurturing. Take a stroll down just about any high street in London, Paris, Melbourne, or New York, you could be forgiven for thinking Juju the puppacino-sipping Bichon Frisé and Captain Jack the plaid-clad French bulldog are mere surrogates for human offspring. While there are undoubtedly dog owners who see little distinction, the researchers say it's generally the exception to the rule. "We would like to point out that, contrary to popular belief, only a small minority of dog owners actually treat their pets like human children," says Kubinyi. "In most cases, dog parents choose dogs precisely because they are not like children, and they acknowledge their species-specific needs." Following a comprehensive review of the literature on the topic, Gillet and Kubinyi argue our strong desire to love and support isn't species-specific. Dogs and babies aren't mutually exclusive, with plenty of room for both in our hearts. If not our wallets. Socio-cultural pressures of having children rule them out for many young adults, leaving canine companions to reap the benefits of time, money, and snuggles. "Despite the high dependency and attachment of dogs to their caregivers, in the eyes of many, commitments coming with dog ownership remain less burdensome than child parenting," says Gillet. Financially speaking, the expense of raising a child in the US has steadily increased in recent years. One survey estimates in just the past two years alone, costs have surged by an astonishing 35.7 percent. Throw in concerns over the kind of world we're leaving future generations, a perceived loneliness of parents – particularly mothers – in the midst of changing family structures, and pressures on women in the workforce, babies are an investment fewer people are willing to make in the Western world. That doesn't necessarily mean dogs are filling this gap. Rather, the empty nesters can simply afford the pet that parents may otherwise have never committed to. "Dog parenting can also coexist with child parenting, enhancing the idea that humans might have evolved to care for others regardless of species," the researchers sum up in their report. As society ages and more people face an isolation epidemic that threatens our health and mental wellbeing, it's important to know Captain Jack and Juju aren't merely replacing the children we never had – they are vital members of the family who will care for us in their own unique ways. This research was published in European Psychologist. Underwater Fossils Surface to Reveal a Lost World of Archaic Humans Scientists Discovered a Hidden Clue Why Men Are Taller Than Women Being Bored Could Actually Be Good For Your Brain, Scientists Reveal
Broadcast Pro
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Moroccan film ‘Aicha' to world premiere at Krakow Film Festival
The film is distributed across Arab-speaking territories by MAD Distribution. Aicha, a short film by Moroccan filmmaker Sanaa El Alaoui, is set to have its world premiere in the Short Film Competition at the Krakow Film Festival, one of Europe's longest-running celebrations of cinematic art. Now in its 65th edition, the festival, which has been held annually since 1961, will run this year from May 25 to June 1. The film tells the story of a once emotionally distant mother who joins a mystical ceremony in an effort to confront her grief and reconnect with the memory of her 17-year-old daughter, whose life was cut short by tragedy. The narrative explores themes of loss, healing, and transformation through a surreal and spiritual lens. Speaking on her featurette, Alaoui stated: 'Watching AICHA breaks the illusion of time's linearity, allowing you to see life and death unfold simultaneously', further adding that, 'Trauma shatters our perception of time and space; it reshapes our identities. It offers us either the chance to let go or to be reborn, and that is the journey of the daughter and her mother.' The cast features Hind Dafer, Manal Bennani, Mohamed Amine Kihal, Sanaa El Alaoui, Kenza Fridou, Soumia Belkaria and Mustapha Rachdi. El Alaoui wrote and directed the film, which was produced by Piotr Kaczorowski. The film's cinematography is by Oskar Jan Król, editing by Michał Buczek, and animation by Tomek Popakul and Kasumi Ozeki. Aicha is distributed across Arabic-speaking regions by MAD Distribution, with international sales managed by MAD World. El Alaoui, known for her thoughtful storytelling and visual sensibility, holds degrees from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest—where her thesis on the long take in cinema received the Best Thesis of the Year Award—and the University of Oxford, where she focused her research on the evolution of Moroccan cinema from its colonial roots to the modern era.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Border collies out-sniff some hunting dogs in scientific smell competition
Dogs are well-known for their keen sense of smell, but how does this sniffing ability differ between various breeds? In some new research, border collies–a herding breed–actually outperformed some types of hunting dogs in scent detection. The findings are detailed in a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. Dogs devote a lot of brain power to sniffing out and interpreting smells. They have over 100 million sensory receptor sites in their nasal cavity and bloodhounds even have 300 million. By comparison, humans only have six million. The region of the canine brain that is devoted to analyzing odors is roughly 40 times larger than the comparable part in our brains. Some scientists estimate dogs can smell anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than humans. For this new study, a team of ethologists–who study animal behavior–from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary was looking for a more comprehensive understanding of dogs' scent detection capabilities. They also were also curious whether breed group, breed, training level, and dog personality influences their performance. They recruited 551 dogs (524 family dogs and 27 explosive detection dogs). To test the dogs, the authors used the Natural Detection Task–a search test that had previously developed for use in wolves. The dogs had to find a dog treat that was hidden in a line of pots. No special training was necessary, since this test works by leveraging the dogs' natural motivation to get to food. The team used three tasks of various difficulty. The first level was a pre-test to ensure that they understood the task, were motivated by food, and did not rely on other problem solving methods like digging. The containers all had an open top with no lid and served as a control. In the second level, the containers were covered with lids that had five tiny holes. The third level used containers that were completely covered without any holes. Earlier studies suggested that those containers were not exactly airtight and some smells would get out. During the test, a team member who was unaware of the location of the hidden food observed if the dog spontaneously indicated a pot by licking it, placing a paw on it, or poking at the pot with their nose. The dog's choice was considered correct if it indicated the baited pot within the allotted amount of time. They found that border collies were more successful than golden retrievers, Hungarian/German vizslas, and basset/bloodhounds. Traditionally, these breeds have been chosen for hunting which requires that dogs use their sense of smell to find various targets. However, beagles found the hidden food quicker than border collies, basset/bloodhounds, golden retrievers, Labradors, and cocker spaniels. [ Related: Dogs sniff out two new species of truffle. ] 'The findings revealed that different breeds exhibited varying levels of olfactory success,' study co-author and ethologist Attila Salamon said in a statement. According to Salamon, breed-specific traits appear to be more influential than characteristics of groupings–or breeds that are selected to perform a specific task, like hunting or herding, or cooperation. Dogs with higher responsiveness-to-training personality scores were also more successful, regardless of breed. Surprisingly, the dogs with more advanced training were not more successful and completed the successful searches at a slower pace. 'We revealed that, in addition to a dog's olfactory ability, what genetic and environmental factors, and their possible interactions, affect dogs' success in even such a simple task,' study co-author and ethologist Márta Gácsi said in a statement. 'This study may help to better understand the role of these factors and confirms that the Natural Detection Task is a useful tool for selecting young or inexperienced dogs for search work.'
