Research explains why feeding birds can make you feel better

A research team led by Virginia Tech found that people connected feeding and watching birds with positive emotions, engagement, and a sense of meaning

Virginia Tech

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Downy Woodpecker at a bird feeder.

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Credit: Photo courtesy of FeedWatcher Bob Vuxinic.

More than 56 million U.S. adults feed wild birds. 

For many, filling a feeder is a routine way to connect with birds and other wildlife. But researchers know less about what that interaction may mean for the people doing it.

A Virginia Tech-led study of people who feed birds in the United States and Canada found that most believed feeding and watching birds had a positive effect on their well-being. The study also identified three ways people described that connection: through emotions, engagement, and a sense of meaning.

“Feeding and observing birds is a really meaningful way for people to connect with nature, and people feel that it has positive impacts on their well-being,” said Kelley Langhans, a research scientist at Virginia Tech and the study’s lead author.

The research was published on Sept. 2 in Ambio. The research team included scientists from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, The Ohio State University, North Carolina State University, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), and a therapist.

Researchers surveyed participants in Project FeederWatch — people who submit their winter bird-feeding observations to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology — before and after the six-month FeederWatch season. They measured well-being using a common mental well-being questionnaire and later asked participants to reflect on how feeding and observing birds had affected them.

At the end of the season, 95% of people said feeding and observing birds had affected their well-being positively. By comparison, 55% said other events in their lives had a positive effect over the same period.

Emotions were the most common way that people felt feeding and observing birds impacted their well-being. People described feeling joy, gratitude, hope, and calm when they fed birds. Some said watching birds helped reduce stress or gave them something positive to focus on during difficult periods, such as illness or experiencing a death in the family.

Others described engagement in the activity. Watching feeders sparked curiosity, held their attention or helped them build bird-identification skills.

People also shared the sense of meaning they gained from participating in feeding. Some people felt they were helping birds or contributing to science through Project FeederWatch. Others described a stronger connection to nature or to family members who watched birds with them.

The findings deepen our understanding of the human impacts of an activity that can both benefit and create risks for birds. Feeders can contribute to disease transmission, predation, and window collisions, depending on how they are managed.

“We know there may be risks, as well as benefits, for birds from feeding, but we also know this activity can be an important way for people to connect with nature,” said Ashley Dayer, a professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment. “Understanding more about those human well-being impacts helps us support wildlife agencies in taking a more measured approach and, rather than dismissing bird feeding, instead thinking about how people can feed birds responsibly while reducing risks to wildlife.”

“We encourage people who want to feed birds to check out guidance from Project FeederWatch and other experts on how to do so safely,” Langhans said. “Practices like regularly cleaning feeders, keeping cats indoors, and collision-proofing windows can do a lot to mitigate risks to birds.”

Those who are interested in learning can view guidelines from Project FeederWatch here.

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation and later by the Fralin Life Sciences Institute at Virginia Tech.

Original study: DOI: 10.1007/s13280-026-02471-2

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Journal

AMBIO

DOI

10.1007/s13280-026-02471-2 

Article Title

“It's a good reason to get up every morning!”: Perspectives on how feeding and observing birds affects people’s wellbeing

Article Publication Date

2-Sep-2026

 

Carilion Clinic researcher receives NIH award to study use of psychedelics to treat cocaine addiction

Initial award could grow to $3.5 million to support larger clinical research phase

Carilion Clinic

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Albert Arias, MD, chief of addiction psychiatry at Carilion Clinic, has received an award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to research how psilocybin, a psychedelic compound being studied for several psychiatric and substance use disorders, can offer a new approach for people with cocaine use disorder.

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Credit: Courtesy Carilion Clinic

Albert Arias, MD, chief of addiction psychiatry at Carilion Clinic, has received an award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to research how psilocybin, a psychedelic compound being studied for several psychiatric and substance use disorders, can offer a new approach for people with cocaine use disorder.

The initial $623,000 award is part of a phased project to evaluate whether psilocybin can help reduce cocaine use when administered in a carefully controlled clinical research setting combined with structured psychotherapy. Subsequent funding to support the larger clinical phase of the research could bring the total award to $3.5 million.

“Cocaine use disorder can have devastating consequences for patients, their families and communities, yet we still do not have an FDA-approved medication to treat it,” Arias said. “This study gives us an opportunity to rigorously investigate a promising but still experimental approach and determine whether it may ultimately have a role in helping patients reduce or stop cocaine use.”

The research comes amid growing scientific interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds. Previous research has suggested possible benefits of psychedelic-assisted treatment for conditions including alcohol and nicotine use disorders, but clinical research involving stimulant use disorders remains limited.

The first phase of research will examine safety, tolerability, feasibility, dosing, and early signals of efficacy. If successful, the project will move into a larger clinical trial designed to test efficacy and better understand why some patients may respond better than others.

The NIDA award expands Carilion’s growing research in addiction psychiatry and reflects the health system’s commitment to investigating new approaches for patients affected by substance use disorders.

“Research is especially important when patients and clinicians have limited treatment options,” Arias said. “Our goal is not to assume that psilocybin works, but to ask the question carefully, scientifically and safely. If we find evidence of benefit, it could provide the foundation for larger studies and, eventually, new treatment options.”

Carilion Clinic is a nationally recognized health system based in Roanoke, Va., advancing the health of communities in Virginia and surrounding states through comprehensive patient care, education and research. The health system includes 7 hospitals, more than 250 physician practices and a range of health and wellness services. Through partnerships with premier institutions such as Virginia Tech and Radford University, Carilion trains tomorrow's clinicians, discovers new treatments and techniques, and enhances patient care.

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Children’s suicide-related emergency visits spiked by 74% in the US between 2016-2022

Half occurred in hospitals that often lack specialized resources to care for kids in mental health crises

Northwestern University

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• Study represented more than 5 million emergency visits for mental health concerns 
• Authors stress all EDs need additional training, access to pediatric mental health professionals, and should universally screen all children for risk of suicide 
• EDs can access free toolkits to help care for children with mental health needs

CHICAGO --- Emergency visits by children with suicide-related crises increased by 74% between 2016 and 2022, according to a new study from scientists at Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

The study represented more than 5 million emergency department (ED) visits for mental health concerns by U.S. children in the six-year period. About half of suicide-related ED visits — and half of all children’s mental health ED visits — occurred in hospitals with lower pediatric volume (under 10,000 annually). A child experiencing a mental health crisis may arrive at any emergency department, and many are not prepared to care for children with acute mental health needs, the study authors said. 

“Our findings underscore the need to equip every ED — not only large pediatric centers — with tools and resources to provide evidence-based mental health care,” said lead author Dr. Audrey Brewer, assistant professor of advanced pediatrics and primary care at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Strengthening mental and behavioral health capacity across all emergency care settings is essential to ensuring children receive timely, effective and equitable care.”

The study was published Sept. 3 in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Brewer, who also is a pediatrician and researcher at Lurie Children’s, stressed that all EDs need additional training and access to pediatric mental health professionals, either onsite or via telehealth, as well as linkage to follow-up care. Additionally, she said every ED also needs to offer universal suicide screening for children, regardless of if they come in for a mental health concern. And if there are concerns, EDs should provide families with a clear plan to help keep their child safe at home. 

The study analyzed ED visits among children ages 5-17 with a primary mental health diagnosis, using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database. 

Additional findings:

• All pediatric mental health-related ED visits increased by 24% during the study period
• Suicide-related ED visits increased 74% during the study period
• The most frequent mental health diagnosis groups were suicide or self-injury (24%) and depressive disorders (23%)
• Indigenous children were more likely to come to EDs with lower pediatric volume
• Youth with substance use concerns were seen more often at lower pediatric volume EDs
• At EDs with the lowest pediatric volume, close to 30% of children seen for mental health conditions were transferred to other hospitals to receive definitive care

“Transfer to another hospital for pediatric mental health care often means a prolonged wait in the ED, sometimes lasting days, increasing the burden on children and their families,” said senior author Dr. Jennifer Hoffmann, assistant professor of pediatric emergency medicine and medical social sciences at Feinberg and a pediatric emergency medicine physician and researcher at Lurie Children’s. “Toolkits are readily available to help EDs care for children with mental health needs, especially while kids wait for a transfer to another facility.” 

Hoffmann said EDs across the country can access the New England Regional Behavioral Health Toolkit, as well as the National Pediatric Readiness Project, to improve the care provided to children, including youth with mental and behavioral health conditions.

“To improve care, ED-based mental health interventions need to be developed and tested for children of color, since many have not been studied in diverse populations,” Brewer said. “Delivering culturally responsive, evidence-based interventions for children in the community and outpatient primary care settings can help to potentially lessen ED reliance for mental health care and may help reduce disparities in youth mental health outcomes.”

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Journal

Annals of Emergency Medicine

DOI

10.1016/j.annemergmed.2026.07.015 

Article Title

Childhood Mental Health-Related Visits and Emergency Department Pediatric Volume in the United States, 2016 to 2022

Article Publication Date

3-Sep-2026

Children’s suicide-related emergency visits spiked by 74% in U.S.

Half occurred in hospitals with lower pediatric volume that often lack specialized resources to care for kids in mental health crises

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

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Emergency visits by children with suicide-related crises increased by 74%, according to a study representing over 5 million emergency department (ED) visits for mental health concerns by U.S. children from 2016 to 2022. About half of suicide-related ED visits – and half of all children’s mental health ED visits – occurred in hospitals with lower pediatric volume (under 10,000 annually). These EDs often are not prepared to care for children with acute mental health needs. The study was published in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

“A child experiencing a mental health crisis may arrive at any emergency department. Our findings underscore the need to equip every ED – not only large pediatric centers – with tools and resources to provide evidence-based mental health care,” said lead author Audrey Brewer, MD, MPH, a pediatrician and researcher at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Strengthening mental and behavioral health capacity across all emergency care settings is essential to ensuring children receive timely, effective and equitable care.”

She stressed that all EDs need additional training and access to pediatric mental health professionals, either onsite or via telehealth, as well as linkage to follow-up care. Every ED also needs to offer universal suicide screening for children, and if there are concerns, families should be provided with a clear plan to help keep their child safe at home.

Dr. Brewer and colleagues analyzed ED visits among children aged 5-17 years with a primary mental health diagnosis, using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database.

Highlights of the findings:

• Pediatric mental health-related ED visits increased by 24% during the study period.
• The most frequent mental health diagnosis groups were suicide or self-injury (24%) and depressive disorders (23%).
• Indigenous children were more likely to come to EDs with lower pediatric volume.
• Youth with substance use concerns were seen more often at lower pediatric volume EDs.
• At EDs with the lowest pediatric volume, close to 30% of children seen for mental health conditions were transferred to other hospitals to receive definitive care.

“Transfer to another hospital for pediatric mental health care often means a prolonged wait in the ED, sometimes lasting days, increasing the burden on children and their families,” said senior author Jennifer Hoffmann, MD, MS, pediatric emergency medicine physician and researcher at Lurie Children’s and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Toolkits are readily available to help EDs care for children with mental health needs, especially while kids wait for a transfer to another facility.”

Dr. Hoffmann referred to the New England Regional Behavioral Health Toolkit, as well as the National Pediatric Readiness Project that EDs across the country can join to improve the care they provide children, including youth with mental and behavioral health conditions.

“To improve care, ED-based mental health interventions need to be developed and tested for children of color, since many have not been studied in diverse populations,” added Dr. Brewer. “Delivering culturally responsive evidence-based interventions for children in the community and outpatient primary care settings can help to potentially lessen ED reliance for mental health care and may help reduce disparities in youth mental health outcomes.”

 

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is the only independent, research-driven children’s hospital in Illinois and one of less than 35 nationally. This is where the top doctors go to train, practice pediatric medicine, teach, advocate, research and stay up to date on the latest treatments. Exclusively focused on children, all Lurie Children’s resources are devoted to serving their needs. Research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Emergency medicine-focused research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through the Grainger Research Program in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.  

 

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Journal

Annals of Emergency Medicine

DOI

10.1016/j.annemergmed.2026.07.015 

 

Ambient-dried bamboo fiber foam combines electromagnetic shielding with thermal protection

A multiscale cellulose network reinforced with carbon nanotubes and polyaniline delivers shielding, flame retardancy, thermal insulation and electrically driven heating in one lightweight foam

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

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A multiscale cellulose network reinforced with carbon nanotubes and polyaniline delivers shielding, flame retardancy, thermal insulation and electrically driven heating in one lightweight foam

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Credit: Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China hybian1992@njfu.edu.cn.

The growing use of wireless electronics and high-frequency technologies has increased the demand for materials that can simultaneously manage electromagnetic interference, heat and fire. However, many high-performance porous materials depend on freeze-drying or solvent-exchange processes, which increase energy consumption and complicate large-scale manufacturing. The new work addresses this processing challenge by using bamboo fiber as the structural framework and combining it with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils and multiwalled carbon nanotubes.

The preparation relies on a multiscale assembly strategy. TOCNFs help disperse MWCNTs throughout the bamboo fiber network, while hydrogen bonding, fiber entanglement and Zn2+-mediated crosslinking reinforce the porous framework. Ice templating is used to establish the cellular structure, after which aniline is polymerized in situ to form a polyaniline network. This interconnected structure allows the resulting foam to retain its shape during ambient drying, avoiding the severe collapse normally caused by capillary forces during water evaporation. The authors report that the energy cost of ambient drying was only 1.23% of that required for freeze-drying.

The optimized Zn-P3M4BC1 foam showed an electrical conductivity of 101.7 S/m and an EMI shielding effectiveness of 61.56 dB in the X-band. Its lightweight architecture also delivered an SSE/d value of 2,375.2 dB cm2/g. Beyond electromagnetic protection, the foam exhibited a limiting oxygen index of 56.8% and a peak heat release rate of only 20.71 W/g. Its thermal conductivity remained as low as 0.085 W/(m·K).

The conductive network further enabled Joule heating. Under an applied voltage of 5 V, the foam reached approximately 166.8 °C and maintained a stable temperature of 167 ± 2 °C for 900 seconds. Demonstrations also showed that the material could mask the infrared signatures of heated objects and provide electrically assisted deicing. The study therefore presents ambient drying as a practical route toward lightweight cellulose foams that combine electromagnetic shielding with thermal protection and active thermal functions.

 

See the article:

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobab.2026.100299

Original Source URL

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S236996982600071

Journal

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

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Journal

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

DOI

10.1016/j.jobab.2026.100299 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Scalable Polyaniline-Bridged Multifunctional Bamboo Fiber/Carbon Nanotubes Composite Foam via Ambient Drying for Thermal Protection and Electromagnetic Shielding

Article Publication Date

2-Sep-2026

Dynamic electrostatic cladding-spun core–shell photothermal yarns for sustainable solar-driven water-electricity cogeneration

Tsinghua University Press

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The dynamic electrostatic cladding-spinning strategy uses high-modulus stainless-steel wire as the core and uniformly coats a polymer shell containing carbon-based photothermal components onto the core surface, forming continuous and stable core-shell photothermal yarns. Scanning electron microscopy and elemental mapping show that PM-1.35 has a regular fibrous network and uniformly distributed photothermal particles.

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Credit: Nano Research, Tsinghua University Press

Freshwater scarcity is one of the key challenges facing global sustainable development. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation uses clean, low-cost solar energy to generate localized heating at the water-air interface, offering potential for seawater desalination, wastewater purification, and distributed water supply. In recent years, two-dimensional photothermal fabrics and membrane materials have attracted attention because they are lightweight, flexible, and easy to process. However, during practical outdoor operations, they still face issues such as coating delamination, cracking after repeated bending, insufficient mechanical strength, and difficulty in effectively localizing heat, which restrict their long-term stable application.

To address these bottlenecks, the team from the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Shaanxi University of Science and Technology and Functional Inorganic Materials Energy Conversion Laboratory started from “yarn” as a continuously processable and weave-integrable material unit. They designed a dynamic electrostatic cladding-spinning strategy that integrates a high-strength mechanical skeleton, a photothermal conversion shell, and thermoelectric waste-heat recovery into a single yarn platform.

 

Research Highlights

The PM-series core-shell photothermal yarns developed in this study use high-modulus stainless-steel wire as the load-bearing core and a polymer shell containing carbon-based photothermal components as the outer layer. Through dual-channel injection, high-speed rotational cladding, and continuous winding, the photothermal outer layer is uniformly and densely anchored onto the metal core, forming a stable core-shell heterostructure. The hierarchical micro-/nanostructure on the yarn surface extends the propagation and scattering paths of light within the material, thereby enhancing broadband absorption. Meanwhile, the crosslinked interpenetrating network provides continuous pathways for stress transfer, structural stability, and electron transport.

The PM-1.35 photothermal yarn combines high mechanical strength with excellent photothermal performance. A single yarn reaches a maximum tensile strength of 3692 MPa, can be knotted and used to bear weight, and remains structurally intact after repeated folding at liquid-nitrogen temperature, demonstrating outstanding resistance to embrittlement and crack propagation. Under 1 sun irradiation, PM-1.35 reaches a stable photothermal temperature of 78.4 °C. When used for solar-driven interfacial evaporation, it achieves an evaporation rate of 2.18 kg m-2 h-1 and an evaporation efficiency of 89.6%. After 40 consecutive cycling tests, the evaporation rate remains at 2.19 ± 0.05 kg m-2 h-1, confirming good long-term operational stability.

More importantly, the team further integrated the photothermal yarns with commercial thermoelectric modules, converting low-grade waste heat that would otherwise be lost during evaporation into electrical energy. In thermoelectric tests, the system reached a maximum open-circuit voltage of 150.3 mV. Under 1 sun evaporation-cogeneration conditions, the PM-1.35 device stably outputs 40.3 ± 0.6 mV and 4.83 ± 0.24 mA, realizing synergistic clean-water production and thermoelectric power generation.

This work is not simply about increasing the surface temperature of photothermal material. Instead, it couples yarn architecture, mechanical reliability, interfacial evaporation, and waste-heat recovery within one material system. This continuously manufacturable core-shell photothermal yarn is expected to provide a weavable and integrable platform for outdoor desalination, distributed water supply, and low-grade thermal-energy utilization.

 

Research Group or Author Profile

This study was completed by the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, and the Functional Inorganic Materials Energy Conversion Laboratory. The team focuses on the design and synthesis of hybrid azolate frameworks, solar-driven interfacial evaporation, and water-electricity cogeneration devices. It is committed to developing high-performance functional materials and integrated systems for clean-water acquisition, solar-energy utilization, and low-grade heat recovery.

The paper, titled “Dynamic electrostatic cladding spun core- shell photothermal yarns for sustainable solar-driven water-electricity cogeneration,” was published in Nano Research on July 16, 2026. Kaiping Tian and Bokun Wang are co-first authors; Bokun Wang, Guiqiang Fei, and Wenhuan Huang are corresponding authors. This work provides a new technical route for the design of high-strength, long-life, multifunctionally integrated photothermal evaporation devices.

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Shaanxi Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi Province, the Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi Province, the Key Laboratory Project of the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education, and the Xi’an Science and Technology Plan Project.

 

 

DOI Link:

https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2026.94908937

 

About Nano Research

Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 8,000 articles. In 2025 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2025 IF is 9.4 (8.3, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.

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Journal

Nano Research

DOI

10.26599/NR.2026.94908937 

Article Title

Dynamic electrostatic cladding spun core-shell photothermal yarns for sustainable solar-driven water-electricity cogeneration