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Mega-whale driven decentralized lending protocols
(Springer, 2026) Sun, Xiaotong; Stasinakis, Charalampos; Sermpinis, Georgios
This study examines systemic risks in decentralized lending protocols stemming from “mega-whales”—large users with transaction volumes exceeding $100 million—who dominate liquidity dynamics. Using high-frequency transaction-level data from major protocols (Aave v2/v3, Compound v2/v3, Morpho Blue, Flux, and SparkLend) spanning August 2024 to August 2025, we identify 550 mega-whales and analyze their impacts across market size, structural risks, and user activity. Key findings reveal the following: (1) The net growth in both mega-whale deposits and borrowing is negatively correlated with the market-size dynamics of lending protocols, while arbitrage-driven behaviors (such as token diversification and platform switching) further fragment the growth of Total Value Locked (TVL); (2) Although whale borrowing serves to temporarily stabilize leverage ratios, deposit activities may adversely impact systemic stability; however, an increase in mega-whale deposits is found to positively stimulate the growth and participation of unique depositors; (3) Utilizing event-window controls around DeFi shocks, we confirm that these effects are strongly associated with mega-whale activities rather than market-wide events. These results point to participation patterns that may be inconsistent with DeFi’s egalitarian ethos, suggesting that economic concentration could influence market dynamics.
Science to inform monitoring and training load in athletes: Past, present, future
(Sports Medicine New Zealand, 2025) Smith, Tiaki Brett
Presentation from the Sports Medicine New Zealand Conference 2025.
Beyond living memory: Why past rainfall extremes misrepresent future risk
(University of Waikato, 2026) Harrington, Luke; McAleer, Annabel; McMaster, Rebecca
Relying on historical observations of rainfall means we underestimate the risk of future, unprecedented extreme rainfall events across New Zealand. Society tends to adapt only to the most extreme events experienced within living memory, which compounds this problem and leaves communities under-prepared. This research finds the range of plausible future rainfall events is far wider than the historical record suggests. Decision-makers must plan for extreme rainfall despite this uncertainty, with confidence that events will become more intense and frequent under climate change.
Dąmbska’s precisification of absolute truth through the concept of language
(Springer, 2026) Ulatowski, Joseph W.
Izydora Dąmbska has argued that since the concept of language is constructed within a language, the concept of truth cannot be exhausted by a choice between the different theories of truth, i.e., correspondence, coherence, or pragmatic. The aim of this paper is to show how Dąmbska’s distinction between the concept and property of truth gives rise to an absolute notion of truth. To achieve this aim, I begin in Section C with a brief history of the problem of truth in the Lvov-Warsaw School. In Section G, I turn to a discussion of the women philosophers in the Lvov-Warsaw School, specifically Kokoszyńska and Dąmbska, who offered novel analyses of the nature of truth. This section permits me to turn in Section J to Dąmbska’s concept of language and how that concept paves the way for a clear distinction between the concept and property of truth. Given that Dąmbska’s work does this, we see relatively immediately how an absolute notion of truth may arise from that distinction and how she carries on the tradition of defending truth against relativistic encroachment.
Beyond the technology: Wearables and the cultural compass
(IEEE, 2024) Owen, Mahonri; König, Jemma Lynette; Head, Mitchell; Hoskens, Merel Cornelie Janna; Sullivan, Katie; Miller, Jadon; Keegan, Te Taka Adrian Gregory
For professionals involved in human interaction and technology usage, engaging with individuals constitutes an integral aspect of our responsibilities. When conducting any form of user study, it becomes crucial to thoroughly examine potential ethical or cultural biases that may exist within us, our data, or our methodologies. Although this consideration is not novel, the integration of wearable technology has introduced new dimensions to user studies that may not have been previously apparent. In this article, we identify cultural factors that need to be taken into account when operating in culturally significant spaces. This is achieved through a user study centred around wearable technology. Cultural considerations revolve around the awareness required for participants' cultural back-grounds and the treatment of their data within this cultural context. This article highlights the need to consider not only usability and commodification, but also the value in returning to foundational theories that underpin this research field. While many of us partake in the feast of innovation and progress, the time has come to strive for a more equitable instrumentation and measurement research landscape. We propose that in situations where cultural and racial differences influence participant expectations and technical outcomes, it is no longer acceptable or appropriate to continue in research without actively investigating the associated cultural factors.