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Public health surveillance, from social media to sewage, spots disease outbreaks early to stop them fast

  • Written by John Duah, Assistant Professor of Health Services Administration, Auburn University
imageHealth officials work to connect the dots during the early stages of an outbreak.Maxiphoto/iStock via Getty Images Plus

A cluster of people talking on social media about their mysterious rashes. A sudden die-off of birds at a nature preserve. A big bump in patients showing up to a city’s hospital emergency rooms.

These are the kinds of events...

Read more: Public health surveillance, from social media to sewage, spots disease outbreaks early to stop...

Fast fashion may seem cheap, but it’s taking a costly toll on the planet − and on millions of young customers

  • Written by Paula M. Carbone, Professor of Clinical Education, University of Southern California
imageMany shopping malls frequented by young people are dominated by fast-fashion retailers.Rober Solsona/Europa Press via Getty Images

Fast fashion is everywhere – in just about every mall, in the feeds of influencers on social media promoting overconsumption, and in ads constantly popping up online.

Its focus on the continual production of new...

Read more: Fast fashion may seem cheap, but it’s taking a costly toll on the planet − and on millions of...

What would it mean if President-elect Trump dismantled the US Department of Education?

  • Written by Kevin Welner, Professor of Education Policy & Law; Director of the National Education Policy Center, University of Colorado Boulder
imageRepublicans have sought to destroy the Education Department almost since its inception. Greggory DiSalvo via Getty Images

In her role as former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment, Linda McMahon oversaw an enterprise that popularized the “takedown” for millions of wrestling fans. But as President-elect Donald Trump’s n...

Read more: What would it mean if President-elect Trump dismantled the US Department of Education?

Atmospheric river meets bomb cyclone: The result is like a fire hose flailing out of control

  • Written by Chad Hecht, Research and Operations Meteorologist, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, University of California, San Diego
imageAn atmospheric river feeds into a bomb cyclone off the U.S. West Coast on Nov. 19, 2024.NOAA GOES

The West Coast’s rainy season has arrived in force, as an atmospheric river carrying moisture from the tropics joins a bomb cyclone off the Pacific Northwest coast. Heavy, wet snow began falling in the mountains on Nov. 19, 2024, and bursts of...

Read more: Atmospheric river meets bomb cyclone: The result is like a fire hose flailing out of control

When an atmospheric river meets a bomb cyclone, it’s like a fire hose flailing out of control along the West Coast

  • Written by Chad Hecht, Research and Operations Meteorologist, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, University of California, San Diego
imageA satellite image shows an atmospheric river feeding into a bomb cyclone off the U.S. West Coast on Nov. 19, 2024.NOAA GOES

The West Coast’s rainy season has arrived in force, with an atmospheric river joining a bomb cyclone off the Pacific Northwest coast. Heavy, wet snow began falling in the mountains on Nov. 19, 2024, and rain has been...

Read more: When an atmospheric river meets a bomb cyclone, it’s like a fire hose flailing out of control...

‘For the very first time I really enjoyed sex!’ − how lesbian escort agencies became a form of self-care in Japan

  • Written by Marta Fanasca, Marie Curie Global Fellow, Università di Bologna
imageSince 2007, the Lesbian Girls Club has arranged meetups between its sex workers and female clients at hotels in Japan. RealPeopleGroup/iStock via Getty Images

In Japanese society, prostitution is often framed as a necessary evil – a way to maintain social harmony by providing men with an outlet for their pent-up sexual desires.

While there are...

Read more: ‘For the very first time I really enjoyed sex!’ − how lesbian escort agencies became a form of...

Transplanting insulin-making cells to treat Type 1 diabetes is challenging − but stem cells offer a potential improvement

  • Written by Vinny Negi, Research Scientist in Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Pittsburgh
imageThe islets of Langerhans play a crucial role in blood sugar regulation.Fayette A Reynolds/Berkshire Community College Bioscience Image Library via Flickr

Diabetes develops when the body fails to manage its blood glucose levels. One form of diabetes causes the body to not respond to insulin at all. Called Type 1 diabetes, or T1D, this autoimmune...

Read more: Transplanting insulin-making cells to treat Type 1 diabetes is challenging − but stem cells offer...

Should I worry about mold growing in my home?

  • Written by Nicholas Money, Professor of Biology, Miami University
imageMold growths are common in homes, and unless the damage is widespread, they usually aren't harmful. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Mold growth in your home can be unsettling. Blackened spots and dusty patches on the walls are signs that something is amiss, but it is important to distinguish between mold growth that is a nuisance and mold growth that may be...

Read more: Should I worry about mold growing in my home?

Young families are leaving many large US cities − here’s why that matters

  • Written by Biswa Das, Associate Professor of Community and Regional Planning and Extension Economist, Iowa State University
imageParents and educators rally at Boston City Hall demanding urgent action to improve the city's public schools. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Young families with children are a shrinking part of the U.S. population in many areas. The decline is especially pronounced in major urban centers, including Boston, San Francisco, New York,...

Read more: Young families are leaving many large US cities − here’s why that matters

3 strategies to help Americans bridge the deepening partisan divide

  • Written by Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University - Newark
imageWhat can be done to lessen political polarization in the U.S.? A few nonprofit organizations are trying to amplify their methods to tone town the temperature. Rob Dobi/Getty Images

Is it possible to bridge America’s stark political divisions?

In the wake of a presidential election that many feared could tear the U.S. apart, this question is...

Read more: 3 strategies to help Americans bridge the deepening partisan divide

More Articles ...

  1. 75 years ago, Maria Tallchief made the ballet world reimagine itself and find a place for a Native American prima ballerina
  2. Blurry, morphing and surreal – a new AI aesthetic is emerging in film
  3. Companies are still committing to net-zero emissions, even if it’s a bumpy road – here’s what the data show
  4. Legal complications await if OpenAI tries to shake off control by the nonprofit that owns the rapidly growing tech company
  5. Trump’s agenda will face hurdles in Congress, despite the Republican ‘trifecta’ of winning the House, Senate and White House
  6. Why does the Senate confirm Trump’s picks for key posts — and how? A legal scholar explains the confirmation process and the ‘constitutional loophole’ of recess appointments
  7. An 83-year-old short story by Borges portends a bleak future for the internet
  8. Carbon offsets can help bring energy efficiency to low-income Americans − our Nashville data shows it could be a win for everyone
  9. Workplace diversity training programs are everywhere, but their effectiveness varies widely
  10. Black entrepreneurs are often shut out from capital, but here’s how some are removing barriers
  11. Climate change is encouraging unsanitary toilet practices among vulnerable communities
  12. Rethinking screen time: A better understanding of what people do on their devices is key to digital well-being
  13. The ‘Death Mother’: Horror’s most unnerving villain
  14. What Ukraine can now do with longer-range US missiles − and how that could affect the course of the war
  15. Trump’s criminal conviction won’t stop him from getting security clearance as president
  16. Americans face an insurability crisis as climate change worsens disasters – a look at how insurance companies set rates and coverage
  17. Robo price-fixing: Why the Justice Department is suing a software company to stop landlords colluding on rents
  18. From using plant rinds to high-tech materials, bike helmets have improved significantly over the past 2 centuries
  19. Why school police officers may not be the most effective way to prevent violence
  20. Philadelphia students have a new reading and writing curriculum − a literacy expert explains what’s changing
  21. Donor-advised funds are drawing a lot of assets besides cash – taking a bigger bite out of tax revenue than other kinds of charitable giving
  22. Why do I feel better when I wake myself up instead of relying on an alarm? A neurologist explains the science of a restful night’s sleep
  23. Dorothy Allison was an authentic voice for the poor, capturing the beauty, humor and pain of working-class life in America
  24. Populist podcasters love RFK, Jr., and he took the same left-right turn toward Trump as they did
  25. Better but not stellar: Pollsters faced familiar complaints, difficulties in assessing Trump-Harris race
  26. Campus diversity is becoming difficult to measure as students keep their race and ethnicity hidden on college applications
  27. Saltwater flooding is a serious fire threat for EVs and other devices with lithium-ion batteries
  28. Knee problems tend to flare up as you age – an orthopedic specialist explains available treatment options
  29. As the Taurid meteor shower passes by Earth, pseudoscience rains down – and obscures a potential real threat from space
  30. Get chronic UTIs? Future treatments may add more bacteria to your bladder to beat back harmful microbes
  31. Indonesia president’s diplomatic dash takes in China and US − but a Trump presidency may see the aspiring regional powerhouse tilt more toward Beijing
  32. Untreated sewage and fertilizer runoff threaten the Florida manatee’s main food source, contributing to malnutrition
  33. Campuses are ground zero in debates about antisemitism − but that’s been true for 100 years
  34. Republican lawmakers will reshape tax policy in 2025 — a tax expert explains what to expect
  35. 3 innovative ways to help countries hit by climate disasters, beyond a loss and damage fund
  36. Hundreds of 19th-century skulls collected in the name of medical science tell a story of who mattered and who didn’t
  37. Federal judge rules that Louisiana shalt not require public schools to post the Ten Commandments
  38. Poor teacher training partly to blame for stalled engineering diversity goals
  39. Asking ChatGPT vs Googling: Can AI chatbots boost human creativity?
  40. Brain-training games remain unproven, but research shows what sorts of activities do benefit cognitive functioning
  41. One election victory does not make a new era in American politics − here’s what history shows
  42. Informal safety nets help many Americans with expenses – people at all income levels benefit from this ‘financial interdependence’
  43. US states are finally starting to put in place protections for the kids of family vloggers
  44. Weight loss plans are less effective for many Black women − because existing ones often don’t meet their unique needs
  45. Mothers, metaphors and dyslexia: What language reveals about the challenges of a child’s learning disability
  46. Socioeconomic status explains most of the racial and ethnic achievement gaps in elementary school
  47. In hundreds of communities across the US, finding a dentist is like pulling teeth − but in 14 states, dental therapists are filling the gap
  48. Countries spend huge sums on fossil fuel subsidies – why they’re so hard to eliminate
  49. 3 reasons why a Trump White House might not be a disaster for Ukraine − in fact, it might tighten the screws on Russia
  50. Racism is such a touchy topic that many US educators avoid it – we are college professors who tackled that challenge head on