Looser standards for showerheads could send a lot of water and money down the drain

The Trump administration is trying to roll back a regulation that requires showerheads to conserve water and saves owners an average of $70 and nearly 3,000 gallons of water yearly per showerhead.

Robert Glennon, Regents Professor and Morris K. Udall Professor of Law & Public Policy, University of Arizona • conversation
Sept. 2, 2020 • ~8 min

Will the new 15-minute COVID-19 test solve US testing problems?

The new BinaxNOW antigen test is quick, easy, accurate and cheap. It could solve the US testing problem, but the emergency use authorization only allows people with COVID-19 symptoms to get tested.

Zoë McLaren, Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
Sept. 1, 2020 • ~6 min

Trump greenlights drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but will oil companies show up?

The Trump administration is opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas leasing – a step that's as much about politics as it is about energy.

Scott L. Montgomery, Lecturer, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington • conversation
Aug. 21, 2020 • ~9 min

Rapid screening tests that prioritize speed over accuracy could be key to ending the coronavirus pandemic

Testing large numbers of people regularly would reduce the spread of the coronavirus in the US. Laboratory testing is slow and expensive, but rapid screening tests could be the answer.

Zoë McLaren, Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County • conversation
Aug. 14, 2020 • ~9 min

The Fed's independence helped it save the US economy in 2008 – the CDC needs the same authority today

The Trump administration has revised CDC health guidelines and undermined its own experts, making it harder for science to prevail over politics in US's coronavirus strategy.

Mitchel Y. Abolafia, Professor Of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, State University of New York • conversation
July 15, 2020 • ~8 min

MIT announces plans for fall 2020 semester

Extensive safety protocols will undergird the return of additional students and staff to campus.

Peter Dizikes | MIT News Office • mit
July 7, 2020 • ~19 min

Conservation could create jobs post-pandemic

The Trump administration is rolling back environmental regulations, claiming it's good for the economy. But research shows that conservation is better both for public health and for job creation.

Heidi Peltier, Research Professor in Political Science; Faculty Research Fellow at the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, Boston University • conversation
June 18, 2020 • ~6 min

Could pressure for COVID-19 drugs lead the FDA to lower its standards?

The FDA has sped up its approval process for coronavirus treatments, creating a new division to expedite the regulatory process. But is safety being sidelined for speed?

Leigh Turner, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics, School of Public Health, & College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota • conversation
June 10, 2020 • ~10 min

Cuba's clean rivers show the benefits of reducing nutrient pollution

Cuba's sustainable approach to farming has protected its rivers from the kind of nutrient pollution that impairs many US waterways.

Amanda H. Schmidt, Associate Professor of Geology, Oberlin College and Conservatory • conversation
June 10, 2020 • ~9 min

What needs to go right to get a coronavirus vaccine in 12-18 months

Vaccine development is usually a long process. The coronavirus pandemic is forcing researchers to innovate and test potential vaccines faster than ever before.

Marcos E. García-Ojeda, Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced • conversation
May 8, 2020 • ~10 min

/

32