Data on sexual orientation and gender is critical to public health – without it, health crises continue unnoticed

The Trump administration’s CDC data purge means researchers can no longer effectively track and address health issues affecting LGBTQ+ people – and ultimately society as a whole.

John R. Blosnich, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Southern California • conversation
June 13, 2025 • ~6 min

Museums have tons of data, and AI could make it more accessible − but standardizing and organizing it across fields won’t be easy

Every field has its own standard for what data gets recorded for specimens archived in a museum collection, which can make research difficult.

Bradley Wade Bishop, Professor of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee • conversation
March 17, 2025 • ~7 min

The 27 Club isn’t true, but it is real − a sociologist explains why myths endure and how they shape reality

Famous musicians and artists aren’t necessarily more likely to die at 27. But the story that they do shapes how we perceive history and reality.

Zackary Okun Dunivin, Postdoctoral Fellow in Communication, University of California, Davis • conversation
Nov. 4, 2024 • ~7 min

Returning a 170-year-old preserved lizard to Jamaica is a step toward redressing colonial harms

Not all reparations involve money. Returning unique scientific resources is also a way of showing respect and righting past harms.

Thera Edwards, Lecturer in Geography and Map Curator, The University of the West Indies • conversation
June 3, 2024 • ~11 min

Coin Collection to be Sold 100 Years after Owner’s Death
VOA Learning English • voa
May 20, 2024 • ~5 min

‘Swarm of one’ robot is a single machine made up of independent modules

‘Loopy’ is a multicellular robot inspired by biology and designed to react to its environment without instructions on how to do so.

Trevor Smith, PhD Candidate in Mechanical Engineering, West Virginia University • conversation
Feb. 26, 2024 • ~5 min

Data brokers know everything about you – what FTC case against ad tech giant Kochava reveals

It’s no surprise that corporations harvest vast amounts of data about people, but documents in an FTC lawsuit detail the stunning amount that data brokers know about you and everyone else.

Anne Toomey McKenna, Visiting Professor of Law, University of Richmond • conversation
Jan. 12, 2024 • ~10 min

The psychology of climate negotiations: How to move countries from national self-interest to global collective action

Negotiating global progress on climate change involves walking a fine line, as a former UN official explains.

Asif Husain-Naviatti, Visiting Fellow in International Climate Governance, Columbia University • conversation
Nov. 27, 2023 • ~9 min

How climate negotiators turn national self-interest into global collective action

Negotiating global progress on climate change involves walking a fine line, as a former UN official explains.

Asif Husain-Naviatti, Visiting Fellow in International Climate Governance, Columbia University • conversation
Nov. 27, 2023 • ~9 min

Take a break from your screen and look at plants − botanizing is a great way to engage with life around you

Botanizing is the practice of observing and appreciating plant life. Two plant scientists explain how it benefits people and the planet.

Ben Goulet-Scott, Higher Education & Laboratory Coordinator at Harvard Forest, Harvard University • conversation
Sept. 20, 2023 • ~9 min

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