How the Texas electricity system produced low-cost power but left residents out in the cold
The Texas electric power market is designed to give energy companies incentive to sell electricity at the lowest possible cost. That focus helps explain why it collapsed during a historic cold wave.
Feb. 18, 2021 • ~9 min
Citizen scientists are filling research gaps created by the pandemic
COVID-19 kept many scientists from doing field research in 2020, which means that important records will have data gaps. But volunteers are helping to plug some of those holes.
Feb. 3, 2021 • ~10 min
What is food insecurity?
A food policy researcher helps make sense of the lexicon of US food policy terms, and explains how they relate to racial justice.
Feb. 2, 2021 • ~8 min
4 signs that food pantries improve the diets of low-income people
The boxes and bags people get from food pantries contain healthier food than you might suspect.
Dec. 17, 2020 • ~6 min
A hospital that prescribes free nutritious food to families who need more than medical care
Dayton Children’s Hospital has begun to screen patients and their families for food insecurity, referring many of them to its 'Food Pharm.'
Dec. 14, 2020 • ~3 min
Buying a coronavirus vaccine for everyone on earth, storing and shipping it, and giving it safely will all be hard and expensive
Side agreements signed by some wealthy nations threaten to undercut global efforts to ensure a fairly equitable worldwide vaccination effort.
Nov. 10, 2020 • ~8 min
The pitfalls of hospitals seeking donations from their rich patients
A survey suggests that most Americans feel that discussions about charitable support may interfere with the relationship between doctors and their patients.
Nov. 2, 2020 • ~4 min
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma may settle legal claims with a new 'public trust' that would still be dedicated to profit
The government has tried to harness profit-driven drugmaking to serve public health before. The results were underwhelming.
Oct. 21, 2020 • ~10 min
How a government-linked foundation could speed the spread of new clean-energy technologies
Similar arrangements already support the National Park Service, the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies.
Oct. 7, 2020 • ~9 min
Science elicits hope in Americans – its positive brand doesn't need to be partisan
When you ask Americans what the word 'science' brings to mind, a majority respond 'hope.' Using this built-in brand can help communicate important science messages.
July 23, 2020 • ~8 min
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