Sitting all day is terrible for your health – now, a new study finds a relatively easy way to counteract it

Short, frequent walks throughout the day are key to helping prevent the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Keith Diaz, Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine, Columbia University • conversation
Jan. 13, 2023 ~5 min

Foams used in car seats and mattresses are hard to recycle – we made a plant-based version that avoids polyurethane's health risks, too

Polyurethane foams are the world’s sixth-most-produced plastic yet among the least recycled materials.

James Sternberg, Research Assistant Professor of Automotive Engineering, Clemson University • conversation
Jan. 5, 2023 ~5 min


Long COVID stemmed from mild cases of COVID-19 in most people, according to a new multicountry study

While there are still far more questions than answers about long COVID-19, researchers are beginning to get a clearer picture of the health and economic consequences of the condition.

Theo Vos, Professor of Health Metric Sciences, University of Washington • conversation
Jan. 5, 2023 ~6 min

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Dancing requires physical, social and cognitive engagement and, as a result, it may bolster a wide network of brain regions.

Helena Blumen, Associate Professor of Medicine and Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine • conversation
Jan. 3, 2023 ~5 min

1918 flu pandemic upended long-standing social inequalities – at least for a time, new study finds

During the 1918 flu pandemic, white people died at similar rates to Black Americans, according to a new study – a very different pattern than what occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Martin Eiermann, Postdoctoral Fellow in Sociology, Duke University • conversation
Dec. 16, 2022 ~6 min

Nurses' attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses who identify as Democrats have a significantly higher likelihood of having their children vaccinated against COVID-19 than those who identify as Republicans.

David Wiltse, Associate Professor of Political Science, South Dakota State University • conversation
Dec. 2, 2022 ~6 min

Scientists discover five new species of black corals living thousands of feet below the ocean surface near the Great Barrier Reef

Black corals provide critical habitat for many creatures that live in the dark, often barren, deep sea, and researchers are learning more about these rare corals with every dive.

Jeremy Horowitz, Post-doctoral Fellow in Invertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution • conversation
Nov. 23, 2022 ~6 min

Air pollution harms the brain and mental health, too – a large-scale analysis documents effects on brain regions associated with emotions

In a systematic review of existing studies, researchers found that air pollution such as fine particulate matter can interfere with regions of the brain responsible for emotional regulation.

Clara G. Zundel, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University • conversation
Nov. 21, 2022 ~5 min


Flexible AI computer chips promise wearable health monitors that protect privacy

A type of computer chip that mimics both the skin and brain could pave the way for wearable devices that monitor and analyze health data using AI right on the body.

Sihong Wang, Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering • conversation
Nov. 17, 2022 ~5 min

Understanding how news works can short-circuit the connection between social media use and vaccine hesitancy

Researchers identified a connection between low levels of media literacy and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in people who consume their news via social media.

Saifuddin Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University • conversation
Nov. 3, 2022 ~5 min

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