Police killings of civilians in the US have been undercounted by more than half in official statistics

Research found that police officers killed more than 30,000 people from 1980 to 2018 – 17,000 more than official federal data suggests.

Fablina Sharara, Researcher at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington • conversation
Oct. 5, 2021 • ~5 min

Tylenol could be risky for pregnant women – a new review of 25 years of research finds acetaminophen may contribute to ADHD and other developmental disorders in children

Tylenol has long been considered a go-to medication for low to moderate pain and for fever reduction, even during pregnancy. But mounting evidence suggests that it is unsafe for fetal development.

Ann Z. Bauer, Postdoctoral Fellow in Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts Lowell • conversation
Oct. 1, 2021 • ~5 min

Combining an HIV vaccine with immunotherapy may reduce the need for daily medication

People with HIV need to take daily medication to keep the virus at bay. A study has found that a new treatment combination could boost immunity and control virus levels even after stopping medication.

Rama Rao Amara, Professor of Microbology and Immunology, Emory University • conversation
Sept. 29, 2021 • ~6 min

Artificial intelligence can help highway departments find bats roosting under bridges

Bats roost under bridges and culverts across North America, so highway departments have to check for them before repairing bridges. A new AI tool makes those inspections faster and more accurate.

Tianshu Li, Research Assistant in Systems Engineering, University of Virginia • conversation
Sept. 21, 2021 • ~5 min

Brain scans of Black women who experience racism show trauma-like effects, putting them at higher risk for future health problems

New research points to a biological way that racism can lead to health disparities.

Sierra Carter, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Georgia State University • conversation
Sept. 15, 2021 • ~5 min

Data science education lacks a much-needed focus on ethics

Undergraduate programs are springing up across the US to meet the burgeoning demand for workers trained in big data. Yet many of the programs lack training in the ethical use of data science.

Torbet McNeil, Ph.D. candidate in Educational Policy Studies and Practice, University of Arizona • conversation
Sept. 8, 2021 • ~5 min

Researchers trained mice to control seemingly random bursts of dopamine in their brains, challenging theories of reward and learning

Mouse brains produce random, strong bursts of dopamine and are able to control them. This may challenge many long-held ideas about learning and motivation.

David Kleinfeld, Professor of Physics and Neurobiology, University of California San Diego • conversation
Sept. 2, 2021 • ~6 min

Zinc-infused proteins are the secret that allows scorpions, spiders and ants to puncture tough skin

Many small animals make their teeth and claws from a smooth blend of proteins and heavy elements. These materials can form very sharp tools that make it possible to cut tough substances using tiny muscles.

Robert Schofield, Research Professor in Physics, University of Oregon • conversation
Sept. 1, 2021 • ~5 min

Bilingual people with language loss due to stroke can pose a treatment challenge – computational modeling may help clinicians treat them

Computational modeling can predict language therapy response in bilingual people with aphasia. In the future, this could help clinicians identify the best language for treatment.

Claudia Peñaloza, Researcher, Aphasia Research Laboratory, Boston University • conversation
Aug. 31, 2021 • ~5 min

Specialized cells maintain healthy pregnancy by teaching the mother's immune system not to attack developing fetus

How the immune system learns not to attack a developing fetus and placenta is important to understanding pregnancy and its common complications, like miscarriage.

Tippi MacKenzie, Professor of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
Aug. 25, 2021 • ~5 min

/

26