COVID-19 vaccine mandates have come and mostly gone in the US – an ethicist explains why their messy rollout matters for trust in public health

Vaccine policies fall on a spectrum, from mandates to recommendations. Deciding what to use and when is not so much a science but a balancing act between personal autonomy and public good.

Rachel Gur-Arie, Assistant Professor of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University • conversation
Oct. 18, 2023 ~9 min

Vaccines against COVID-19, the seasonal flu and RSV are our best chance of preventing a winter surge

Newly approved and updated vaccines are the best tools available to combat COVID-19, the flu and RSV, as infections and hospitalizations tick upward and cold and flu season gets underway.

Libby Richards, Associate Professor of Nursing, Purdue University • conversation
Oct. 12, 2023 ~9 min


Climate change could lead to food-related civil unrest in UK within 50 years, say experts

Our study shows the UK must prepare for, and respond to, the risks associated with future food shortages.

Aled Jones, Professor & Director, Global Sustainability Institute, Anglia Ruskin University • conversation
Oct. 12, 2023 ~8 min

Your unique body odor could identify who you are and provide insights into your health – all from the touch of a hand

Human scent could one day be used as evidence in forensics and as diagnostic information in medicine.

Vidia A. Gokool, Postdoctoral Researcher, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory • conversation
Sept. 20, 2023 ~8 min

CDC greenlights two updated COVID-19 vaccines, but how will they fare against the latest variants? 5 questions answered

Only time and data will tell whether the CDC-recommended reformulated shots can stand their ground against the ever-changing SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina • conversation
Sept. 13, 2023 ~11 min

How evasive and transmissible is the newest omicron offshoot, BA.2.86, that causes COVID-19? 4 questions answered

Researchers still don’t know how well BA.2.86 will evade immunity or whether it will cause more severe disease than its predecessors.

Suresh V. Kuchipudi, Professor and Department Chair of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Sept. 12, 2023 ~8 min

More adults than ever have been seeking ADHD medications – an ADHD expert explains what could be driving the trend

The COVID-19 pandemic may have played a considerable role in the uptick of adults being treated for ADHD. But more data is needed to determine whether the trends will continue.

Margaret Sibley, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington • conversation
Aug. 4, 2023 ~10 min

Blame capitalism? Why hundreds of decades-old yet vital drugs are nearly impossible to find

The shortages, which have been going on for years, have typically affected only low-cost generics rather than profitable brand-name drugs.

Geoffrey Joyce, Director of Health Policy, USC Schaeffer Center, and Associate Professor, University of Southern California • conversation
July 20, 2023 ~9 min


Asymptomatic COVID-19 is linked to a gene variant that boosts immune memory after exposure to prior seasonal cold viruses

Researchers found that people with a specific gene variant were two to eight times more likely to not have symptoms after infection.

Danillo Augusto, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina – Charlotte • conversation
July 19, 2023 ~5 min

Empty office spaces can be converted to residential buildings – but it won't be affordable

With many employers switching to remote work, two engineering experts explain the feasibility of converting office buildings to residential spaces.

Leah Mo, Assistant Professor of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University • conversation
July 14, 2023 ~9 min

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