What's really driving coal power's demise?

Contrary to popular belief, falling natural gas prices didn't accelerate coal power plant retirements. Here's what did.

Jeffrey York, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
March 1, 2021 • ~6 min

Some kindergartners are more likely to be heavy users of online tech later, according to new research

Too much screen time doesn't leave enough time for other important parts of growing up. Predicting which little kids will likely grow into heavy tech users could help target educational campaigns.

Paul L. Morgan, Eberly Fellow, Professor Education and Demography, and Director of the Center for Educational Disparities Research, Penn State • conversation
Jan. 12, 2021 • ~7 min

Some kindergartners are more likely later to be heavy users of online tech, according to new research

Too much screen time doesn't leave enough time for other important parts of growing up. Predicting which little kids will likely grow into heavy tech users could help target educational campaigns.

Paul L. Morgan, Eberly Fellow, Professor Education and Demography, and Director of the Center for Educational Disparities Research, Penn State • conversation
Jan. 12, 2021 • ~7 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.

Heather Eicher-Miller, Associate Professor of Nutrition Science, Purdue University • conversation
Dec. 17, 2020 • ~6 min

Curved origami offers a creative route to making robots and other mechanical devices

Curved origami isn't just elegant art. It's also a versatile way to vary the amount of force applied by robots and other machines.

Zirui Zhai, Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering, Arizona State University • conversation
Nov. 18, 2020 • ~5 min

Racial discrimination ages Black Americans faster, according to a 25-year-long study of families

A study of 800 Black American families shows early experiences of racism have long-term consequences for physical and mental health.

Sierra Carter, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Georgia State University • conversation
Nov. 17, 2020 • ~5 min

When scientific journals take sides during an election, the public's trust in science takes a hit

When the scientific establishment gets involved in partisan politics, surveys suggest, there are unintended consequences – especially for conservatives.

Stylianos Syropoulos, PhD Student in Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst • conversation
Nov. 12, 2020 • ~6 min

Conservatives value personal stories more than liberals do when evaluating scientific evidence

How much weight would you put on a scientist's expertise versus the opinion of a random stranger? People on either end of the political spectrum decide differently what seems true.

Michelle Sarraf, Master's Student in Economics, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona • conversation
Nov. 9, 2020 • ~6 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.

Reshma Jagsi, Deputy Chair of Radiation Oncology and Director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan • conversation
Nov. 2, 2020 • ~4 min

To save threatened plants and animals, restore habitat on farms, ranches and other working lands

The Earth is losing plants and animals at rates not seen in millions of years. Ecologists explain how protecting habitat on working lands – farms, forests and ranches – can help conserve species.

Sandra Díaz, Professor of Community and Ecosystem Ecology, Universidad de Córdoba (Argentina) • conversation
Oct. 29, 2020 • ~6 min

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