Will I ever need math? A mathematician explains how math is everywhere – from soap bubbles to Pixar movies

Math is more than memorizing times tables and doing homework problems. It is woven into more aspects of your life than you might think.

Hortensia Soto, Professor of Mathematics, Colorado State University • conversation
July 24, 2023 ~8 min

Yes, we should be keeping the healthier hand-washing habits we developed at the start of the pandemic

The risk of getting the coronavirus from a surface is low. But the frequent hand-washing from early in the pandemic is a good thing since most people weren’t washing their hands enough to begin with.

Melissa Hawkins, Professor of Public Health, American University • conversation
Oct. 19, 2021 ~7 min


How palm oil became the world's most hated, most used fat source

Palm oil is responsible for widespread deforestation and labor abuses, but it's also cheap and incredibly useful. That's why many advocates call for reforming the industry, not replacing it.

Jonathan E. Robins, Associate Professor of Global History, Michigan Technological University • conversation
June 24, 2021 ~10 min

What are phthalates, and how do they put children's health at risk?

Scientists issued an urgent call for better federal regulation of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Here's why.

Stephanie Eick, Postdoctoral Researcher in Reproductive Health, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
Feb. 26, 2021 ~6 min

Is bar soap as gross as millennials say? Not really, and we're all covered with microbes anyway

Finally, an answer to a long-bubbling question: What works best – bar or liquid soap?

Michelle Sconce Massaquoi, Doctoral Candidate in Microbiology, University of Oregon • conversation
July 14, 2020 ~7 min

What goes into the toilet doesn’t always stay there, and other coronavirus risks in public bathrooms

Public restrooms can be scary when it comes to coronavirus, and they get scarier when you look at how the virus spreads. A doctor explains how to stay safe when you're traveling and really gotta go.

William Petri, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia • conversation
June 5, 2020 ~5 min

Coronavirus: household cleaning products can kill the virus – an expert on which ones to use

Here are the most effective cleaning solutions to keep your home free of coronavirus.

Lena Ciric, Associate Professor in Environmental Engineering, UCL • conversation
March 25, 2020 ~5 min

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