What stories should you be telling kids this holiday season?
Want to build resilience in children? Tell them family stories of courage.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Holidays
Tell a different story about Santa this holiday season
How about a black Santa story, for a change?
Why stories matter for children’s learning
What are your kids reading in the new year? What kids read has a strong impact on their perceptions of reality.
Analysis and Comment
Lost in the wine aisle? Winemakers want to know which labels will catch your eye
Most wine purchasers are dazed and confused as they wander the aisles of their local wine shop. There are thousands of wine brands and dozens of types of wines lining the shelves. Obviously wineries want…
Gift-giving taboos that aren’t as bad as you think
Still don't know what to get your loved one? Here are four gift-giving taboos meant to be broken.
Can astronomy explain the biblical Star of Bethlehem?
The wise men were likely accomplished Greek astrologers, watching the stars for signs of a king’s birth. Technical terms used in the Bible’s description point to a real astronomical event.
Why academics consulting with industry on health care may be an idea whose time has come
Academics are trained to answer important questions about health policy, and collaborating with industry on research can have a big impact.
Single-sex schools: Could they harm your child?
Separating girls and boys takes away opportunities to learn from one another. It also encourages stereotyping and sexism.
Why you can’t fry eggs (or testicles) with a cellphone
Did your holiday gift list include radiation-shielding undies to protect your privates from cellphone radio waves? A radiation expert explains they're unnecessary – your phone won't affect your fertility.
Are Brazilians Latinos? What their identity struggle tells us about race in America
Being Brazilian in the US means navigating an identity that doesn't neatly fit into a single check-box, and can be perceived in vastly different ways depending on what part of the country you're in.
‘The 120 Days of Sodom’ – counterculture classic or porn war pariah?
Arguably the most obscene and offensive work of fiction ever written is going to be sold in America as a mainstream classic for the first time.
Yes, the Arctic’s freakishly warm winter is due to humans’ climate influence
The end of 2016 has brought balmy Arctic temperatures and record low ice extent for the time of year. It's a freak event even by modern standards, and climate models point the finger firmly at humans.
Does being wealthy make you more charitable?
Research suggests the answer, surprisingly, may be no, but behavioral science offers a few ways to encourage the wealthy to open their wallets a little wider.
Why people trust sharing economy strangers more than their colleagues
Research into platforms like Uber and ride-sharing platform BlaBlaCar show high levels of trust thanks to clever design.
Assassination of the Russian ambassador a big loss for Turkey
Ambassador Karlov's death will weaken Turkey's influence in the Syrian conflict.
Obstacle avoidance: The challenge for drone package delivery
Without a human operator on board, how can a drone steer clear of collisions? Technology from autonomous cars can help.
More online shopping means more delivery trucks. Are cities ready?
Rising use of e-commerce is clogging city streets with delivery trucks, especially during holidays. To manage this traffic, cities need smart strategies for modernizing their urban freight systems.
Why you’d have to eat 64 cans of green beans per day - every day - to get too much BPA
Many of us worry about chemicals in our food, but you can relax about one thing.That green bean casserole may have a lot of calories, but not BPA.
Berlin attack: security intelligence has limits in preventing truck-borne terror
We have become used to hearing stories of 'increased chatter' and 'high alerts' when it comes to terrorism. Doesn’t that mean intelligence agencies should know enough to prevent attacks?
A sacred light in the darkness: Winter solstice illuminations at Spanish missions
At many Spanish missions in the US and Latin America, the rising sun illuminates the altar on the winter solstice or other symbolic days. To the faithful, these events meant that Christ was with them.
High rates of medical student depression: What do they say about our health system?
Over a quarter of medical students suffer depression. Almost half of US physicians say they’re burnt out. A doctor reflects on how much more burdensome and less fulfilling the profession has become.
Rating, ranking and recommending: Three R’s for the internet age
How does user feedback inform the algorithms that govern our shopping, searching and movie-watching?
Trump is not a European-style populist. That’s our problem
Europe's populists are taking advantage of Trump’s victory, but the comparison only goes so far.
How ancient wisdom can help managers give their employees better feedback
Webcamming: the sex work revolution that no one is willing to talk about
The problem with Snow White, and what Scandinavia can teach us about it
The global road-building explosion is shattering nature
Why children believe (or not) that Santa Claus exists
Another reason to exercise every day during the holidays
Trump transition
How Trump’s immigration enforcement could affect families and communities
A public health researcher and advocate explains how immigration raids can impact mental and physical health, and trigger a breakdown of trust and safety in communities across the US.
10 ways the tech industry and the media helped create President Trump
How Trump could shock a divided nation back to life as collaborator-in-chief
What Trump’s election could mean for women: Fewer reproductive rights, new help for working families?
Donald Trump and the world: Five challenges
Can Mike Pence solve Trump’s outsider problem with Congress?
North Dakota Access Pipeline
How Standing Rock became a site of pilgrimage
Thousands of people, both those within Native American communities and their non-Native allies, felt called to go to Standing Rock. What was the motivation?
Why understanding Native American religion is important for resolving the Dakota Access Pipeline crisis
Victory at Standing Rock reflects a failure of US energy and climate policy
Why the Native American pipeline resistance in North Dakota is about climate justice
How the archaeological review behind the Dakota Access Pipeline went wrong
What can the mass ‘check-in’ at Standing Rock tell us about online advocacy?
US health care
The potential costs of Tom Price as HHS secretary
Donald Trump's pick for head of Health and Human Services marks a sharp departure from the direction of HHS under President Obama. Here's a look at who might be affected by Tom Price's leadership.
Marijuana
With legal pot comes a problem: How do we weed out impaired drivers?
We have a reliable and easy-to-use test to measure blood alcohol concentration. But right now we don't have a fast, reliable test to gauge whether someone is too doped up to drive.
Marijuana legalization: Big changes across country
Big Tobacco loses tax battle in California, but Big Marijuana is on the rise
What counts as ‘medical marijuana’ varies from state to state – and that’s a problem
Decriminalization doesn’t address marijuana’s standing as a drug of the poor
Will legal marijuana lead to more addicts? Probably not
Presidential transition
Research and Expert Database
Editors’ Picks
Forensic evidence largely not supported by sound science – now what?
Is forensic science an oxymoron? A new White House report suggests there are major issues with many of the forensic disciplines used to convict defendants of crimes in the U.S.
America’s role in the world 75 years after Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack on a US naval base on Dec. 7, 1941 set in motion a series of events that transformed the United States into a global superpower. Will Donald Trump bring that era to an end?
Eyes in the sky: Cutting NASA Earth observations would be a costly mistake
A retired rear admiral warns President-elect Trump against cutting NASA's Earth observations, which provide essential data for weather forecasters, businesses, scientists and the armed forces.
The future of genetic enhancement is not in the West
Regulations, funding and public opinion around genetically enhancing future generations vary from country to country. Here's why China may be poised to be the pioneer.
Five things that explain Donald Trump’s stunning presidential election victory
The pundits and polls got it wrong. Here's why.
Facebook’s problem is more complicated than fake news
Even if fake articles could be curbed and filtered news modified, there's something built into Facebook's anatomy that foments partisan rage.
This election was not hacked – but it was attacked
Though there is no indication hackers affected the outcome of the election, we still must act to improve the cybersecurity of American elections.
The perils of a life in isolation
When human contact is cut off, the brain begins to act in strange ways to preserve its sanity.
When ‘energy’ drinks actually contained radioactive energy
Back in the early 1900s, if you felt a bit sluggish you could reach for a beverage enhanced with radioactive elements to really add some pep to your step. It wouldn't be a healthy choice, though.
Why the Native American pipeline resistance in North Dakota is about climate justice
What is the months-long North Dakota Access Pipeline protest really about? A Native American scholar connects the dots to environmental justice and the legacy of U.S. colonialism.
Why do science issues seem to divide us along party lines?
Social scientists investigate when and why liberals and conservatives mistrust science. The apparent split may be more about cultural and personal beliefs than feelings about science itself.
Can Trump create millions of jobs? Don’t bet on it
A study of the three casinos Donald Trump owned in Atlantic City shows they performed far worse than their rivals, losing more jobs and revenue.
A military view on climate change: It’s eroding our national security and we should prepare for it
Politicians are still debating whether climate change is real, but military planners call it a serious threat. A retired rear admiral explains how climate change affects U.S. national security.
Fixing US elections
Republicans want voter ID laws. Democrats want more access to the ballot. Why do we have to choose?
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