The Conversation

Group testing for coronavirus – called pooled testing – could be the fastest and cheapest way to increase screening nationwide

Written by Darius Lakdawalla, Quintiles Professor of Pharmaceutical Development and Regulatory Innovation, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California

Pooling samples means one test can screen multiple people. Tetra Images via Getty Images

Hopes for a summertime reprieve from COVID-19 have been dashed as cases surged in June. As infections rise, so does the need for testing.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently announced that health...

The invention of satanic witchcraft by medieval authorities was initially met with skepticism

Written by Michael D. Bailey, Professor of History, Iowa State University

Woodcut, circa 1400. A witch, a demon and a warlock fly toward a peasant woman.Hulton Archive /Handout via Getty Images

On a midsummer day in 1438, a young man from the north shore of Lake Geneva presented himself to the local church inquisitor. He had a confession to make. Five years earlier, his father had forced him to join a satanic cult of...

Video: What we can learn from a book documenting the first vaccine, for smallpox

Written by Anurag Papolu, Multimedia Editor

Caricature of vaccination scene at the Smallpox and Inoculation Hospital at St. Pancras Hospital in London, by James Giray, 1802.Library of Congress

As the world waits anxiously for a COVID-19 vaccine, Sam Lemley, curator of special collections at Carnegie Mellon University, says that the story of the first vaccine is worth revisiting today. As...

Which drugs and therapies are proven to work, and which ones don't, for COVID-19?

Written by William Petri, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia

We are slowly figuring out which drugs and therapies are effective against the new coronavirus.Anton Petrus / Getty Images

I am a physician and a scientist at the University of Virginia. I care for patients and conduct research to find better ways to diagnose and treat infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Here I’m sharing what is known...

With the help of trained dolphins, our team of researchers is building a specialized drone to help us study dolphins in the wild

Written by Jason Bruck, Teaching Assistant Professor of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University

The only way to learn about the sensory abilities of dolphins is with the help of trained dolphins. Dolphin Quest, CC BY-ND

Human actions have taken a steep toll on whales and dolphins. Some studies estimate that small whale abundance, which includes dolphins, has fallen 87% since 1980 and thousands of whales die from rope entanglement annually....

From marmots to mole-rats to marmosets – studying many genes in many animals is key to understanding how humans can live longer

Written by Amanda Kowalczyk, Ph.D. Candidate in Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh

Is there a genetic switch that can help reverse the aging process?Dimitri Otis / Getty Images

Much of longevity and aging research focuses on studying extremely long-lived species, including bats, naked mole-rats and bowhead whales, to find genetic changes that contribute to long life.

However, such work has yielded highly species-specific genetic...

COVID-19 and teletherapy may be changing how much you know about your therapist

Written by Adrienne Lapidos, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan

With the coronavirus risk, many therapy sessions have moved online to video calls. Maskot via Getty Images

It’s the third month of the COVID-19 pandemic, and everyone is homebound. The camera on my laptop picks up my image from an odd angle, exposing a lot of nostril. But this way, my patient sees only my face and the blank wall behind me....

COVID-19 and telehealth may be changing how much you know about your therapist

Written by Adrienne Lapidos, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan

With the coronavirus risk, many therapy sessions have moved online to video calls. Maskot via Getty Images

A summer of protest, unemployment and presidential politics – welcome to 1932

Written by James N. Gregory, Professor of History, University of Washington

The Bonus Army stages a demonstration at the empty Capitol on July 2, 1932. Underwood and Underwood, photographers; Library of Congress

An election looms. An unpopular president wrestles with historic unemployment rates. Demonstrations erupt in hundreds of locations. The president deploys Army units to suppress peaceful protests in the...

Fireworks can torment veterans and survivors of gun violence with PTSD – here's how to celebrate with respect for those who served

Written by Arash Javanbakht, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Wayne State University

For those with PTSD, sounds from fireworks can trigger flashbacks.Getty Images / Josep Maria Gerardo / EyeEm

For some combat veterans, the Fourth of July is not a time to celebrate the independence of the country they love. Instead, the holiday is a terrifying ordeal. That’s because the noise of fireworks – loud, sudden, and...