The Conversation

An argument for gene drive technology to genetically control populations of insects like mosquitoes and locusts

Written by Isobel Ronai, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Sydney

Swarms of locusts are seen on a tree in a residential area in the southwestern Pakistan city of Quetta on June 12, 2020. BANARAS KHAN/AFP via Getty Images

The fate of society rests in part on how humans navigate their complicated relationship with insects – trying to save “good” insects and control “bad” ones. Some...

Why Buddhist monks collect alms and visit households even in times of social distancing

Written by Thomas Borchert, Professor of Religion, University of Vermont

Monks socially distancing as they go about their daily alms rounds while dressed in face masks as well as robes have become a common sight during the coronavirus pandemic in Thailand. Pictures in Thai media show the efforts monks and their lay supporters are making in maintaining social distance, as they carry on with the practice nonetheless.

I...

As coronavirus cases spike in the South, Northeast seems to have the pandemic under control - here's what changed

Written by Taison Bell, Physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia

Face masks and social distancing have become the norm in New York City.Noam Galai/Getty Images

“Hospital Capacity Crosses Tipping Point in U.S. Coronavirus Hot Spots” – Wall Street Journal

This is a headline I hoped to not see again after the number of coronavirus infections had finally started to decline in the Northeast and...

COVID-19 has resurrected single-use plastics – are they back to stay?

Written by Jessica Heiges, PhD Candidate in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley

Volunteers load plastic bags for a weekly food pantry service in Everett, Mass., May 10, 2020. Everett has some of the highest COVID-19 infections rates in the state.Joseph Prezioso /AFP via Getty Images

COVID-19 is changing how the U.S. disposes of waste. It is also threatening hard-fought victories that restricted or eliminated single-use...

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

Written by Michelle Sconce Massaquoi, Doctoral Candidate in Microbiology, University of Oregon

One thing everyone agrees on: Hand-washing helps prevent the spread of the coronavirus.Getty Images / Isabel Pavia

Mask-wearing has divided the country, but hand-washing – one might think – is something virtually everyone would agree on. Hand-washing, after all, is one of the most critical parts of preventing the spread of infectious...

Biases in algorithms hurt those looking for information on health

Written by Anjana Susarla, Professor of Information Systems, Michigan State University

Finding valid health care information on social media is harder than it seems.Carl Court/Getty Images

YouTube hosts millions of videos related to health care.

The Health Information National Trends Survey reports that 75% of Americans go to the internet first when looking for information about health or medical topics. YouTube is one of the most popu...

What US medical supply chain can learn from the fashion industry

Written by Tinglong Dai, Associate Professor of Operations Management & Business Analytics, Johns Hopkins University

Masks: Where health care and fashion collide.Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images

The shortage of crucial medical supplies, especially personal protective equipment, has crippled the United States’ ability to quell the COVID-19 pandemic.

At least 54,000 nursing home residents and workers have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. as of June 26. This...

Airlines got travelers comfortable about flying again once before – but 9/11 and a virus are a lot different

Written by Janet Bednarek, Professor of History, University of Dayton

Chicago's O'Hare and other U.S. airports remain largely empty despite increased mask wearing and other measures to prevent COVID-19 spread. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

The U.S. airline industry has generally faced two obstacles in enticing more people to fly: fear and fares.

Before the novel coronavirus, few feared flying thanks to the extreme rarity of...

Mask resistance during a pandemic isn't new – in 1918 many Americans were 'slackers'

Written by J. Alexander Navarro, Assistant Director, Center for the History of Medicine, University of Michigan

Policemen in Seattle, Washington, wearing masks made by the Red Cross, during the influenza pandemic, December 1918National Archives

We have all seen the alarming headlines: Coronavirus cases are surging in 40 states, with new cases and hospitalization rates climbing at an alarming rate. Health officials have warned that the U.S. must act quickly...

5 ways higher education can be seen as hostile to women of color

Written by Amy Bonomi, Professor of Human Development & Chair of the Women's Leadership Institute, Michigan State University

Women of color rarely ascend to positions of leadership in higher education.FangXiaNuo/Getty Images

Editor’s note: In 2019, Amy Bonomi, a women’s studies scholar, co-edited “Women Leading Change: Breaking the Glass Ceiling, Cliff, and Slipper.” The book examines the perspectives of 23 female leaders on issues of leadership...