The Conversation

Five years after largest marine heatwave on record hit northern California coast, many warm–water species have stuck around

Written by Erica Nielsen, Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Biology, University of California, Davis

Southerly species like the giant owl limpet, seen here, started appearing on northern California shores. Jerry Kirkhart/Flickr, CC BY

Land–based heatwaves have a less obvious though equally important sibling: marine heatwaves. In 2013, the largest marine heatwave on record began when an unusually warm mass of water formed in the Gulf of...

Why some college sports are often out of reach for students from low-income families

Written by Kirsten Hextrum, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Oklahoma

High school athletes from wealthy backgrounds are more likely to play sports in college.Rich Barnes/Getty Images

When it comes to landing a spot on a college sports team, a student’s chances are profoundly affected by their parents’ wealth and education. Even college sports recruitment favors white suburban athletes.

Those two findings...

Tylenol could be risky for pregnant women – a new review of 25 years of research finds acetaminophen may contribute to ADHD and other developmental disorders in children

Written by Ann Z. Bauer, Postdoctoral Fellow in Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Nearly 100 scholars and health care professionals are urging women to limit their use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. Oscar Wong/Moment via Getty Images

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

A mounting body of evidence shows that the use of acetaminophen - widely known by its brand name Tylenol - during...

Britney’s conservatorship is one example of how the legacy of eugenics in the US continues to affect the lives of disabled women

Written by Michaela Kathleen Curran, Postdoctoral Fellow in Public Health, University of Iowa

Britney Spears was forced to continue wearing an IUD under her conservatorship.FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

Britney Spears has been locked in a court battle 13 years in the making. While her father was suspended as conservator of her estate on Sep. 29, 2021, her conservatorship might not be terminated until the next hearing on Nov. 12.

Duri...

David Chase might hate that 'The Many Saints of Newark' is premiering on HBO Max – but it's the wave of the future

Written by Anthony Palomba, Visiting Assitant Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia

Fans of 'The Sopranos' will have the option of watching Michael Gandolfini play a young Tony Soprano from their living rooms or in theaters.Bobby Bank/GC Images via Getty Images

The trailer for “The Many Saints of Newark” features the song “Money” by The Flying Lizards.

One lyric poignantly captures the thematic heart of the...

Monsoons make deserts bloom in the US Southwest, but climate change is making these summer rainfalls more extreme and erratic

Written by Diana Zamora-Reyes, PhD Candidate in Hydrology, University of Arizona

Lightning during a monsoon storm in southern Arizona, Saguaro National Park.Pete Gregoire, NOAA

If you’ve never lived in or visited the U.S. Southwest, you might picture it as a desert that is always hot and dry. But this region experiences a monsoon in the late summer that produces thunderstorms and severe weather, much like India’s...

To swim like a tuna, robotic fish need to change how stiff their tails are in real time

Written by Daniel Quinn, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia

Researchers have been building robotic fish for years, but the performance has never approached the efficiency of real fish.Daniel Quinn, CC BY-NC

Underwater vehicles haven’t changed much since the submarines of World War II. They’re rigid, fairly boxy and use propellers to move. And whether they are large manned vessels or small...

Americans are in a mental health crisis – especially African Americans. Can churches help?

Written by Brad R. Fulton, Associate Professor, Indiana University

The 160-year-old John Wesley AME Zion Church is one of the few predominantly African American churches that still exists in downtown Washington, D.C.Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Centuries of systemic racism and everyday discrimination in the U.S. have left a major mental health burden on African American communities, and the...

A major new workplace safety initiative targets dangerous heat on the job, but what about chronic heat exposure?

Written by Lynée Turek-Hankins, Ph.D. Student in Environmental Science & Policy, University of Miami

Constructions workers in warm climates are often exposed to dangerous heat.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The summer of 2021 was devilishly hot across much of the U.S. Just five minutes in an attic guest room with no air conditioning could be enough to leave a person drenched in sweat and lightheaded, as one of us discovered during a heat wave in...

A major federal response to occupational extreme heat is here at last

Written by Lynée Turek-Hankins, Ph.D. Student in Environmental Science & Policy, University of Miami

Constructions workers in warm climates are often exposed to dangerous heat.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images