The Conversation

The largest news agency in the US changes crime reporting practices to 'do less harm and give people second chances'

Written by Maggie Jones Patterson, Professor of Journalism, Duquesne University

Reporting about minor crimes is about to change.Illustration by kali9/iStock/Getty Images Plus

When suspects’ names appear in crime stories, their lives may be broken and never put back together.

For years, people have begged The Associated Press, known as the “AP,” to scrub their indiscretions from its archives. Some of those...

Lead exposure during childhood may influence adult personality, and not for the better

Written by Ted Schwaba, Postdoctoral Researcher in Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts

Lead pollution may have wider ranging adverse effects on health than previously thought.Busà Photography/Moment via Getty Images

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

The big idea

Children raised in areas with more atmospheric lead pollution grew up to have less adaptive and less mature personalities, according to...

Big tech has a vaccine misinformation problem – here's what a social media expert recommends

Written by Anjana Susarla, Omura-Saxena Professor of Responsible AI, Michigan State University

Misinformation on social media is hindering efforts to vaccinate people against the coronavirus.Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

With less than half the United States population fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and as the delta variant sweeps the nation, the U.S. surgeon general issued an advisory that called misinformation an...

Bipartisan infrastructure deal begins to address consequences of a warming planet: 3 essential reads

Written by Bryan Keogh, Senior Editor, Economy + Business

A lot of coastal infrastructure wasn't designed for the frequent flooding and crashing waves brought by rising seas. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Congress appears close to a trillion-dollar infrastructure deal that recognizes the risks of climate change and the need to make America’s coasts more resilient.

On July...

4 ways that volunteering can be good for you

Written by Jennifer A. Jones, Assistant Professor of Nonprofit Management and Leadership, University of Florida

Volunteering to pitch in during Breast Cancer Awareness Week may have also helped these Bethune-Cookman University students.Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

More than 77 million Americans volunteer a total of 6.9 billion hours a year doing everything from fighting fires to raising funds for cancer research. These efforts...

What is a breakthrough infection? 6 questions answered about catching COVID-19 after vaccination

Written by Sanjay Mishra, Project Coordinator & Staff Scientist, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University

Vaccines don't ward off every single infection but they do massively lower the risk.Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

If you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, maybe you figured you no longer need to worry about contracting the coronavirus. But along with the rising number of new COVID-19 cases globally and...

Here's why the CDC recommends wearing masks indoors even if you've been fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Written by Peter Chin-Hong, Associate Dean for Regional Campuses, University of California, San Francisco

Signs like this may become more common as localities consider CDC guidelines.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Vaccinated people need to mask up again, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On July 27, 2021, the CDC recommended that everyone in areas with high COVID-19 infection rates wear masks in public indoor spaces, regardless...

Health apps track vital health stats for millions of people, but doctors aren't using the data – here's how it could reduce costs and patient outcomes

Written by Saligrama Agnihothri, Professor of Supply Chain and Business Analytics, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Mobile health apps and gadgets could help doctors and patients treat chronic illnesses in real time.Moment via Getty

Health-tracking devices and apps are becoming part of everyday life. More than 300,000 mobile phone applications claim to help with managing diverse personal health issues, from monitoring blood glucose levels to conceiving a child.

Bu...

A 20-foot sea wall won’t save Miami – how living structures can help protect the coast and keep the paradise vibe

Written by Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos, Assistant Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Miami

Miami and Miami Beach were built right up to the waterfront, with little room for nature.Shobeir Ansari via Getty Images

Miami is all about the water and living life outdoors. Walking paths and parks line large stretches of downtown waterfront with a stunning bay view.

This downtown core is where the Army Corps of Engineers plans to build a US$6...

Not everyone cheered the ancient Olympic games, but the sacred games brought together rival societies

Written by Joel Christensen, Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University

The modern Olympics share many things with the ancient games. Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics started on July 23, 2021, amid a few different controversies. Beyond the question of whether it was safe enough to hold them despite rising hospitalizations from COVID-19 variants, there have been concerns about ongoing sexism, rac...