Early COVID-19 research is riddled with poor design

The South Carolina primary is likely to reveal the eventual Republican presidential nominee - 3 points to understand

Kendra Stewart, College of Charleston

While Nikki Haley trails Donald Trump in polling ahead of the South Carolina primary, the estimates don’t capture the Democrats and independents who are also able to vote in the Republican primary.

Trump is no Navalny, and prosecution in a democracy is a lot different than persecution in Putin’s Russia

James D. Long, University of Washington

Donald Trump says he’s being politically persecuted, like Russian democracy martyr Alexei Navalny, who died while in a Russian prison on Feb. 16. A scholar says there’s no comparison between the men.

Louisiana governor makes it easier for companies to receive lucrative tax breaks that take money away from cash-strapped schools

Christine Wen, Texas A&M University; Danielle McLean, The Conversation; Kevin Welner, University of Colorado Boulder; Nathan Jensen, The University of Texas at Austin

Louisiana’s governor made it easier for companies to receive property tax breaks – and schools will likely pay the price.

The Russia-Ukraine War has caused a staggering amount of cultural destruction – both seen and unseen

Ian Kuijt, University of Notre Dame; Pavlo Shydlovskyi, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev; William Donaruma, University of Notre Dame

In addition to destroyed buildings, there’s an entire underground world – filled with untold numbers of artifacts, bones and ruins – that are exposed and damaged by the digging of trenches.

Making the moral of the story stick − a media psychologist explains the research behind ‘Sesame Street,’ ‘Arthur’ and other children’s TV

Drew Cingel, University of California, Davis; Allyson Snyder, University of California, Davis; Jane Shawcroft, University of California, Davis; Samantha Vigil, University of California, Davis

Many children’s educational shows undergo pre-screening to make sure each episode delivers its intended message. Adult viewers watching alongside kids can help ensure the lessons are well received.

War in Ukraine at 2 years: Destruction seen from space – via radar

Sylvain Barbot, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Satellite photography of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut shows block after block of destroyed buildings. Satellite radar provides a different view – a systematic look at the destruction of the whole city.

How governments handle data matters for inclusion

Suzanne J. Piotrowski, Rutgers University - Newark; Erna Ruijer, Utrecht University; Gregory Porumbescu, Rutgers University - Newark

Governments can exclude certain groups of people in policies and services not only by the type of data they collect but also how they collect, store, analyze and use the data.

US Moon landing marks new active phase of lunar science, with commercial launches of landers that will study solar wind and peer into the universe’s dark ages

Jack Burns, University of Colorado Boulder

Projects under NASA’s CLPS program will probe unexplored questions about the universe’s formation.

Arsenic in landfills is still leaching into groundwater − 20 years after colleagues and I learned how the ‘king of poisons’ could escape trash dumps

Gumersindo Feijoo Costa, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

If not properly managed, heavy metals such as arsenic can accumulate in landfills and leach into soils and groundwater.

Why Egypt refuses to open its border to Palestinians forcibly displaced from Gaza

Liyana Kayali, University of Sydney

Around 1.5 million Palestinians are trapped near the border, with nowhere to go. Egypt, however, has long opposed the idea of resettling Palestinians in the Sinai Peninsula.

Are our fears of saying ‘no’ overblown?

How you can tell propaganda from journalism − let’s look at Tucker Carlson’s visit to Russia

With Beyoncé’s foray into country music, the genre may finally break free from the stereotypes that have long dogged it

Here’s the first question of this week’s edition:

You're struggling with FAFSA. Where are you?

1. A. In a hospital isolation ward
2. B. On the dance floor
3. C. At a Greek restaurant
4. D. In front of a laptop with your teenage child

Test your knowledge