Reading ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ in town that inspired it

Cheesemaking is a complex science – a food chemist explains the process from milk to mozzarella

John A. Lucey, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Cheesemaking is an ancient practice, and modern methods and chemistry have made it a science.

What do genes have to do with psychology? They likely influence your behavior more than you realize

Jessica D. Ayers, Boise State University

Human psychology is influenced by a complex network of genes and environmental factors. Studying how and when genes fail to cooperate could broaden our understanding of behavior.

Good feedback is an art – here’s how I teach it

Patrick Barry, University of Michigan

Giving and receiving criticism can be difficult. This class tries to make it easier.

Xylazine wounds are a growing crisis among drug users in Philly − a nurse explains potential causes and proper treatment

Rachel McFadden, University of Pennsylvania

The wounds contain black and yellow dead tissue and tunnel deep into the skin. Deep stigma around them can make getting treatment difficult.

Cancer costs for Americans with private health insurance rose after the ACA rollout and fell for those with Medicaid

Olajumoke Olateju, University of Houston

When patients spend large sums on their cancer care, it can be hard for them to afford basics such as food and housing.

Biden dropped out − is the news media to blame?

Jacob L. Nelson, University of Utah

Are journalists to blame for Biden dropping out? This assumes that the power of the press is significant and straightforward. It’s neither.

Arrest student protesters, wait or negotiate? Colleges can use ‘ladder of harm’ to determine appropriate response to Gaza protests on campus

Archon Fung, Harvard Kennedy School

The anti-war protests that rocked college campuses across the US in spring 2024 may well erupt again in the fall. An expert on civil disobedience sets the bar high for deploying police.

Can a brush with death change politicians? It did for notorious Alabama segregationist George Wallace

Donald Nieman, Binghamton University, State University of New York

An assassin’s bullet couldn’t knock George Wallace out of politics − but it made him seek redemption.

Supreme Court ruling may put presidents above the law – but even kings never were

Jay Rubenstein, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Even Louis XIV of France, the epitome of absolute monarchy, did not stand above the law. Kings have always been defined and constrained by legal precedent.

As Hamas war drags on, Israeli democracy weakens further

Michal Ben-Josef Hirsch, Suffolk University

Israel’s democracy was already diminishing before the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, but things have only worsened since then.

How do 9 states get by with no income tax? A tax expert explains the trade-offs they choose

GOP attacks against Kamala Harris were already bad – they are about to get worse

Bob Newhart was more than an actor or comedian – he was a literary master