When disasters wipe out affordable homes, entire economies suffer

Pandemic-related school closings likely to have far-reaching effects on child well-being

Sandra M. Chafouleas, University of Connecticut

The ways in which school closings affect children are just beginning to be known, but early indications are they’re taking a negative toll on kids’ learning and overall well-being.

Olympic skiers and snowboarders are competing on 100% fake snow – the science of how it’s made and how it affects performance

Peter Veals, University of Utah

Snowmaking machines can produce enough snow to cover a run, but artificial snow is very different from natural flakes that fall from the sky.

The Jan. 6 Capitol attacks offer a reminder – distrust in government has long been part of Republicans’ playbook

Amy Fried, University of Maine; Douglas B. Harris, Loyola University Maryland

The Republican Party has a decadeslong relationship with using distrust to incite its base and draw in more supporters – the Jan. 6 Capitol attacks just offer the latest example of this tactic.

Dogs can be trained to sniff out COVID-19 – a team of forensic researchers explain the science

Kenneth G. Furton, Florida International University; Julian Mendel, Florida International University; Kelvin J. Frank Jr., Florida International University

Dogs have such sensitive noses that they can be trained to detect the odors of crop pests, endangered species, illegal drugs – and diseases like COVID-19.

Study suggests new evidence of discrimination against Black coaches in the NFL since 2018

Joshua D. Pitts, Kennesaw State University

An analysis of 267 NFL offensive and defensive coordinators since 2003 finds that the Chiefs’ Eric Bieniemy’s odds of being hired as a head coach would have gone up significantly if he weren’t Black.

Japan’s Shinto religion is going global and attracting online followers

Kaitlyn Ugoretz, University of California Santa Barbara

An anthropologist of Japanese religion met followers of Shinto religion online and found how they were building a community and sharing instructions on practice.

How Lourdes became a byword for hope

Dorian Llywelyn, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

St. Bernadette’s visions of the Virgin Mary in the 19th century inspired the pilgrimage site millions of Catholics flock to each year.

The 50 biggest US donors gave or pledged nearly $28 billion in 2021 – Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates account for $15 billion of that total

David Campbell, Binghamton University, State University of New York; Elizabeth J. Dale, Seattle University; Jasmine McGinnis Johnson, George Washington University

Three scholars weigh in regarding the priorities of these wealthy American donors, who gave less to social service and racial justice groups than in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How Brad Pitt’s green housing dream for Hurricane Katrina survivors turned into a nightmare

Where are memories stored in the brain? New research suggests they may be in the connections between your brain cells

Not everyone is male or female – the growing controversy over sex designation