How Russia's invasion of Ukraine will hit Americans at home

Plastic pollution is a global problem – here’s how to design an effective treaty to curb it

Sarah J. Morath, Wake Forest University

Public, government and corporate support for a world treaty to curb plastic waste is growing. Treaties addressing mercury pollution, long-range air pollution and ozone depletion offer some lessons.

Wealthy countries still haven’t met their $100 billion pledge to help poor countries face climate change, and the risks are rising

Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, Boston University

The damage from storms, droughts and sea level rise is in the news almost daily. Some money is flowing to help poor countries, but what isn’t clear is how much impact the funds are having.

Russia invades Ukraine – 5 essential reads from experts

Naomi Schalit, The Conversation

As war begins between Ukraine and Russia, a range of stories provides context to help readers understand the conflict.

If I am vaccinated and get COVID-19, what are my chances of dying? The answer is surprisingly hard to find

Lisa Miller, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Calculating your risk of death or hospitalization if you are infected with the coronavirus requires good data – notably, the total number of infections in the US. Unfortunately, that data is fuzzy.

When parents get Medicaid, it can benefit the health of their kids too

Maithreyi Gopalan, Penn State

Social scientists determined that body mass index growth declined for children of low-income parents in states that had expanded their Medicaid programs.

Ancient DNA helps reveal social changes in Africa 50,000 years ago that shaped the human story

Elizabeth Sawchuk, University of Alberta; Jessica Thompson, Yale University; Mary Prendergast, Rice University

A new study doubles the age of ancient DNA in sub-Saharan Africa, revealing how people moved, mingled and had children together over the last 50,000 years.

90% of drugs fail clinical trials – here’s one way researchers can select better drug candidates

Duxin Sun, University of Michigan

Drug development is a long and costly process that often ends in failure. Improving the way potential drug candidates are optimized could help boost success rates.

How the presence of pets builds trust among people

Megan K Mueller, Tufts University

The presence of pets makes people seem more trustworthy, research has found. People are more likely to help a stranger with a dog or another pet than a person without one.

Female business travelers pay less than their male colleagues because they tend to book earlier

What are false flag attacks – and could Russia make one work in the information age?

Putin’s antagonism toward Ukraine was never just about NATO – it’s about creating a new Russian empire