In the News
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January 20, 2025
Although we’re not there yet, artificial intelligence could mean big changes for how, and how long, employees work in the future, says Ari Shwayder, lecturer of business economics and public policy: “If you start to think about things like automation or AI … you don’t need your customer service people to work as much or as many hours because you can have an AI bot do a lot of the work for them.”
Marketplace -
January 20, 2025
“This study provides yet another example that a healthier diet, with fewer processed foods, is associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline,” said Judith Heidebrink, clinical professor of neurology, on research that shows eating greater amounts of red meat increases the likelihood of cognitive decline and dementia.
UPI -
January 20, 2025
Companies could respond to tariffs by buying a product in the U.S. rather than from another country, or they may raise prices for consumers to offset the cost of the tariff, said Alan Deardorff, professor emeritus of public policy and economics: Tariffs “are like a sales tax, in the sense that consumers everywhere are going to end up paying.”
NBC News -
January 17, 2025
“We think this has implications for understanding the effects of climate change because we’re seeing this unlikely relationship between the immune system and temperature … and we’re seeing it at much lower temperatures than expected,” said Jordan Lucore, doctoral student in anthropology, who found that the immune health of monkeys in Costa Rica took a nosedive when exposed to warmer temperatures.
The Cool Down -
January 17, 2025
“Even if the rate is significantly lower than that, we’re still going to have a big increase in the number of people and the family and societal burden of dementia because of just the growth in the number of older people,” said Kenneth Langa, professor of internal medicine, commenting on research that shows the number of Americans who develop dementia each year will double over the next 35 years.
The New York Times -
January 17, 2025
“With both increased income inequality and at least a perceived sense of lack of agency around corporate power, people turn to social media expression to vent and engage in a flexible dialogue about societal issues. Through darkly humorous posts, expressions of admiration, sarcasm and other forms of rhetoric, people are rebuilding a sense of agency by reacting to their personal audiences,” said Cliff Lampe, professor of information.
Newsweek -
January 16, 2025
While Europe is a leader in recognizing noise as a health threat — mapping sound from roadways, rail traffic, airports and industry — awareness in the U.S. is still lagging but growing, said Rick Neitzel, professor of environmental health sciences: “I think people are starting to wake up and realize this isn’t just a nuisance. It’s not just a necessary byproduct of modern life. It’s actually bad for us.”
Reasons to Be Cheerful -
January 16, 2025
“The fact that they have represented him in the past is not disqualifying, though it certainly signals a break from the practice in the post-Watergate era, when independence was valued. Trump’s vows to go after his political rivals makes the close affiliation of these lawyers more concerning,” said Barb McQuade, professor from practice of law, about the consideration of two Donald Trump defense attorneys for key Justice Department jobs.
The Washington Post -
January 16, 2025
“Trump is just complaining about it louder. … On the face of it, it’s pretty standard. Biden is not doing anything unusual compared to other presidents. It’s the normal course of things for decades,” said Jonathan Hanson, lecturer in public policy, on Donald Trump’s claims that Joe Biden is blocking the president-elect’s agenda by implementing a series of executive orders and rules before he leaves office.
ABC News -
January 15, 2025
“The Southwest U.S. has been in megadrought since 1999. This is the primary reason we’re seeing so much more wildfire in the region,” said Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability. Then there’s the powerful Santa Ana winds, which move through narrow channels in the mountains, “resulting in an increase in the speed of the winds,” said Frank Marsik, associate research scientist in climate and space sciences and engineering. “A good analogy … would be the way that you can increase the speed of water flowing out of a garden hose by putting your thumb over the end, causing the water to flow through a much smaller area.”
TIME
