Category Archives: Insights

Climate change will cause more African children to die from hot weather

Cathryn Birch, University of Leeds; John Marsham, University of Leeds, and Sarah Chapman, University of Leeds Climate change has already increased global temperatures, greatly increasing extremes. This will continue unless greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to “net-zero”. The 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement requires emissions reductions of around 50% in the next 10 years.Continue reading “Climate change will cause more African children to die from hot weather”

Women have always trailed men in research output: how COVID made the situation worse

Cyrill Walters, Stellenbosch University; Armand Bam, Stellenbosch University, and Patrizio Piraino, University of Notre Dame The under-representation of women in research is well documented. Emerging evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this inequality and disrupted the research enterprise globally. But none of these studies, mainly from the global north, provide detailed explanations forContinue reading “Women have always trailed men in research output: how COVID made the situation worse”

Monkeypox: World Health Organization declares it a global health emergency – here’s what that means

Paul Hunter, University of East Anglia The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the current monkeypox epidemic a global health emergency. The committee of independent advisers who met on Thursday July 21 2022, were split on their decision on whether to call the growing monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) –Continue reading “Monkeypox: World Health Organization declares it a global health emergency – here’s what that means”

How a Black writer in 19th-century America used humor to combat white supremacy

Rodney Taylor, University of South Carolina Any writer has to struggle with the dilemma of staying true to their vision or giving editors and readers what they want. A number of factors might influence the latter: the market, trends and sensibilities. But in the decades after the Civil War, Black writers looking to faithfully depictContinue reading “How a Black writer in 19th-century America used humor to combat white supremacy”

How fast can we stop Earth from warming?

Richard B. (Ricky) Rood, University of Michigan Global warming doesn’t stop on a dime. If people everywhere stopped burning fossil fuels tomorrow, stored heat would still continue to warm the atmosphere. Picture how a radiator heats a home. Water is heated by a boiler, and the hot water circulates through pipes and radiators in theContinue reading “How fast can we stop Earth from warming?”

5 ways college instructors can help students take care of their mental health

Max Coleman, Indiana University A few years ago, a student showed up in my class looking distraught. “I don’t think I can be in class today,” the student told me. No explanation, no elaboration. Yet I knew from our previous conversations that this student suffered from anxiety and that the previous few weeks had beenContinue reading “5 ways college instructors can help students take care of their mental health”

Transgender people of color face unique challenges as gender discrimination and racism intersect

Gabriel Lockett, University of Florida; Jules Sostre, University of Florida, and Roberto L. Abreu, University of Florida Throughout history, transgender people of color have had a place of honor in many indigenous cultures around the world. This changed in many places, however, as European colonizers began forcing indigenous people to follow white social norms. TheseContinue reading “Transgender people of color face unique challenges as gender discrimination and racism intersect”