Daniel Medwed, a law professor at Northeastern University, said prosecutors seemed to have ensnared everyone involved, even those to a lesser degree, and he questioned whether all the defendants will go to trial. He also said that prosecutors appear to be trying to send a message to the defendants and others who work in the […]

The highly acclaimed podcast “Serial” concludes this Thursday. To mark the occasion, longtime journalist Brian C. Jones argues what he believes are the series’ journalistic and ethical shortcomings, and WGBH News contributor Dan Kennedy offers his response.

Say what you will about Patrick’s lack of oversight when it comes to state agencies and the current budget deficit, but on the Massachusetts economy, he can leave Beacon Hill with his head held high. On his watch, the number of jobs increased by 4.1 percent in Massachusetts, compared with 1.7 percent nationally, according to […]

When picking other explicitly historical books for kids and young adults, look for stories that have rich period detail, like that pig’s tail. Victoria Cain, of Northeastern University and author (with Karen Rader) of Life on Display: Revolutionizing U.S. Museums of Science and Natural History in the Twentieth Century, called the Jean Fritz series on […]

It would be hard to come up with a shakier scenario for testing a prototype electric skateboard: slick sidewalks from recent rain, journalist who has never been on a longboard before, snow starting to blow, and a test course shared with bikers. The skateboard was designed by Dash Electric, a Boston startup founded by Northeastern […]

Marches, protests and demonstrations…we’ve seen them all in the last few weeks, and angry citizens continue to express outrage and dis-satisfaction with grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City. Dr. Sarah Jackson, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies  at Northeastern University says, “we can likely expect to see much of what we’ve already […]

“I’ve coined the term ‘loon wolf’ terrorist to describe a mentally unstable or deranged terrorist acting independently of a terrorist group,” Max Abrahms, an analyst, said in a tweet. Being mentally unstable doesn’t absolve someone from being a terrorist if acting on a political motive, said Abrahms, a political science professor at Northeastern University in […]

The images of five hostages escaping from the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Sydney are striking. A woman runs into the arms of law enforcement, her trauma and fear palpable. This story is still developing, but one thing is for sure: “It really doesn’t take much to instill fear,” says Max Abrahms, a professor of political science […]

Financial pros recommend harnessing the power of a simple gratitude journal, or an ongoing list of the people, experiences and things you are thankful for. What you jot down can be as simple as the invigorating morning run you had with your dog or the peppermint latte you enjoyed for an afternoon pick-me-up. These small […]

Speak or write in English, and the world will hear you. Speak or write in Tamil or Portuguese, and you may have a harder time getting your message out. Now, a new method for mapping how information flows around the globe identifies the best languages to spread your ideas far and wide. One hint: If […]

A dramatic drop in the price of gas won’t make your grocery bill any easier to swallow because officials are forecasting a hike in food prices in nearly every category, due to brutal drought, fluctuations in demand and a virus afflicting farm animals

One of the main driving forces behind the rise of experiential philanthropy courses has been the Learning by Giving Foundation, founded by Doris Buffett, the sister of billionaire investor Warren Buffett . The foundation funds 35 college courses, and has joined with Northeastern University and Cornell University to create the recent series of MOOCs.