Scientists uncover a 60,000-year-old forest underwater and think its preserved trees may help pioneer new medicines But it wasn’t until December that a team of scientists from Northeastern University and the University of Utah set out on an expedition funded by NOAA to dive into the waters and bring back pieces of wood to study.
ABC News How gun homicides could be linked to bleak outlook of the future: Study “We know that these root causes can be modified through policies,” Dr. Daniel Kim, lead author of the study and associate professor at Northeastern University, told ABC News. “This, and future research, could get policymakers to tackle the gun violence epidemic in America.”
Fox News US and Taliban could be forced into awkward alliance to take out ISIS in Afghanistan “The Taliban has a long history of working alongside Al Qaeda, but the group has tried to reassure the U.S. that it is done with Al Qaeda and will counter Islamic State. Of course, the notion that the U.S. will now delegate counterterrorism responsibilities to the Taliban is deeply ironic,” Max Abrahms, professor of political […]
Business Insider The earthquakes in southern California were centered near a naval station contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’ But a report from Northeastern University and the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that the water source at the China Lake station contained PFAS levels of 8 million parts per trillion — more than 114,000 times the EPA threshold.
The Walrus The New Old Age Research on superagers is in its infancy, but Lisa Barrett, a psychology professor at Northeastern University, says that joining that exclusive group is about more than inheriting good genes or enjoying financial security: based on the available scientific evidence, a lot of it has to do with social interactions and persistent mental and physical exercise. […]
Forbes On AI and Jobs, We Are All Augmentarians Now But there is a tension at the heart of this automation vs. augmentation debate that wasn’t really addressed at the conference. There was much discussion, for example, of the need for workers to continually renew their skills, and advocacy for that old chestnut “lifelong learning.” Joseph Aoun, the President of Northeastern University, was particularly strong […]
WGBH FCC lifts ban on cross-ownership for media outlets: What does it mean for Boston? The Federal Communications Commission, the FCC, has voted to lift a more than 40-year-old ban on cross-ownership in media markets. It’s also loosened restrictions on owning multiple television stations in a single market. The FCC commissioners voted along party lines: three Republicans prevailing over two Democrats. In the studio to talk about all of this […]
WGBH In defense of neutrality: Why news organizations are right to crack down on social media Should journalists be allowed to express their opinions on social media? Among the tiny circle of people who think about such things, it is a fraught debate. Some say no — including the editors of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, both of which recently issued updated social-media guidelines. Others argue that […]
WGBH How to get rich plundering newspapers The Nation recently published a splendid takedown of Randall Smith, a little-known Wall Street tycoon whose avarice has hollowed out daily newspapers from coast to coast. By “gutting” his papers, Julie Reynolds reports, Smith was able to amass the $57 million he needed to buy 16 mansions in Palm Beach, Florida. “Don’t just blame the Internet for […]
WGBH What the highest courts in the U.S. and Massachusetts face this term Yesterday was the first Monday in October, which is opening day for the United States Supreme Court’s new term. Closer to home, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts is holding oral arguments in appellate cases this week, as it does the first week of each between from September and May. WGBH’s Morning Edition host Joe […]
Fox News Syria ceasefire brokered by US, Russia holding, but with flaws, ‘tricks’ in play The ceasefire brokered by the Putin and Trump administrations went into effect earlier this month and has – for the most part – brought peace to a small strip of war-torn southwestern Syria. But the accord is vulnerable. “The Syrian people have experienced enough horror and pain. The benefits to them shouldn’t be overlooked,” Max […]
WGBH The 2017 New England Muzzle Awards: Spotlighting 10 who diminish free speech It seems somehow appropriate that on this, the 20th anniversary of the Muzzle Awards, assaults on freedom of expression are taking a technological turn. But there are still plenty of instances of old-fashioned suppression — such as a publicly funded charter school in Malden whose ban on hair extensions affects black female students almost exclusively; […]