Building the good power of science

The black-legged deer ticks that transmit Lyme disease to thousands of Americans every year can survive below-freezing temperatures and go more than a year without a meal. Want to see their superpowers evaporate? Bring on hot, dry weather. One thing deer ticks hate: Hot, dry weather When deer ticks are exposed for too long to […]

Remember when Britney Spears shaved her head and attacked a paparazzo’s SUV with an umbrella? Or when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars? Celebrity meltdowns like these once played out on TV or in tabloids. Now, anyone can go viral for an emotional breakdown, or what Gen Z calls a “crash out.”  […]

The grass tennis courts of Wimbledon are among the most recognizable in the world.  But despite its fame, grass is one of the rarest surfaces on which tennis is played today; many tennis fans and players may never set foot on its lush turf during their lifetimes.  How does the iconic Centre Court lawn compare […]

The deluge that surged through Central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend devastated the hill country and shocked the world with its intensity and loss of life. The Guadalupe River at Kerrville rose from 1.73 feet to 34.29 feet in three hours on July 4, according to a river gauge maintained by the federal government.  The […]

People often turn to therapy for answers about themselves, their lives or their relationships, but one psychologist says we need to get more comfortable with saying, “I don’t know” –– and that includes therapists too. Aaron B. Daniels, an associate teaching professor at Northeastern University with a decade plus of experience as a practicing therapist, […]

Scientists sometimes compare predicting the course of epidemics to forecasting the weather. But there’s a major difference — the impact of human behavior —  says Alessandro Vespignani, director of Northeastern University’s Network Science Institute.  Consider what happens during a downpour, he says. “If we all open an umbrella, it will rain anyway.” “In epidemics, if we […]

Ahh, summer, a time of vacations at the beach or mountains — and sky-high electricity bills as your air conditioner labors against the heat and humidity. But what is the optimal temperature to set your air conditioner at?  And how does your body adapt to heat? Northeastern University’s Stefan Kautsch, a teaching professor in physics, […]

Northeastern University astrophysicist Jonathan C. Blazek knew to expect stunning views of galaxies when the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile released its first images of the night sky on June 23. And the sights were extraordinary. With a telescope as wide as a tennis court and the world’s largest digital camera, the observatory captured more than 10 […]

Researchers at Northeastern University have discovered how to change the electronic state of matter on demand, a breakthrough that could make electronics 1,000 times faster and more efficient. By switching from insulating to conducting and vice versa, the discovery creates the potential to replace silicon components in electronics with exponentially smaller and faster quantum materials.  […]