News
The ‘Murder Hornet’ Is Out to Get Bees, Not Humans. So Why Are People Still Freaking Out About It?
The arrival of the Asian giant hornet in the U.S. has sparked an outcry on social media, but entomologists say that people should not worry about the oversized wasps. Still, some people may be concerned, as the underlying nature of fear isn’t the same for everyone, says neuroscientist Ajay Satpute.
May 26, 2020
The Person Walking Past You Isn’t Wearing a Mask. What Should You Say?
It’s best to avoid hostility and communicate with empathy when it comes to helping people understand why covering their faces can slow the spread of the virus, say Northeastern researchers.
May 18, 2020
The Coronavirus Was in the Us in January. We Need to Understand How We Missed It.
SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, was circulating in major U.S. cities as early as January, says Alessandro Vespignani, director of Northeastern’s Network Science Institute. And if we want to keep our communities safe going forward, we need to understand how we missed a virus that was right under our noses.
April 27, 2020
Herd Immunity Won’t Come Anytime Soon for Covid-19
Herd immunity is the idea that a disease can’t spread through a population once a large enough percentage is immune, either because they’ve recovered from an infection or received a vaccine. But that won’t work with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, said Samuel Scarpino, an assistant professor who runs the Emergent Epidemics lab at Northeastern
April 24, 2020
Here’s How to Combat the Fear Caused by a Barrage of Covid-19 News
David DeSteno, a Professor of Psychology does a Q&A with News@Northeastern about his research, the contagiousness of fear and offered some tips for breaking out of the constant cycle of fear and anxiety.
April 06, 2020
‘Social Distancing’ Is Only the First Step Toward Stopping the Covid-19 Pandemic
After days of closures and requests—or orders—to stay home, many people caught in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic are wondering if these efforts will be enough. Network scientist Alessandro Vespignani says the answer depends on the ways that local, regional, and federal governments use the time.
March 26, 2020
Here’s Why Washing Your Hands With Soap for 20 Seconds Protects You From Covid-19
In soap lather, a combination of molecules assemble into bubble-like structures that trap viral matter and other biomaterials—grease, oil, dirt—and rinse them down the drain, says Thomas Gilbert, associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern.
March 26, 2020
The Coronavirus Outbreak Is an International Public Health Emergency. Here’s What You Need to Know.
“Either the screening, detection, and isolation in China will be able to contain the epidemic there, or it will be a global issue,” says Alessandro Vespignani, Sternberg Family Distinguished University Professor at Northeastern. “And this will be decided in the next couple of weeks.”
February 05, 2020
The Popularity of ‘ok boomer’ May Well Just ‘ok boomerang’
Before we consider how the phrase “ok boomer” might die, we should consider how it was born.
November 21, 2019
Marine Organisms Can Evolve and Adapt to New Climates. But Will They?
A new United Nations report warns that the oceans have sponged up about a quarter of the total atmospheric carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels since the 1980s, changing the chemistry of the ocean at different depths and creating dangerously acidic and oxygen-depleted conditions for marine life.
September 30, 2019
The First Line of Defense for Hurricane Dorian Is the Shoreline
Climate change is increasing the probability of hurricanes like Dorian, while development is destroying natural protective barriers like mangrove trees. So what can we do about it? Professor Steven Scyphers lends his expertise.
September 04, 2019
The Amazon Rainforest Has Been Burning for Weeks. Here’s Why That Matters.
The Amazon rainforest is on fire. Aron Stubbins, professor of marine and environmental sciences at Northeastern, explains why that's a global problem.
August 27, 2019