Human scent could one day be used as evidence in forensics and as diagnostic information in medicine — By Chantrell Frazier, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Food Science, Framingham State University; Kenneth G. Furton, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University; and Vidia A. Gokool, Postdoctoral Researcher, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory From the aroma of fresh-cut grass to the smell of a loved one, you encounter scents…

A study found that adding legs does more for you than having a good sense of the ground around you − if you’re a mobile robot. — By Baxi Chong, Postdoctoral Fellow, Complex Rheology And Biomechanics Lab, Georgia Institute of Technology Adding legs to robots that have minimal awareness of the environment around them can help the robots operate more effectively in difficult terrain, my colleagues and I found.

Discrimination, isolation and stigma related to sexual orientation or gender identity likely contribute to the higher rates of depression and lower quality of life of LGBTQ+ caregivers. — By Joel G. Anderson, Associate Professor of Nursing, University of Tennessee Caring for someone living with dementia can be a stressful experience that harms the physical and mental health of caregivers. Many caregivers experience depression and lower quality of life. LGBTQ+ caregivers face unique challenges that can magnify these strains.

Cardiovascular disease and cancer share many parallels in their origins and how they develop. Nanoparticles offer one potential way to effectively treat both with reduced side effects. — By Bryan Smith, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University What would you guess are the two biggest killers in the world? Based on media coverage, maybe you guessed gun violence, accidents or COVID-19. But the top two killers are actually cardiovascular disease and cancer. These two diseases combined…

Medical exploitation is an often overlooked part of Black history and partly explains the mistrust that members of the Black community have for the medical industry. — By Deion Scott Hawkins, Assistant Professor of Argumentation & Advocacy, Emerson College In a case that revealed the exploitation of a Black woman beginning in the 1950s and extending for 70 years, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. settled a lawsuit that the estate of Henrietta Lacks had filed against the biotech…

Remorse and sorrow from a bad choice can haunt you for years, even decades. But there are evidence-based ways to move past regret. — By J. Kim Penberthy, Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia A friend of mine — we will call him “Jay” — was working for IBM in New York City in the early ’90s. He was a computer programmer and made a good salary. Occasionally, competitors and startups…

The late Christopher Alexander’s groundbreaking work on patterns has informed the development of technology for decades, but it’s the architect’s later work that holds the key to a healthier digital life. — By Tim Gorichanaz, Assistant Teaching Professor of Information Studies, Drexel University My first Apple laptop felt like a piece of magic made just for me — almost a part of myself. The rounded corners, the lively shading, the delightful animations. …

The two leading causes of US deaths share many parallels in their origins and how they develop. Nanoparticles offer one potential way to effectively treat both with reduced side effects. — By Bryan Smith, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University What would you guess are the two biggest killers in the world? Based on media coverage, maybe you guessed gun violence, accidents or COVID-19. But the top two killers are actually cardiovascular disease and cancer. …

Children with difficulty singing can be labelled as ‘nonmusical’ by parents, teachers and pop culture. This toxic idea of ‘talent’ can deprive people of music’s benefits for the rest of their lives. — By Steven M. Demorest, Professor of Music Education, Northwestern University A Hungarian film titled “Sing” won the 2017 Oscar for best short film. “Sing” tells the story of young Zsófi, who joins a renowned children’s choir at her elementary school where “everyone is welcome.”