Latino characters have traditionally been underrepresented in mainstream comics. But Spider-Man’s backstory makes him the perfect superhero to be recast as a minority. — By Regina Marie Mills, Assistant Professor of Latinx and U.S. Multi-Ethnic Literature, Texas A&M University As a Latino literature and media scholar, a lifelong gamer and a Guatemalan-American girl whose dad read her comics every night, I quickly became a fan and then scholar of Miles Morales, the Afro-Puerto Rican Spider-Man who first appeared in comic book form in 2011’s “Ultimate Fallout #4.”

Is making sense of a story more important than getting at its truth? Looking at the treatment of myth in ancient Greece may help us navigate what is true, and whether that matters. — By Joel Christensen, Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University In an age of deepfakes and alternative facts, it can be tricky getting at the truth. But persuading others — or even yourself — what is true is not a challenge unique to the modern era. Even the ancient Greeks had to confront different realities.

Here are 4 ways to make your counterpart feel heard and keep the conversation going By Julia Minson, Associate Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School Your 18-year-old daughter announces she’s in love, dropping out of college and moving to Argentina. Your yoga-teaching brother refuses to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and is confident that fresh air is the best medicine. …

If hunter-gatherers went beyond nose-to-tail eating to include the undigested plant matter in a prey animal’s stomach, assumptions about gendered division of labor start to fall apart. — By Raven Garvey, Associate Professor of Anthropology; Curator of High Latitude and Western North American Archaeology, Museum of Anthropological Archaeology; Faculty Affiliate, Research Center for Group Dynamics, University of Michigan

White people are often defensive when they’re called out for these subtle snubs and insults. But researchers have found that microaggressions correlate with racial bias. — By Jonathan Kanter, Director of the Center for the Science of Social Connection, University of Washington A white man shares publicly that a group of Black Harvard graduates “look like gang members to me” and claims he would have said the same of white people dressed similarly. A white physician…

Carbon capture and storage could keep fossil fuel power plants running under newly proposed federal emissions standards, but it faces high hurdles. — By Soyoung Oh, Junior Research Fellow in Climate Policy, The Fletcher School, Tufts University The Biden administration proposed new power plant rules on May 11, 2023, that have the potential to be among the most stringent federal policy measures on coal, oil and gas power plants the United States has…

Fungal infections can be among the hardest to treat, and since the pandemic began they’ve become only more common. To prevent future antifungal resistance, scientists have developed tiny molecular drills. — By Ana L. Santos, Postdoctoral Fellow in Microbiology; Jacob Beckham, Graduate Student in Chemistry; & James Tour,Professor of Chemistry, Rice University Fungi are present on the skin of around 70% of the population, without causing harm or benefit. Some fungal infections, like athlete’s foot, are minor. …

From cancer immunotherapy and antibiotics to GMO crops and pandemic surveillance, gain of function is a cornerstone of basic research. — Seema Lakdawala, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Emory University and Adjunct Professor Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh & Anice Lowen, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University The term “gain of function” is often taken to refer to research with viruses that puts society at…

A scholar of ancient Greek philosophy writes about Aristotle’s timeless advice on how to nurture and keep friendships. — By Emily Katz, Associate Professor of Ancient Greek Philosophy, Michigan State University While most love songs are inspired by the joys and heartaches of romantic relationships, love between friends can be just as intense and complicated. …