New Zealand wants to tax cow burps – here’s why that’s not the best climate solution

Kevin Trenberth, University of Auckland

New Zealand is considering a plan to tax methane from cows. But while cows and cars both emit greenhouse gases, they don’t have the same impact over time.

Twitter cutoff in Turkey amid earthquake rescue operations: a social media expert explains the danger of losing the microblogging service in times of disaster

Anjana Susarla, Michigan State University

Twitter was blocked in Turkey for about 12 hours at the height of rescue and relief efforts in the aftermath of a massive earthquake, severely hampering a vital tool for disaster response.

Adults judge children who tell blunt polite truths more harshly than they do liars

Laure Brimbal, Texas State University

Kids need to learn when little lies are the right choice. But research suggests parents may not be clear in the messages they send about how they value the truth.

Twitter’s new data fees leave scientists scrambling for funding – or cutting research

Jon-Patrick Allem, University of Southern California

Twitter has long allowed anyone to access its data about who tweeted what and when. This has been a boon to research, from public health to criminology. The new fees put that research at risk.

Public school enrollment dropped by 1.2M during the pandemic – an expert discusses where the students went and why it matters

Thomas Dee, Stanford University

Federal, state and local efforts to help students recover learning they missed or lost during the pandemic are underway. But those projects don’t include the youngest students.

CBD is not a cure-all – here’s what science says about its real health benefits

Kent E Vrana, Penn State

CBD isn’t a miracle cure for everything that ails a person – but science shows that it has the potential to help treat a number of health conditions.

Medication abortion could get harder to obtain – or easier: There’s a new wave of post-Dobbs lawsuits on abortion pills

Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia; Sonia Suter, George Washington University

A rash of pending lawsuits raises questions about the FDA’s approval of mifepristone two decades ago, whether the drug can be legally mailed and the constitutional right to interstate commerce.

Biden calls for assault weapon ban – but does focus on military-style guns and mass shootings undermine his message?

Melissa K. Merry, University of Louisville; Aaron Smith-Walter, UMass Lowell

Gun policy scholars explain why even supporters of gun control often believe new restrictions are doomed to fail.

Brazil’s president visits the White House as he tries to counter rising threats to democracy at home

Carmen Alvaro Jarrin, College of the Holy Cross

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will meet with President Biden at the White House on Feb. 10, 2023, to discuss several joint issues. But democracy is job one.

Spy balloon drama elevates public attention, pressure for the US to confront China

Michael A. Allen, Boise State University; Carla Martinez Machain, University at Buffalo; Michael E. Flynn, Kansas State University

Espionage routinely plays out between countries like the US and China. But a public spectacle like the Chinese spy balloon can change the game.

Large numbers of Americans want a strong, rough, anti-democratic leader

How California could save up its rain to ease future droughts — instead of watching epic atmospheric river rainfall drain into the Pacific

Biden’s plan for ending the emergency declaration for COVID-19 signals a pivotal point in the pandemic – 4 questions answered