Atmospheric river storms can drive costly flooding – and climate change is making them stronger

Tom Corringham, University of California San Diego

Earth’s biggest rivers are streams of warm water vapor in the atmosphere that can cause huge rain and snowfall over land. Climate change is making them longer, wetter and stronger.

Girls learn early that they don’t have much of a place in politics

Mirya Holman, Tulane University; Angela L. Bos, The College of Wooster; J Celeste Lay, Tulane University; Jill S. Greenlee, Brandeis University; Zoe M. Oxley, Union College

As young children learn about politics and political figures, they internalize the idea that politics is a man’s world, which ultimately means political representation is heavily skewed toward men.

Hollywood’s love of guns increases the risk of shootings – both on and off the set

Brad Bushman, The Ohio State University; Dan Romer, University of Pennsylvania

A tragic accident resulted in the shooting death of a cinematographer on the set of actor Alec Baldwin’s latest movie. The dangers of more guns on set extend to society, two scholars argue.

Why do colleges use legacy admissions? 5 questions answered

Nadirah Farah Foley, New York University

Elite universities have been giving special preference to children of prior graduates for more than a century. Has the time come for that practice to stop? A sociologist weighs in.

Studying political science motivates college students to register and vote – new research shows

Frank Fernandez, University of Florida; Matthew J Capaldi, University of Florida

Taking just one political science class makes college students more likely to show up at the polls, two researchers find.

What causes ADHD and can it be cured?

Gregory Fabiano, Florida International University

Even when the condition lasts a lifetime, there are behavioral treatments and prescription drugs that make it easier for people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder to thrive.

How ethnic and religious divides in Afghanistan are contributing to violence against minorities

Abdulkader Sinno, Indiana University

A scholar of Afghan affairs explains the religious affiliations of different ethnic groups in Afghanistan and why they may not share a common understanding of Islam.

A new way to organize cancer mutations could lead to better treatment matches for patients

Jacqulyne Robichaux, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Every cancer is different. Grouping cancer mutations by their structure and function could help make treatments more personalized.

How food became the perfect beachhead for gentrification

Pascale Joassart-Marcelli, San Diego State University

Ethnic food is cheap, and it appeals to adventurous eaters. Real estate agents and investors have caught on.

Cellphone data shows that people navigate by keeping their destinations in front of them – even when that’s not the most efficient route

Carlo Ratti, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

As you’re walking through city streets on your way to work, school or appointments, you probably feel like you’re taking the most efficient route. Thanks to evolution, you’re probably not.

Trump wants the National Archives to keep his papers away from investigators – post-Watergate laws and executive orders may not let him

Shannon Bow O'Brien, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts

Donald Trump’s lawsuit to stop the release to Congress of potentially embarrassing or incriminating documents puts the National Archives in the middle of an old legal conflict.

“I have this feeling that the higher ed will be split into two tiers; the more affluent students will be able to afford to go to face-to-face classes while everyone else will be “stuck” in the online environment. And in the end, the students that would gain the most from the F2F interactions will not be able to get access to it…”

– Reader Veronika Dolar on the story Future of college will involve fewer professors