How cannabis and psilocybin might help some of the 50 million Americans who are experiencing chronic pain

Kevin F. Boehnke, University of Michigan

Cannabis and psilocybin – used under supervision – have the potential to work better than current pain treatments, but the research into both has long been hindered by federal legislation.

Sudan’s descent into chaos sets stage for al-Qaida to make a return to historic stronghold

Sara Harmouch, American University

With both sides in Sudan’s civil war accused of recruiting Islamist militiamen, terrorist groups look set to capitalize on a power vacuum.

A sex scandal that’s boring the public − and a judge forced to keep Trump focused

David E. Clementson, University of Georgia; John E. Jones III, Dickinson College

A former judge and an expert on political communication dissect the most recent week of Donald Trump’s hush-money trial.

How Jason Kelce built his personal brand and became a Philly legend

Amy Lavin, Temple University; Sheri Lambert, Temple University

2 marketing experts explain how the former All-Pro center for the Philadelphia Eagles has built a powerful personal brand centered on being a gritty underdog with family values.

Sports gambling creates a windfall, but raises questions of integrity – here are three lessons from historic sports-betting scandals

Jared Bahir Browsh, University of Colorado Boulder

The US has a long history of sports betting scandals.

Engineering mini human hearts to study pregnancy complications and birth defects

Brett Volmert, Michigan State University; Aitor Aguirre, Michigan State University; Aleksandra Kostina, Michigan State University

Human heart organoids allow researchers to study the developing heart while avoiding the ethical issues of using human embryos and the imperfections of animal models.

Algorithms help people see and correct their biases, study shows

Carey K. Morewedge, Boston University

People are better able to see and correct biases in algorithms’ decisions than in their own decisions, even when algorithms are trained on their decisions.

Playing with the kids is important work for chimpanzee mothers

Zarin Machanda, Tufts University; Kris Sabbi, Harvard University

When resources are tight, mothers bear the costs of playing with their offspring even as they avoid socializing with others.

What are roads made of? A pavement materials engineer explains the science behind the asphalt you drive on

Mansour Solaimanian, Penn State

Summer means road construction − but what kind of engineering goes into laying down pavement?

Medicine doesn’t just have ‘conscientious objectors’ − there are ‘conscientious providers,’ too

Raymond G. De Vries, University of Michigan

Medical workers navigate their own moral and religious beliefs, professional standards, the law and the realities of clinical work – which can be especially complicated in abortion care.

Bird flu detected in Colorado dairy cattle − a vet explains the risks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

Jason Lombard, Colorado State University

A veterinarian and epidemiologist who studies infectious diseases in dairy cows discusses the outbreak, how cows recover and what the government is doing to keep the milk supply safe.

What you’re really saying with your Mother’s Day gift

Chih-Ling Liu, Lancaster University; Robert Kozinets, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

It’s never just a box of chocolates.

La Niña is coming, raising the chances of a dangerous Atlantic hurricane season – an atmospheric scientist explains this climate phenomenon

What early 2024 polls are revealing about voters of color and the GOP − and it’s not all about Donald Trump

Could Biden stop Netanyahu’s plans? A national security expert looks at Israel’s attack on Rafah

Here’s the first question of this week’s edition:

The first crewed launch of Boeing's new reusable spacecraft was scrubbed again on May 6 because of issues with its booster rocket. What is Boeing's spacecraft named?

1. A. 737 Spacemax
2. B. Icarus
3. C. Starliner
4. D. Constellation

Test your knowledge