Rural Disasters: Hurricanes grab headlines but inland communities depend on federal aid to survive
Floyd County keeps flooding and the federal government keeps coming to the rescue. In July 2022, at least 40 people died and 300 homes were damaged in flooding across eastern Kentucky. It was the 13th time in 12 years that Floyd County was declared a federal disaster....
Billions in losses: Why the warming ocean is leaving coastal economies in hot water
By Charles Colgan, Director of Research for the Center for the Blue Economy, Middlebury Institute of International Studies Ocean-related tourism and recreation supports more than 320,000 jobs and US$13.5 billion in goods and services in Florida. But a swim in the...
Ukrainian tactics to cripple Russia’s Black Sea Fleet have historical parallels to the Russo-Japanese War
In a series of relentless and innovative strikes, Ukraine has continued to weaken Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, echoing a historic naval conflict over a century ago. Ukraine’s effective use of naval drone technology and modern warfare tactics against a superior maritime...
Russia’s Nuclear Doctrine: Understanding the rules behind Putin’s threat of using atomic weapons
Since Russia launched its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the brutal dictator Vladimir Putin and other Kremlin voices have frequently threatened the West with its nuclear arsenal. On Day 1 of the war, Putin said “whoever tries to impede us,...
Global populations face threat of radioactive pollution from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
By Nino Antadze, Associate Professor, Environmental Studies, University of Prince Edward Island Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put the country’s nuclear facilities at considerable risk. For example, on April 7 a drone attacked Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power...
Devastating Schemes: How crooks are getting away with scamming billions from Americans every year
The scammers are winning. Sophisticated overseas criminals are stealing tens of billions of dollars from Americans every year, a crime wave projected to get worse as the U.S. population ages and technology like AI makes it easier than ever to perpetrate fraud and get...
Myopia epidemic: Record number of people across the world are wearing glasses due to Nearsightedness
By Andrew Herbert, Professor of Psychology, Visual Perception, Rochester Institute of Technology Myopia, or the need for corrected vision to focus or see objects at a distance, has become a lot more common in recent decades. Some even consider myopia, also known as...
Red, yellow, green, and white: Traffic lights could face big changes as a result of smarter vehicles
As cars and trucks get smarter and more connected, the humble lights that have controlled the flow of traffic for more than a century could also be on the cusp of a major transformation. Researchers are exploring ways to use features in modern cars, such as GPS, to...
Insurance group says most automated driving systems are lousy at making sure drivers pay attention
Most electronic systems that take on some driving tasks for humans do not adequately make sure drivers are paying attention, and they do not issue strong enough warnings or take other actions to make drivers behave, according to an insurance industry study published...
U.S. automakers feel the threat of competing against low-priced Chinese EVs imported from Mexico
It is a scenario that terrifies America’s auto industry. Chinese carmakers set up shop in Mexico to exploit North American trade rules. Once in place, they send ultra-low-priced electric vehicles streaming into the United States. As the Chinese EVs go on sale...
Designed to crash: Why Traffic engineers build dangerous roads based on outdated research
By Wesley Marshall, Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Colorado Denver “Can you name the truck with four-wheel drive, smells like a steak, and seats 35?” Back in 1998, “The Simpsons” joked about the Canyonero, an SUV so big that they were obviously kidding....
Post-COVID Jobs: Why few employers are offering incentives to boost satisfaction with in-person work
Justin Ryan Horton has two jobs. When he is not putting in 24-hour shifts as a firefighter, the 22-year-old is working as an administrative assistant for a local community college from his home in Colorado Springs. Firefighting is, of course, not a work-from-home kind...
