METRO - Metropolitan Digital

Atmospheric river meets bomb cyclone: The result is like a fire hose flailing out of control

An atmospheric river feeds into a bomb cyclone off the U.S. West Coast on Nov. 19, 2024.NOAA GOESThe West Coast’s rainy season has arrived in force, as an atmospheric river carrying moisture fro...

Chad Hecht, Research and Operations Meteorologist, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, University of California, San Diego

‘For the very first time I really enjoyed sex!’ − how lesbian escort agencies became a form of self-care in Japan

Since 2007, the Lesbian Girls Club has arranged meetups between its sex workers and female clients at hotels in Japan. RealPeopleGroup/iStock via Getty ImagesIn Japanese society, prostitution is often...

Marta Fanasca, Marie Curie Global Fellow, Università di Bologna

Should I worry about mold growing in my home?
Mold growths are common in homes, and unless the damage is widespread, they usually aren't harmful. …
Young families are leaving many large US cities − here’s why that matters
Parents and educators rally at Boston City Hall demanding urgent action to improve the city's public…
Transplanting insulin-making cells to treat Type 1 diabetes is challenging − but stem cells offer a …
The islets of Langerhans play a crucial role in blood sugar regulation.Fayette A Reynolds/Berkshire …
3 strategies to help Americans bridge the deepening partisan divide
What can be done to lessen political polarization in the U.S.? A few nonprofit organizations are try…

3 strategies to help Americans bridge the deepening partisan divide

What can be done to lessen political polarization in the U.S.? A few nonprofit organizations are trying to amplify their methods to tone town the temperature. Rob Dobi/Getty Images Is it possible to b...

Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University - Newark

Blurry, morphing and surreal – a new AI aesthetic is emerging in film
A still from Theo Lindquist's short film 'Electronic Dance Experiment #3.'Theo LindquistType text into AI image and video generators, and you’ll often see outputs of unusual, sometimes creepy, pictures.In a way, this is a feature, not a bug, of generative AI. And …
Companies are still committing to net-zero emissions, even if it’s a bumpy road – here’s what the data show
Companies are cutting emissions fastest from energy use. Falling solar prices help.CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty ImagesCompanies around the world are increasingly committed to cutting their greenhouse gas emissions to slow and ultimately reverse climate change.One i…
75 years ago, Maria Tallchief made the ballet world reimagine itself and find a place for a Native American prima ballerina
Maria Tallchief performing 'Firebird' at the New York City Ballet on Sept. 19, 1963.Jack Mitchell / Archive Photos via Getty ImagesOn Nov. 27, 1949, prima ballerina Maria Tallchief waited for her cue in the wings of the City Center in downtown Manhattan, preparing to ta…
Legal complications await if OpenAI tries to shake off control by the nonprofit that owns the rapidly growing tech company
Severing ties to its nonprofit owner would be far more easily said than done.rob dobi/Moment via Getty ImagesOpenAI, the tech company that created the popular ChatGPT chatbot, is at a crossroads. It began as a nonprofit dedicated to developing artificial intelligence sy…

Trump’s agenda will face hurdles in Congress, despite the Republican ‘trifecta’ of winning the House, Senate and White House

Trump may have a majority in Congress, but that doesn't mean he can move ahead with his entire agenda.Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBeginning in January 2025, Republicans in Washington will achie...

Charlie Hunt, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Boise State University

Why does the Senate confirm Trump’s picks for key posts — and how? A legal scholar explains the confirmation process and the ‘constitutional loophole’ of recess appointments
Will Trump nominee Matt Gaetz be able to ascend to the top position at the Justice Department?Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesSince Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump has moved quickly to name his picks for key cabinet posts such as attorney gener…
Carbon offsets can help bring energy efficiency to low-income Americans − our Nashville data shows it could be a win for everyone
Replacing windows and adding a heat pump in place of a furnace can save energy, reducing emissions.Tristan Spinski for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesUnder pressure from customers and investors, many U.S. companies have pledged to voluntarily reduce their impact on…
An 83-year-old short story by Borges portends a bleak future for the internet
Fifty years before the architecture for the web was created, Jorge Luis Borges had already imagined an analog equivalent.Sophie Bassouls/Sygma via Getty ImagesHow will the internet evolve in the coming decades?Fiction writers have explored some possibilities.In his 2019…
Workplace diversity training programs are everywhere, but their effectiveness varies widely
Diversity training programs had positive results when they implemented skills training and role-playing, according to a new study.Mikolette/Getty ImagesDespite recent efforts to restrict them, diversity training programs have become as ubiquitous in American offices as …

The ‘Death Mother’: Horror’s most unnerving villain

Toni Collette, right, and Milly Shapiro in 'Hereditary' (2018).IMDBHorror films draw us into a world where our deepest anxieties are laid bare. They illuminate the darker recesses of the human psyche ...

Kerry Hegarty, Associate Professor of Film Studies, Miami University

Rethinking screen time: A better understanding of what people do on their devices is key to digital well-being
What you do on your screens matters as much as how much time you spend on them.Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty ImagesIn an era where digital devices are everywhere, the term “screen time” has become a buzz phrase in discussions about technology’s impact on people’s live…
Climate change is encouraging unsanitary toilet practices among vulnerable communities
A latrine shelter with a floodwater mark about 4 feet above ground level, leading to toilet dysfunction, in Kampong Thom province, Cambodia.Author supplied/iDE Cambodia, CC BYEveryone knows that climate change has consequences, such as a higher likelihood of severe floods, hurricanes and droughts. B…
What Ukraine can now do with longer-range US missiles − and how that could affect the course of the war
U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office on Sept. 26, 2024.Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty ImagesThe outgoing Biden administration has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.- supplied longer-range missiles to strike deeper into Russia territory, according to rep…
Trump’s criminal conviction won’t stop him from getting security clearance as president
Former President Donald Trump exits the courthouse after being found guilty of 34 felonies in May 2024.Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty ImagesFormer President Donald Trump is the president-elect. He is also a convicted felon, thanks to a jury verdict after a trial in New York state court for a hush money consp…
Americans face an insurability crisis as climate change worsens disasters – a look at how insurance companies set rates and coverage
Hurricane Beryl tore up homes in Freeport, Texas, in July 2024.Brandon Bell/Getty Images)Home insurance rates are rising in the United States, not only in Florida, which saw tens of billions of dollars in losses from hurricanes Helene and Milton, but across the country.According to S&P Global Ma…

Atmospheric river meets bomb cyclone: The result is like a fire hose flailing out of control

‘For the very first time I really enjoyed sex!’ − how lesbian escort agencies became a form of self-care in Japan

Should I worry about mold growing in my home?

Young families are leaving many large US cities − here’s why that matters

Transplanting insulin-making cells to treat Type 1 diabetes is challenging − but stem cells offer a …

3 strategies to help Americans bridge the deepening partisan divide

5 of the biggest threats today's K-12 students and educators face don't involve guns

Think you love your Valentine? What's beneath the surface may be more complicated

More Americans couldn't get enough to eat in 2020 – a change that hit the middle class hardest

New database features 250 AI tools that can enhance social science research

Obesity, second to smoking as the most preventable cause of US deaths, needs new approaches

As Arctic ship traffic increases, narwhals and other unique animals are at risk

Utilities are starting to invest in big batteries instead of building new power plants

How the indictment of Donald Trump is a 'strange and different' event for America, according to political scientists

Doctors are preoccupied with threats of criminal charges in states with abortion bans, putting patients’ lives at risk

Have we become too paranoid about mass shootings?

Nanoparticles are the future of medicine – researchers are experimenting with new ways to design tiny particle treatments for cancer

3 strategies to help Americans bridge the deepening partisan divide

Blurry, morphing and surreal – a new AI aesthetic is emerging in film

Companies are still committing to net-zero emissions, even if it’s a bumpy road – here’s what the data show

75 years ago, Maria Tallchief made the ballet world reimagine itself and find a place for a Native American prima ballerina

Legal complications await if OpenAI tries to shake off control by the nonprofit that owns the rapidly growing tech company

Trump’s agenda will face hurdles in Congress, despite the Republican ‘trifecta’ of winning the House, Senate and White House

Why does the Senate confirm Trump’s picks for key posts — and how? A legal scholar explains the confirmation process and the ‘constitutional loophole’ of recess appointments

Carbon offsets can help bring energy efficiency to low-income Americans − our Nashville data shows it could be a win for everyone

An 83-year-old short story by Borges portends a bleak future for the internet

Workplace diversity training programs are everywhere, but their effectiveness varies widely

The ‘Death Mother’: Horror’s most unnerving villain

Rethinking screen time: A better understanding of what people do on their devices is key to digital well-being

Climate change is encouraging unsanitary toilet practices among vulnerable communities

What Ukraine can now do with longer-range US missiles − and how that could affect the course of the war

Trump’s criminal conviction won’t stop him from getting security clearance as president

Americans face an insurability crisis as climate change worsens disasters – a look at how insurance companies set rates and coverage