InfoTrak

When families in America don't have enough food to eat, they not only suffer from hunger, but other problems too, such as fatigue and depression. Jason Nagata, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, explains why the pandemic lockdowns have only made things worse.

What's the best source of renewable power generation, solar wind or something else? Harrison Fell, PhD, Associate Professor of Energy Economics at North Carolina State University, shared the results of his study that found that the environmental benefits vary significantly, depending on what type of conventional power generation that the renewable energy is replacing

Is there a better option than Social Security to fund the retirement of Americans? Financial expert and author Ric Edelman thinks so! He says it starts with a small investment when a child is born and grows through their lifetime.

While COVID-19 has been the focus of so much attention this year, the opioid crisis has continued unabated and has even worsened, as more than 40 states have reported increases. Bb>Tyler Oesterle, MD, MPH, Psychiatrist, expert in chemical dependency treatment at

Mayo Clinic, explains the factors driving the increasing rates of substance abuse, and how to recognize when a loved one is struggling with addiction.

When the pandemic finally ends, some schools plan to continue virtual learning, though some parents question its effectiveness. Heather Schwartz, Director of the Pre-K to 12 Educational Systems Program at RAND, a nonprofit research organization, says about two in ten school districts have already adopted or are considering adopting virtual schools after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

t's a serious threat to life as we know it. It's called an electromagnetic pulse or EMP. Without government steps to protect the national electrical grid, all of us remain at risk. Peter Vincent Pry, PhD, Executive Director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security, and author of “EMP Manhattan Project: Organizing for Survival Against an Electromagnetic Pulse Catastrophe” says up to 90% of the US population would be dead within a year after such an event.

Daniel Karpowitz, PhD, is Director of Policy and Academics for the Bard Prison Initiative, and author of College in Prison: Reading in an Age of Mass Incarceration. Prof. Karpowitz explained how and why Bard College has provided hundreds of incarcerated men and women across the country access to a high-quality liberal arts education. He said inmate students are expected to meet the same requirements as students on a traditional campus. He added that, while education does reduce the rate at which convicts return to prison, higher education should never be measured in that manner.

The COVID-19 lockdowns harmed all Americans, but blacks were hit hardest. When will things improve? Diana Enriquez, doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology, Princeton University, believes the outlook is still difficult for black households as the economy continues to struggle from government-ordered closings.

There may be a solution to overcrowded hospital emergency rooms: telemedicine. Shujing Sun, PhD, Assistant Professor of Information Systems in The Naveen Jindal School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas, led a study that found that minor health issues and even some serious conditions like strokes can be managed remotely.

Treating older adults in ways that are less fair--otherwise known as age bias--is a widespread problem. William Chopik, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University, says as age bias increases, Medicare costs increase, while access to senior care drops.