Litmus

These salamanders don’t grow up—but they do grow back. When their organs are removed or injured, they can regenerate them flawlessly. Is it because of a mutation that prevents metamorphosis? Perhaps, but there’s more to the story.  

In this episode, we talk to James Monaghan (associate professor of biology).

When tuberculosis gripped the U.S. in the 1800s, health officials didn’t know enough about biology to cure it with medicine. But they did know that fresh air and sunlight offered some relief, which created a demand for public parks. Now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, architects consider returning to city planning as a solution to contagious disease.

By cutting down on travel, we not only slow the spread of COVID-19—we decrease emissions and the harmful effects they have on our health. But while the clearer air isn’t likely to last, anything that bolsters health is an asset in a pandemic.

In this episode, we talk to Justin Manjourides (associate professor of biostatistics).

Ventilators are incredibly complex machines, which is one reason manufacturers had trouble producing them quickly at the beginning of the pandemic. But now, another shortage looms: the people who know how to use them.

In this episode, we talk to Tom Barnes (registered respiratory therapist and lead faculty member for the Master of Science in Respiratory Care Leadership).

Contact-tracing apps could slow the spread of the disease. But are people willing to forfeit their privacy for the sake of public health? “We can have both,” says Christo Wilson, who studies computer privacy and security. The question is: Will we?

In this episode, we talk to Christo Wilson (associate professor of computer science).

The continent, like others, could theoretically see an overwhelming number of cases of COVID-19. But the distribution of the population and people's experience with infectious disease are already helping to manage the spread.

In this episode, we talk to Richard Wamai (associate professor of cultures, societies, and global studies).

You are reading this—and can order groceries or take online classes—because of the internet. But this vital service is something many people in the U.S. can’t afford. How long before everyone’s connected? It will take a while, but there are solutions that could help in the meantime.

In this episode, we talk to Dave Choffnes (associate professor in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences).

Why was an Egyptian queen sculpted in drag? This 7-year-old can tell you, thanks to the online courses her mother, an architectural history professor, has developed for young students missing class during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode, we talk to Cammy Brothers (associate professor of art and architecture).

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, is it better to work or collect unemployment benefits? With many jobs paying little for dangerous work and the unemployment system getting clogged with applicants, the answer isn’t so simple.

In this episode, we talk to Alicia Sasser-Modestino (associate professor of economics and of public policy and urban affairs; associate director of the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy).

As COVID-19 cases in the U.S. start to peak, some healthcare facilities are overwhelmed by the surge in patients. How can they free up beds and prevent shortages of essential medication? The trick is to not panic—it’ll only slow things down.    

In this episode, we talk to Jackie Griffin (assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering).