Environmental health expert discusses the links between heat and health and provides tips on how to stay cool.

By Katherine Gianni and Molly Gluck

Summer is upon us and things are heating up, literally. The first major heatwave of the season scorched the western United States last week, with temperatures climbing to 114 degrees Fahrenheit in Las Vegas, Nevada, to a record-breaking 118 degrees in Phoenix, Arizona. And the scorching conditions didn’t stop there. The Pacific Northwest has shattered previously recorded temperature highs since Saturday, June 26, with many regions trapped under what experts are calling a blistering “heat dome.”…

Environmental health researcher highlights how green spaces promote mental, physical, and environmental health.

By Molly Gluck and Katherine Gianni

In October, 2018, former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and The Trust for Public Land declared the City of Boston had reached a major milestone in ensuring that all Boston residents have access to a public park within a 10-minute walk of home. The announcement stemmed from Boston’s championing of the 10-Minute Walk to a Park Campaign, a joint effort by the Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute. Their goal? Working to bring easy and…

Child psychologist details study’s aims, and how parents’ own stress regulation and underlying physiology influences their parenting style, and their children’s behaviors.

By Katherine Gianni

Stressful experiences come in many forms: a tough day at the office, relationship troubles, financial strain, or even forgetting to defrost the chicken in the back of the freezer in time for dinner. But what many parents may overlook is the impact that these “adult” stressors — and their ability to self-regulate the consequential irritation, can have on both their parenting styles and their children’s own anxiety-levels and behaviors. In a new study, funded by…

Social science that uses qualitative research methods is ideal for understanding complex social and political processes that contribute to pressing societal issues. But this type of research is limited by the time-consuming process of manually collecting and analyzing qualitative data. To address this problem, sociologists at Boston University (BU) and the University of Denver joined forces with software engineers at BU to study the complex issue of criminal justice reform across the United States.

The project, led by Hariri Institute steering committee member Heather Schoenfeld, Associate Professor in Sociology at BU, and Michael Campbell, Associate Professor in the Department of…

Community health sciences expert discusses the importance of open communication with sexual partner(s), affirmative consent, and how to stand with survivors this month and beyond.

By Katherine Gianni

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, on average, there are 433,648 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States. April 2021 marks the official 20th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, an annual campaign aimed to raise public awareness about the prevalence of sexual violence, educate communities on how to prevent it at all…

Researchers pull from Thoreau’s findings to investigate how climate change is affecting local environments.

By Katherine Gianni

As a leading naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau could teach courses across a variety of disciplines, but it’s his observations on fruiting that has guided Boston University Professor of Biology Richard Primack and his colleagues’ latest research. In a new article in Annals of Botany, the BU plant ecologists demonstrate that there is a strong sequence of fruiting in New England plants, with species such as blueberries fruiting in mid-summer and hollies fruiting much later in autumn. The findings help…

Sleep neurologist shares strategies to improve sleep and overall well-being

By Molly Gluck and Sari Cohen

Having trouble sleeping? Look no further. Dr. Naina Limbekar, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine within the Sleep Disorders Division, and sleep neurologist at Boston Medical Center, is an expert on the relationship between health, wellness and sleep.

A good night’s sleep is critical for our mental health and well-being, but maintaining healthy sleep habits can be difficult — especially now, when our routines and lifestyles have been significantly shifted by the pandemic. Dr. Limbekar recently took to Reddit to help people experiencing sleep-related challenges. …

Environmental researchers discuss the link between the environment, ethics, and human health while outlining ways to live more sustainably.

By Katherine Gianni and Molly Gluck

As the old adage goes, it’s easy to wake up and feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. On a global scale, people continue to face a crippling health pandemic, challenge the deep roots of institutional racism and oppression, fight the environmental crisis, and deal with an uncertain political climate. …