Laurence Kotlikoff, William Fairfield Warren Professor of Economics, was recently featured as a guest speaker on the “Money Life with Chuck Jaffe” podcast. Listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2LuDLXrjUE7in5H9BynCWA

Economist Kotlikoff: A recession will require panic, and one may be coming

Money Life with Chuck Jaffe · Episode

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Many historians called a recent White House report an “overreach." “I think some in the Trump administration want to limit the kinds of evidence that seem relevant to the study of American history,” said Joe Rezek, director of American studies. Read more: https://bit.ly/4wtZJs7

Mass. historians fear Trump criticism of Smithsonian Institution will hit home - The Boston Globe

"I worry about people's ability . . . to tell a rich and nuanced story about the American past," said Joseph Adelman, professor of history at Framingham State University.

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A recent Relevant Magazine article highlights the argument that AI has high social and environmental costs, “beneath its technological marvels.” Kate Saenko, professor of computer science, says, “We need a paradigm shift in how we develop AI technologies.” Read more: https://bit.ly/4yz44vt

After Prince Harry returned to England this month, many people wondered if he'd be in contact with his brother, Prince William. Arianne Chernock, professor of history, says many people are expecting drama that doesn't exist between the two. Read more: https://nyti.ms/4frMYap

Missing From Prince Harry’s Trip to Britain: A Reunion With Prince William

Harry is clearly repairing his relationship with King Charles III, but the rift with his brother remains unresolved.

nyti.ms

Why are honey bees stirring up a debate over conservation? In a recent article from Fig City News, Richard Primack, professor of biology, described the controversy as “a little bit of a tempest in a teapot.” Read more: https://bit.ly/4foXLSv

Honey bees stir debate over conservation in Newton

In the last six years, honey bees have become an unlikely source of debate in Newton. During the COVID-19 lockdown, many residents took up backyard beekeeping to entertain themselves, and found the ho...

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As part of a recent study, Morgan Bennett-Smith, a PhD candidate in Biology at BU, found that some fish in the Caribbean have homes made of Christmas tree worms. Read more: https://bit.ly/4fHDpoQ

For The First Time Ever Fish And Christmas Tree Worms Come Together In An Unlikely Housing Situation

Would you choose to shelter inside another living creature?

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Massachusetts ranks fourth on the list of states with net losses of retirement-age adults. Deborah Carr, Arts & Sciences Distinguished Professor of Sociology, says income inequality in the U.S. is one of the main factors. Read more: https://bit.ly/4w7Ww18

Beginning, Again: Retirement in Massachusetts is a mixed picture - Daily Hampshire Gazette

Last year, a total of 2.1 million Americans ages 65 and up relocated; of those 1 in 5 crossed state lines, according to a report by HireAHelper, an online platform for moving services. The report, “Th...

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What’s the key to achieving the American Dream? According to Mary Battenfeld, professor of American Studies, the American Dream has always been “linked to a definition of success that is around material success.” Read more: https://cnb.cx/4ysQVUG

The American Dream is missing one key ingredient, says Harvard happiness expert: Without it, 'life is pretty grim'

Only 35% of U.S. adults define the American Dream as being part of a community. But one cannot thrive without the people around them, say experts.

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How can a blueberry bush affect our climate? In a recent WBUR article, Professor of Biology Richard Primack discusses how a bush ripening too early can cause climate change. Read more: https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/07/06/blue-hills-observatory-blueberry-climate-change

What one Mass. blueberry bush tells scientists about climate change

The bush has been growing here since the observatory’s founding in 1885, if not longer. For 141 years, without missing a season, observers at Blue Hill have recorded the date when the first berry ripe...

wbur.org

In a recent New York Times article, Chad Williams, professor of history and African American and Black diaspora studies, comments on Trump centering himself in America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Read more: https://nyti.ms/4ytwWWj

How Trump Put Himself in the Middle of America's 250th

The president placed his image and initiatives front and center, blurring the line, critics said, between loyalty to nation and loyalty to him.

nyti.ms

Merry "Corky" White, professor emerita of anthropology, recently wrote an article featuring coffee and bakeshops in Somerville. Read her review of Michette and Hearth & Hug: https://csindie.com/aroma-ing-around-somerville-to-michette-and-hearth-hug/

Aroma-ing around Somerville to Michette and Hearth & Hug - Cambridge | Somerville Independent

When pastry and coffee are good and conjoin their aromas, that makes for a peak experience. But humor was another sense tapped this week.

csindie.com

Danvers residents have been living on a Superfund site for decades after it was discovered. Senior Lecturer of Environmental Law and Policy and former Superfund employee Rick Reibstein said residents' lack of concern is normal regarding contaminated sites. Read more: https://bit.ly/4wv1l4y

Lament in Danvers: ‘There’s poison in the soil’ - The Boston Globe

Residents live with Superfund site decades after discovery

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In a recent op-ed, Cutler Cleveland, BU professor and director of the Institute for Global Sustainability, writes that Massachusetts should reform Mass Save rather than slash its funding. Read more: https://bit.ly/44Owowh

Improve Mass Save, don’t shrink it - The Boston Globe

Cutting funding to the state's landmark energy efficiency program will be costly in the long run.

bostonglobe.com

250 years after the Declaration of Independence, its words still shape how Americans think about freedom, equality, and democracy. Prof. Joseph Rezek reflects on the document's complex history—and why its ideals continue to challenge us today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKkzVdp3T2w

The Declaration's Next Chapter: Rethinking Freedom 250 Years Later | Experts Explain

250 years after the Declaration of Independence, its words still shape how Americans think about freedom, equality, and democracy. Joseph Rezek, Associate Professor of English and Director of the American Studies Program, reflects on the Declaration as...

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In a new piece for The Guardian, Professor of Sociology Saida Grundy discusses why the white working class knows the American project isn’t working and why it doesn’t matter to them. Read the article: https://bit.ly/3R1MkIo

The white working class knows the American project isn’t working. Here’s why that will never matter to them

Access to power over other racial groups is their preferred political currency

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What does preparing for old age look like? A recent Atlantic article featuring Arts & Sciences Professor of Sociology Deborah Carr highlights the reality that most older Americans face. Read more: https://bit.ly/4wdbYsF

Americans Are in Denial About Elder Care

Many assume that if they can afford paid help in older age, they won’t need to rely on kin. They’re wrong.

theatlantic.com

“A lot of what we do really comes down to understanding how energy and charge move around at the nanoscale,” says Minjung Son, professor of chemistry. Son’s research focuses on understanding photophysical processes that govern the movement of energy. Read more: https://bit.ly/4gw5QqM

Exploring Emerging Photophysical Phenomena | Spectroscopy Online

Minjung Son, an assistant professor of chemistry at Boston University, and her group is developing nanomaterials and polaritons, which is important for energy conversion technologies.

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In a recent video interview, Benjamin Sovacool, professor of Earth & environment, discusses how renewable energy can reduce Asia’s exposure to volatile fuel markets. Watch here: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/renewables-can-help-shield-asia-oil-and-gas-price-shocks-analyst-6178346

Renewables can help shield Asia from oil and gas price shocks: Analyst

Benjamin Sovacool, Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, unpacks how renewable energy and efficiency measures could reduce Asia's exposure to volatile fuel markets and strengthen lo...

channelnewsasia.com

According to a recent article, chemists have created a new molecule to help organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) produce cleaner colors. “This is a landmark result,” says Malika Jefferies-EL, professor of chemistry. Read more: https://bit.ly/3QhyD7Z

A molecule that emits laser-like light

An organic compound with ultranarrow emissions could make better OLEDs

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Sarah Madsen Hardy, director of the writing program and master lecturer in writing, recently published a study titled “Generative AI Use in College Writing Classes: An Analysis of Student Chat Logs and Writing Projects.” Read more: https://bit.ly/4xwfeAM

Given permission to use AI, most college students show surprising restraint in their final essays

When students are taught how to ethically integrate artificial intelligence into academic writing, they use text generators sparingly. A recent study shows undergraduates prefer using chatbots for bra...

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According to a recent poll, President Trump’s approval rating is declining among evangelical voters. Nancy Ammerman, professor of sociology, said evangelicals who don’t often go to church still “see that religious identity as tied to their political position.” Read more: https://bit.ly/4uH2YuG

Low levels of natural gas may be leaking into many New England homes with gas heat, a new Boston University study found. “There’s no lower limit to what’s considered to be safe for some of those compounds,” says Nathan Phillips, professor of Earth & environment. Read more: https://bit.ly/4ow6WEP

Does your home use natural gas? Carcinogens may be leaking into your air. - The Boston Globe

The gas contains pollutants including benzene, a known carcinogen, raising concerns that residents are breathing in small quantities of toxins.

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According to a recent article, New England’s Democratic governors are allies in Trump’s quest to increase the flow of natural gas to the region. “Our political leaders... just seemed really ready to cave,” Nathan Phillips, professor of earth & environment, said. Read more: https://bit.ly/3RKPU9N

‘Ready to cave’: How liberal governors warmed to Trump’s pipelines

A political earthquake over energy prices in New England is transforming Democratic positions on natural gas.

eenews.net

In a recent WBUR segment, Lucy Hutyra, A&S Distinguished Professor of Earth & Environment, discusses different ways to cool our cities from the summer heat. Listen here: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2026/05/29/city-heat

How to beat the city heat

Heatwaves are already sweeping across Europe, with stifling heat felt most acutely in cities.

wbur.org

Arthur Lee, assistant professor of neuroscience, was recently a guest on ABC’s All in the Mind podcast. Listen to the podcast here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/allinthemind/how-to-catch-liar-lie-detection/106672878

How to catch a liar (it's harder than you think) - ABC listen

Rebecca figured out a brilliant way to catch her partner in a lie. It led to a career in forensic psychology… These days, Rebecca studies lie detection, and it turns out, people generally overestimat...

abc.net.au

Are refrigerants in AC units and heat pumps becoming a risk? “I’d like to see research across the whole life cycle, of leakage at the time of installation, through operation, and at disposal,” says Lucy Hutyra, A&S Distinguished Professor of Earth & Environment. Read more: https://bit.ly/3PYvklQ

The warming risk hiding in chemicals needed to keep cool

While refrigerants in air conditioners and heat pumps are keeping people healthy amid global warming, some experts fear a secret climate impact

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“We need to help people correct the harm that’s done to them or the harm that they’ve done to others by being different in the world,” says Brett Litz, professor of physiological & brain sciences. Read more: https://bit.ly/4dSyNKy

How understanding moral injury could save veterans’ lives

ALL HANDS ON DECK: When someone’s sense of right and wrong is violated, they can be left with a moral injury. Understanding what that means could save lives.

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What do hotter summers mean for older Americans? Extreme heat across the United States has increased by every measure since 1960. And as we get older, we become less heat-tolerant, says Deborah Carr, A&S Distinguished Professor of Sociology. Read more: https://bit.ly/4v3ghWW

Why Extreme Heat Poses a Growing Danger to Older Americans | Members Only

High temperatures claim more older victims each year than floods, tornadoes and hurricanes combined. As heat waves strike in ever more surprising places, what can you do to protect yourself?

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New work by BU Astronomy PhD alumna Courtney Watson (GRS’25) and Professor of Astronomy Elizabeth Blanton on galaxy cluster Abell 2029 was selected as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. 🔭 Read more: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Laurence Kotlikoff, William Fairfield Warren Professor of Economics, said “recently calculated that the United States was in worse shape than Italy once you included Social Security, Medicare and other obligations that don’t appear in the official debt figures.” Read more: https://bit.ly/4vfajlW

U.S. Debt is now bigger than the economy. That’s not the real problem.

The United States recently reached a disturbing new milestone: Debt had shot past 100% of gross domestic product.

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