blog posts How is higher education making college degrees more attainable? Sep 2, 2018 9:30 am Professor Eboni Zamani-Gallaher on the University of Chicago’s decision to no longer require applicants to take the ACT or SAT, reverse transfer degree programs and Facebook’s partnership with community colleges Should the age for required minimum distributions be raised? Sep 7, 2018 1:15 pm Changes to the age for required minimum distributions from retirement accounts could be made after the 2018 mid-term elections, said Richard L. Kaplan How has the #MeToo movement impacted the Kavanaugh nomination? Sep 24, 2018 2:45 pm Without the #MeToo movement, would the allegations leveled against Brett Kavanaugh even come to light? No, says Illinois law professor Lesley Wexler Hurricane victims face long, uncertain road to recovery Sep 27, 2018 3:30 pm Tatyana Deryugina, an Illinois expert on the financial impact of natural disasters says families displaced by Hurricane Florence will face 'months and months' of financial hardship What effect will Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony have on the #MeToo movement? Oct 5, 2018 1:30 pm Ford’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee will likely empower more sexual assault victims to come forward as part of the #MeToo movement, says law professor Lesley Wexler Monster hurricanes: Why have recent storms been so huge? Oct 15, 2018 11:45 am Atmospheric sciences professor Deanna Hence discusses how some hurricanes become so large, the paths they take and how global climate change may affect these factors How worried should we be about the 2020 census? Oct 18, 2018 3:15 pm Demographer, sociology professor Cynthia Buckely says preparations are underfunded and behind schedule, even as the political fight continues regarding adding a citizenship question How does racial discrimination impact users of online dating websites? Oct 26, 2018 3:45 pm In the digital landscape – people write these racist things on their profiles, and you might not experience that upfront if you encountered them in a bar, for example 100 years after influenza pandemic, why should I get a flu shot? Oct 30, 2018 11:15 am 100 years after the world's worst influenza pandemic, an expert on the flu virus and how it adapts discusses the severity of influenza today and how the flu shot works What does Brazil’s recent election mean for its future? Oct 31, 2018 5:15 am Brazil has elected a far-right candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, as its new president. This has many of his opponents concerned about the future of Brazil’s democracy, just three decades old Polling and the election: What to believe? Oct 31, 2018 10:15 am With a much-anticipated midterm just a week away, what should we expect from polls and what assumptions should we question? Can birthright citizenship be taken away? Nov 9, 2018 2:00 pm Professor Michael LeRoy, an expert on immigration and employment law, discusses the implications of President Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship Can we talk about the Illinois climate? Dec 3, 2018 8:00 am Illinois state climatologist Jim Angel, who is retiring in December, discusses his career, climate change and the recently released National Climate Assessment Global carbon emissions at a record high in 2018, What's on the horizon? Dec 5, 2018 12:15 pm Illinois atmospheric sciences professor Atul Jain, a contributor, discusses findings of the new Global Carbon Budget report Illinois presidents: What made them agents of change? Dec 6, 2018 10:00 am As the state celebrates its bicentennial, history professor Marsha Barrett makes the case that all four men who've been president – Lincoln, Grant, Reagan and Obama – changed the nation in some way Brexit clouded by uncertainty, says Gies professor Dec 11, 2018 11:45 am With the scheduled Brexit vote cancelled for Dec. 11, Gies College of Business professor Candace Martinez says, 'Uncertainties are everywhere. This is uncharted waters, to be sure.' What’s it take to get asylum? And what’s driving those seeking it? Dec 13, 2018 1:00 pm An Illinois professor who has aided in asylum cases talks about the criteria, changes in the process and why Central Americans are seeking this protection Should the tech industry end mandatory arbitration for workers? Dec 19, 2018 10:30 am There are few benefits to be gained from tech industry employers ending mandatory arbitration beyond an increased perception of procedural justice, says labor professor Ryan Lamare Five minutes with ... Pasquale Bottalico Dec 19, 2018 4:15 pm The professor of Speech and Hearing Science talks about his study of the effects of ambient noise in restaurants and its relationship to customers' willingness to spend time in them Superfluidity: What is it and why does it matter? Dec 20, 2018 9:30 am Illinois physics professor and 2003 Nobel Prize winner Anthony Leggett talks about the landmark physics discovery of superfluidity on its 80th anniversary Kindt: Justice Department reversal on online gambling 'correct decision' Jan 17, 2019 12:00 pm Internet gambling won’t be legal for much longer after the Department of Justice reversed a controversial 2011 ruling, says professor John W. Kindt, a leading national gambling critic What can we learn from JFK about presidential speechmaking? Jan 24, 2019 9:00 am John F. Kennedy was known for his eloquence as a public speaker, perhaps more than any modern president. But what made him so effective? Future Environments: How drones, AI can help farmers grow more food Jan 31, 2019 10:30 am Naira Hovakimyan, a professor of mechanical science and engineering, discusses how technology will help farmers feed a growing population What might come of Venezuela’s political crisis? Feb 5, 2019 1:30 pm Illinois political scientist Damarys Canache discusses the history and politics behind the crisis of two presidents in Venezuela What do we really know about e-cigarettes and vaping? Feb 11, 2019 10:45 am E-cigarettes are relatively untested products with a lot of variability in the kinds of chemicals they contain. So right now, there isn’t a clear picture of the long-term health impacts, says Illinois' Cabral Bigman Are global warming, recent Midwest cold snap related? Feb 17, 2019 10:30 pm Last month, the Midwest experienced record-breaking cold. If the climate is experiencing unprecedented warming, how can we still have such frigid cold? Atmospheric sciences professor Don Wuebbles explains Will there ever be a cure for potholes? Feb 27, 2019 2:45 pm Industrial and enterprise systems engineering professor Henrique Reis proposes a solution. The Midwest has a new national park. How did that happen? Mar 8, 2019 10:00 am The newly designated Indiana Dunes National Park has beaches, but it also has the Great Marsh, a variety of habitats and amazing biodiversity, says Illinois professor Robert Pahre. Why do so few community college grads transfer to elite colleges? Mar 18, 2019 2:30 pm Community college transfer students are underrepresented at selective four-year institutions, even though they complete degrees at equal or higher rates than their peers, says researcher Eboni Zamani-Gallaher Listen: Men’s wheelchair basketball coach Matt Buchi Mar 26, 2019 9:00 am Illinois men's wheelchair basketball coach Matt Buchi interviewed following the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament on the Illinois campus. 'Brexit' is coming – or maybe not. Why is this happening? Mar 26, 2019 10:00 am Illinois political science professor Kostas Kourtikakis explains some of the forces behind 'Brexit' and why it’s so difficult to achieve. How is Illinois contributing to the Event Horizon Telescope Project? Apr 10, 2019 8:00 am Q + A with Illinois physics and astronomy professor Charles Gammie, who heads up the theory working group for the multi-institutional collaboration. What was lost in the Notre Dame Cathedral fire? Apr 17, 2019 11:00 am Notre Dame Cathedral, severely damaged by fire this week, holds historical and symbolic significance for both France and the world, say two University of Illinois historians. How does sexual harassment affect young women in physics? Apr 23, 2019 11:15 am Nearly 75% of undergraduate women in physics who responded to a survey reported having experienced at least one type of sexual harassment – mostly gender harassment – in their field. What changes should be made to modernize consumer bankruptcy law? May 8, 2019 9:45 am The primary reason why current bankruptcy law doesn’t work well is that it dates back to 1978, before the explosion of consumer credit, says Robert Lawless, an expert on consumer credit and bankruptcy Does the Supreme Court need to care about public opinion? May 29, 2019 8:30 am The Supreme Court has to consider public opinion and its popularity in deciding politically divisive cases, says political scientist Alicia Uribe-McGuire. What happened at Stonewall 50 years ago? And why did it matter? Jun 11, 2019 9:45 am Historians debate how much the Stonewall riots were a watershed moment for the gay rights movement, but for those involved, 'everything seemed to change overnight.' Does more rain mean more risk of mosquito-borne diseases in Illinois? Jun 18, 2019 9:15 am The risk of some mosquito-borne diseases can go up with increased rainfall, says Brian Allan, an Illinois professor of entomology. Will legalizing marijuana be a boon to the state of Illinois? Jun 20, 2019 9:45 am The financial impact of legal marijuana could boost the Illinois economy significantly, says Robert Bruno, a professor of Labor and Employment Relations. Will there be any constraints now on partisan gerrymandering? Jun 28, 2019 2:00 pm Last year, Justice Kagan summarized the concern: the 2010 redistricting cycle 'produced some of the worst partisan gerrymanders on record,' predicting 'technology will only get better, so the 2020 cycle will only get worse.' Citizenship and the census: What happens now? Jul 1, 2019 8:45 am Professor Julie Dowliing says not having a citizenship question will improve response rates, but more than a year of news coverage about this topic will have an impact. How might 'Medicare for All' reshape health care in the U.S.? Jul 2, 2019 10:30 am A single-payer health care system such as Medicare for All could expand access to care at equivalent costs – or less – to most consumers, according to health policy expert Thomas O’Rourke. Can a state copyright its own laws – and prevent citizens from republishing them? Jul 15, 2019 10:45 am Sara Benson, expert on copyright law, talks about a pending U.S. Supreme Court case that will determine the legality of a state copyrighting its own laws – potentially making it illegal to republish them. How can educators, coaches support student-athletes’ academic success? Aug 9, 2019 8:00 am A new Illinois study finds young athletes need the help of educators and coaches to perceive themselves as scholars and develop realistic educational and career goals. Germany transformed under Nazis in 100 days. Do we understand why? Aug 20, 2019 11:45 am With Sept. 1 marking the 80th anniversary of the start of World War II in Europe, a University of Illinois historian describes how Germans came to embrace Nazi rule. Would cutting payroll taxes help prevent recession? Aug 26, 2019 8:00 am Cutting the payroll tax could represent the middle-class tax cut that Trump campaigned on, said University of Illinois law professor and tax expert Richard L. Kaplan. Would changes to capital gains taxes spur the economy? Sep 4, 2019 10:30 am Indexing capital gains to inflation could be a simple fix to stimulate a teetering economy, but several significant implementation hurdles remain, said Professor Richard Kaplan. How are Illinois birds faring? Sep 24, 2019 8:30 am Scientists estimate the continent has lost close to 3 billion birds. Senior wildlife ecologist Thomas J. Benson of the Illinois Natural History Survey discusses the status of birds in Illinois. What’s at stake in auto workers strike? Sep 25, 2019 8:15 am Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations, explains the strike of more than 47,000 auto workers. What explains the persistence of Hong Kong protest? Oct 2, 2019 9:00 am Hong Kong’s protests grow out of the city’s unique history as a former British colony and Cold War cultural battleground, says Illinois historian Poshek Fu.