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Electoral College Benefits Whiter States
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Electoral College Benefits Whiter States

States can force members of the Electoral College to vote for the winner of the popular vote in their state’s presidential primary, the Supreme Court recently ruled. The July 6 decision removed one of the two reasons why the framers of the U.S. Constitution created this election system: to empower political elites who may know...

How Local Governments Can Attract Companies That Will Help Keep Their Economies Afloat During Covid-19
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How Local Governments Can Attract Companies That Will Help Keep Their Economies Afloat During Covid-19

As companies labor to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic, some businesses that feel hemmed in by local or statewide workplace safety mandates, have threatened to relocate to more accommodating locations. Before the pandemic, governments offered packages of tax breaks, grants and loans to entice businesses to relocate and encourage businesses to employ more people....

NIH Project Homes In on COVID Racial Disparities
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NIH Project Homes In on COVID Racial Disparities

While the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and Hispanic Americans is no secret, federal officials have launched studies of the disparity that they hope will better prepare the country for the next great epidemic. The National Institutes of Health began the ambitious “All of Us” research project in 2018 with the goal of enrolling...

For COVID Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to Interpretation
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For COVID Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to Interpretation

In advance of an upcoming road trip with her elderly parents, Wendy Epstein’s physician agreed it would be “prudent” for her and her kids to get tested for COVID-19. Seeing the tests as a “medical need,” the doctor said insurance would likely pay for them, with no out-of-pocket cost to Epstein. But her children’s pediatrician...

White Police Officers Use Force More Often Than Non-White Colleagues
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White Police Officers Use Force More Often Than Non-White Colleagues

White police officers are far more likely to use force than their non-white counterparts, especially in minority neighborhoods, according to a study from Texas A&M University researchers. The outcome is dramatically different when a white officer responds to a call versus a Black officer in an otherwise similar call, they found. White officers use force...

Black and Latinx Girls Inc. of NYC High School Girls to Learn Cybersecurity Skills at NYU Tandon
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Black and Latinx Girls in NYC Learn Cybersecurity Skills at NYU Tandon

New York City students and teachers from diverse backgrounds and all five boroughs are gathering virtually this summer for the eighth annual initiative by NYU Tandon’s Center for K12 STEM Education, one of the largest and most comprehensive university-based programs of free STEM summer workshops, classes, and labs in the region. As part of its focus...

Texas Public Health Experts Launch Real-Time Covid-19 Data Dashboard with Prediction Modeling
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Texas Public Health Experts Launch Real-Time COVID-19 Data Dashboard with Prediction Modeling

A new COVID-19 tracking tool that can tell Texans what is happening in real time in their own communities and anticipate how one person can infect dozens more was recently launched by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). TexasPandemic.org, developed by public health researchers in collaboration with biostatisticians and data scientists, is...

How Galaxies Die: New Insights into the Quenching of Star Formation
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How Galaxies Die: New Insights into the Quenching of Star Formation

Astronomers studying galaxy evolution have long struggled to understand what causes star formation to shut down in massive galaxies. Although many theories have been proposed to explain this process, known as “quenching,” there is still no consensus on a satisfactory model. Now, an international team led by Sandra Faber, professor emerita of astronomy and astrophysics...

Turmeric Could Have Antiviral Properties
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Turmeric Could Have Antiviral Properties

Curcumin, a natural compound found in the spice turmeric, could help eliminate certain viruses, research has found. A study published in the Journal of General Virology showed that curcumin can prevent Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) – an alpha-group coronavirus that infects pigs – from infecting cells. At higher doses, the compound was also found to kill virus...

Benefits of Routine Childhood Vaccines Far Outweigh Risks of Additional Covid-19 Transmission in Africa, Modeling Study Suggests
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Benefits of Routine Childhood Vaccines Far Outweigh Risks of Additional Covid-19 Transmission in Africa, Modeling Study Suggests

The health benefits of maintaining routine childhood vaccination programmes in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic far outweigh the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission that might be associated with clinic visits, according to a modeling study published in The Lancet Global Health journal. For every additional COVID-19 death that might be associated with additional exposure to the virus...