Public health

DRUG CARTELSAn Idea Whose Time Should Never Come: Using Special Forces Against the Cartels Would Be a Colossal Mistake
By Brandan P. Buck
While this idea is not new, it has become hazardous now given the Mexican drug cartels’ increased military capacity and tactical competence.
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GUNSIn 2019, Congress Finally Funded Gun Violence Research. Here’s How It’s Changed the Field
By Jennifer Mascia, Chip Brownlee, and Fairriona Magee
A Trace analysis of federal data found that the amount of money going to gun violence studies has soared since lawmakers lifted a de facto federal funding ban.
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GUNSSenator Slams Gun Industry’s “Invasive and Dangerous” Sharing of Customer Data with Political Operatives
By Corey G. Johnson
In response to a ProPublica investigation, Sen. Richard Blumenthal demanded answers from the gun industry about its “covert program” to collect information on gun owners for political purposes.
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CATASTROPHIC RISKSCan We Live on Our Planet without Destroying It?
By René Fransen
With eight billion people, we use a lot of the Earth’s resources in ways that are likely unsustainable. How can we adapt our lifestyle to stay within the limits of what the Earth can give? Klaus Hubacek investigates planetary boundaries.
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FENTANYLHigh-Tech Methods to Stem the Flow of Fentanyl
By Tom Rickey
Keeping up with illicit labs churning out new forms of fentanyl, nitazenes is the goal.
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GUNSIn 2019, Congress Finally Funded Gun Violence Research. Here’s How It’s Changed the Field
By Jennifer Mascia, Chip Brownlee, and Fairriona Magee
A Trace analysis of federal data found that the amount of money going to gun violence studies has soared since lawmakers lifted a de facto federal funding ban.
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HURRICANES & HEALTHHurricanes Linked to Higher Death Rates Long After Storms Pass
By Josie Garthwaite
U.S. tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, indirectly cause thousands of deaths for nearly 15 years after a storm. Understanding why could help minimize future deaths from hazards fueled by climate change.
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TOXIC FLOODSIn Storms Like Hurricane Helene, Flooded Industrial Sites and Toxic Chemical Releases Are a Silent and Growing Threat
By James R. Elliott, Dominic Boyer, and Phylicia Lee Brown
Hundreds of industrial facilities with toxic pollutants were in Hurricane Helene’s path as the powerful storm flooded communities across the Southeast in late September 2024. In disasters like these, the industrial damage can unfold over days, and residents may not hear about releases of toxic chemicals into water or the air until days or weeks later, if they find out at all.
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DISASTERSWorld Risk Report: Where Are Natural Disasters Most Common?
By Peter Hille
The 2024 World Risk Report is out, highlighting which countries are most at risk from natural disasters, and what can be done to prevent catastrophes and mitigate the effects.
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WATER SAFETYPublic Trust in Drinking Water Safety Is Low Globally
A new study finds more than half of adults surveyed worldwide expect to be seriously harmed by their water within the next two years. The study sought to understand public perceptions of drinking water safety.
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FOOD SECURITYBiosecurity for Food Security
By Saba Sinai and Andrew Henderson
Biosecurity is a fundamental enabler for a country’s’ food security, a critical but often overlooked element of national security, and it is time for it to be treated accordingly.
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LYME DISEASEA Genetic Analysis of Lyme Disease Could Improve Diagnosis and Treatment
By mapping the complete genetic makeup of 47 strains of Lyme disease-causing bacteria from around the world, researchers have created a powerful resource for identifying the specific bacterial strains that infect patients.
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PATHOGENSWHO Updates List of Most Dangerous Viruses and Bacteria
The WHO recently published a report outlining the findings of its global pathogen prioritization process that involved more than 200 scientists who evaluated evidence related to 28 viral families and one core group of bacteria, covering 1,652 pathogens.
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GUNSImplementing Secure Firearm Storage Program for Illinois Parents
Firearm injury and mortality are the leading cause of death among youth in the U.S. From 2013-2020, firearms contributed to a staggering cumulative loss of 1.3 million years of life for young people.
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MASS SHOOTERSMass Shooters Are Often ‘Socially Stunted’ with ‘Zero Coping Skills’
“The fact that a grown man who lives with his mom and dad still enjoys playing dress-up like a preschooler is strange and yet a frequent occurrence among mass shooters,” said an expert on mass shooters. “There is a subtype of mass shooters that dress up in pseudo‐commando attire brandishing assault weapons.”
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