If all goes well late on May 6, 2024, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will blast off into space[1] on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Launching from the Kennedy Space Center, this last crucial test for Starliner will test out the new spacecraft and take the pair to the International Space Station for about a week.
The perilous past and promising future of a toxic but nourishing crop
The three staple crops dominating modern diets – corn, rice and wheat – are familiar to Americans. However, fourth place is held by a dark horse: cassava[1].
While nearly unknown in temperate climates, cassava is a key source of nutrition throughout the tropics[2]. It was domesticated 10,000 years ago[3], on the southern margin of the...
‘What is a fact?’ A humanities class prepares STEM students to be better scientists
Uncommon Courses[1] is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course:What Is a Fact?What prompted the idea for the course?With all the conspiracy theories floating around in 2020 when COVID-19 hit, I wanted to help my students learn to identify and deal with them. I was
... Electric vehicles are usually safer for their occupants – but not necessarily for everyone else
The future of automobiles is electric[1], but many people worry about the safety of today’s electric vehicles.
Public opinion about EV crash safety often hinges on a few high-profile fire incidents[2]. Those safety concerns are arguably misplaced, and the actual safety of EVs is more nuanced.
I’ve researched vehicle safety[3] for more than...