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What’s in a VIN? How to decode the vehicle identification number, your car’s unique fingerprint

Every vehicle built after 1981 has a unique vehicle identification number, or VIN. The location of this string of letters and numbers varies, but it’s located somewhere on every car, SUV, motorcycle and truck – typically on a small metal plate or a sticker. ... more

Jordan Frith, Clemson University, The Conversation | 5/6/24

From watering via ice cubes to spritzing with hydrogen peroxide – 4 misguided plant health trends on social media

The internet is full of advice on just about everything, including plant care. As the director of a plant diagnostic laboratory and expert on plant medicine, I help people manage their plants’ health more

Nick Goltz, University of Connecticut, The Conversation | 4/15/24

Could sharing a bedroom with your pets be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep?

Sleeping with your dog in the same room could be negatively affecting your sleep quality, according to my team’s recently published research in Scientific Reports. … more

Brian N. Chin, Trinity College, The Conversation | 4/3/24

Even hands-free, phones and their apps cause dangerously distracted driving

Do you ever use your cellphone while driving? Don’t feel too guilty about saying yes – nearly 60% of drivers admit to using their phone in hands-free mode while driving. … more

Shannon Roberts, UMass Amherst, The Conversation | 4/3/24

Why aren’t there solar-powered cars?

Solar cars exist. The best place to see them is the World Solar Challenge, a race that’s held every two years in Australia. Competitors have to drive about 1,870 miles (3,000 kilometers), from Darwin on the country’s north coast to Adelaide on its south coast, using only energy from the Sun. ... more

Chen Liu, Clarkson University, The Conversation | 4/2/24

Why do airlines charge so much for checked bags? This obscure rule helps explain why

Five out of the six biggest U.S. airlines have raised their checked bag fees since January 2024. Take American Airlines. In 2023, it cost US$30 to check a standard bag in with the airline; … more

Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University, The Conversation | 3/15/24

How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement ? and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology

“Dune,” widely considered one of the best sci-fi novels of all time, continues to influence how writers, artists and inventors envision the future. Of course, there are Denis Villeneuve’s visually stunning films, “Dune: Part One” (2021) and “Dune: Part Two” (2024). … more

Devin Griffiths, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, The Conversation | 3/15/24

Cherry blossoms – celebrated in Japan for centuries and gifted to Americans – are an appreciation of impermanence and spring

Cherry blossoms mark the beginning of spring. Various festivals are regularly organized in California, Colorado, Georgia, Tennessee and Washington, D.C., to celebrate the bloom of cherry trees. … more

Ma?gorzata (Gosia) K. Citko-DuPlantis, University of Tennessee, The Conversation | 3/7/24

Lead from old paint and pipes is still a harmful and deadly hazard in millions of US homes

Lead is a potent neurotoxin that causes severe health effects such as neurological damage, organ failure and death. Widely used in products such as paint and gasoline until the late 1970s, lead … more

Aaron Specht, Purdue University, The Conversation | 3/7/24

W.E.B. Du Bois’ study ‘The Philadelphia Negro’ at 125 still explains roots of the urban Black experience – sociologist Elijah Anderson tells why it should be on more reading lists

W.E.B. Du Bois is widely known for his civil rights activism, but many sociologists argue that he has yet to receive due recognition as the founding father of American sociology. His groundbreaking study, “The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study,” … more

Elijah Anderson, Yale University, The Conversation | 2/29/24

Betty Smith enchanted a generation of readers with ‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’ ? even as she groused that she hoped Williamsburg would be flattened

Eighty years ago, in the winter and spring of 1944, Brooklyn-born author Betty Smith was entering a new chapter of life. A year earlier, she was an unknown writer, negotiating with her publisher about manuscript edits and the date of publication for her first book, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” … more

Rachel Gordan, University of Florida, The Conversation | 2/28/24

Electric vehicles are suddenly hot ? but the industry has traveled a long road to relevance

In 2023, more than 7% of cars sold in the United States were electric vehicles. In some parts of the world, such as Norway, the percentage was a whopping 20%. In California, where I live, almost 60% of people looking for a car in 2021 said they would at least consider getting an EV. … more

Hovig Tchalian, University of Southern California, The Conversation | 2/14/24

Training an animal? An ethicist explains how and why your dog ? but not your frog ? can be punished

People talk to their pets every day: offering praise when they’re good, reassurance when they’re confused and affection when they’re cuddling. We also speak to animals when they misbehave. “Why did you do that?” someone might ask their dog. … more

Jon Garthoff, University of Tennessee, The Conversation | 2/2/24

Dog care below freezing ? how to keep your pet warm and safe from cold weather, road salt and more this winter

In much of the country, when winter rolls around, previously hospitable conditions can quickly turn chilly and dangerous for people and pups alike. … more

Erik Christian Olstad, University of California, Davis, The Conversation | 1/30/24

Cats first finagled their way into human hearts and homes thousands of years ago – here's how

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to go on safari in southern Africa. One of the greatest thrills was going out at night looking for … more

Jonathan Losos, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, The Conversation | 12/22/23

Mutton, an Indigenous woolly dog, died in 1859 ? new analysis confirms precolonial lineage of this extinct breed, once kept for their wool

Indigenous Coast Salish women wove woolly dogs' fur into blankets. Artist's reconstruction by Karen Carr Dogs have been in the Americas for more than 10,000 years. They were already domesticated when … more

Audrey T. Lin, Smithsonian Institution; Chris Stantis, University of Utah, and Logan Kistler, Smithsonian Institution, The Conversation | 12/14/23

Outside storytelling

Outside’s longstanding literary storytelling tradition comes to life in audio with features that will both entertain and inform listeners. We launched in March 2016 with our first series, … more

3/10/23

Purrr-fectly enjoyable

In these cat podcasts, learn everything there is to know about cats on Cattitude with your hosts Michelle Fern & Tom Dock. In this cat podcast, each week we’ll spotlight a cool cat breed, … more

3/10/23

Helping our Nation’s Homeless Care for Their Pets

(NewsUSA) - People can become homeless at any time and for any reason, including people with pets. These individuals often face additional challenges of food and health care for their pets, and some … more

2/16/23

How We Have Fallen Short in Teaching Literacy -- And What To Do About It

(NewsUSA) - This may be difficult to read, but did you know:In the last 15 years, 15 million students graduated from high schools testing below the basic reading level.One in five college students … more

2/15/23