A journalist reflects on the relationship she formed with a woman finding hope even in turmoil.
Author Archives: Mikki Gibson
China transferred detained Uighurs to factories used by global brands
The minority Uighurs in China face mistreatment, re-education, and forced labor. Learn what some big companies have to say about their role.
How the Hidden Sounds of Horror Movie Soundtracks Freak You Out
Sometimes when you’re watching a scary movie, you feel dread even though nothing you see is terrifying. Learn how movie soundtracks can manipulate our emotions.
The people helping strangers during the coronavirus pandemic
In challenging times, some people step up to help others, even people they don’t know. Read about some of the lighthearted kindnesses being shared.
Animals Take Over Cities During Self-Isolation
A surprising side effect of the lockdowns imposed during the global coronavirus pandemic is the sight of wild animals on deserted city streets.
They’ve Contained the Coronavirus. Here’s How
A global pandemic shines a light on how different nations respond to a crisis. Read about why some countries have had better results than others.
New U.S. Soccer President Disavows Legal Strategy vs. USWNT
The U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) has for decades won far more games and sold far more merchandise than their male counterparts. So why are they still paid less?
Before there was coronavirus, there was yellow fever. Fear of it once gripped D.C.
At the turn of the 20th century, fear of a viral epidemic gripped the nation. Learn about yellow fever and how it spread.
You’re Likely to Get the Coronavirus
Many previously deadly diseases have been reined in by vaccines that we now take for granted. But the development of a vaccine can take a year or more.
After coronavirus subsides, we must pay teachers more
With the way we learn and work upended by social isolation rules, one writer argues that it’s time to change the way educators’ work is valued.
Coronaviruses Often Start in Animals — Here’s How Those Diseases Can Jump to Humans
Learn about the complicated path a virus must take to jump from animals to humans.
Coronavirus Anxiety: Coping with Stress and Fear
In the uncertainty surrounding the global coronavirus pandemic, many people feel worried or anxious. Here are some tips for managing fear.
Your body language shapes who you are
Research has shown a surprising conclusion about body language: Practicing more confident, open posture for just a couple of minutes changes the levels of two key hormones, leading to a genuine feeling of increased confidence.
Cuban Missile Crisis
In October 1962, two world leaders faced a choice about whether and how to avert a nuclear war.
How South Korea Reined in the Outbreak Without Shutting Everything Down
The United States and South Korea reported their first confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the 2020 novel coronavirus, on the same day. Cases in the U.S. have skyrocketed. How did South Korea deal so effectively with this disaster?
This is why everyone is hoarding toilet paper
Grocery shopping during a pandemic is already a strange experience involving sanitizing carts and maintaining social distance. But why does it also include whole aisles of empty shelves where toilet paper should be?
Teen Journalist Shares His Perspective on the COVID-19 Pandemic
An eighth grader shares his experience with how the 2020 pandemic has affected his daily life and his career aspirations.
How the Pandemic Will End
Explore how the most likely scenarios surrounding the global outbreak of COVID-19 might play out.
Shakespeare in lockdown: Did he write King Lear in plague quarantine?
One silver lining of shelter-in-place orders is that they might give rise to creativity. Learn more about a popular idea that sets the bar high.
Inventing Telescopes
For most of human history, our view of the universe has been limited to only what the eye could see. But the ingenuity that spurred the Renaissance gave us the beginnings of a more distant view that revolutionized our understanding.