Yahoo News
How the sun can damage your eyes
The sun can be more damaging to the eyes than many realize — and the damage adds up, says Assistant Professor Annie Nguyen, an ophthalmologist with the USC Roski Eye Institute.
USA Today
Why rainbow capitalism can be harmful to LGBTQ people
Big brands roll out Pride-related merchandise each June — but USC Dornsife’s Karen Tongson says that needs to be backed up with substantive action. Otherwise, Tongson says, “it’s not going to make any difference because people are still going to suffer the same injustices.”
Vox
The false promises of more immigration enforcement
The threat of immigration enforcement isn’t an effective deterrent for migrants in the long run, says USC Gould’s Emily Ryo. Her study found it has no significant effect on people’s decision to migrate from Mexico and Central America’s “Northern Triangle”: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
The Hill
Why it’s time to rethink U.S. policy toward China
President Xi Jinping’s China is not what China will always be, notes USC Dornsife’s Gregory Treverton. America’s policy should be driven by what is good for the U.S., he notes, and not what might be bad for China.
Nature
How COVID is changing the study of human behavior
The inability to gather people indoors to conduct research spurred innovations in how scientists recruit and study participants, says USC’s Wändi Bruine de Bruin: They don’t have to stay local, and since participants don’t have to come into the lab, it’s easier to recruit a more diverse sample. “I do think it will push social science forward,” she says.
The New York Times
Stereotypes are rife among Asian and Pacific Islander film roles, study finds
Two-thirds of characters reflect stereotypes, and only about 3% of top-grossing movies had leads or co-leads who were Asians or Pacific Islanders, according to a study of 1,300 films by USC Annenberg’s Stacy Smith.
KNBC-TV
What does it take to turn a 98-year-old stadium into a high-tech graduation venue?
Quite a lot, it turns out: 144 audio speakers, a 90-foot stage, hundreds of chairs fastened to the ground so they can’t blow away — and don’t forget on-field WiFi service (football players don’t send many selfies from the 50-yard line). And it all had to be done in just a few weeks.
Fast Company
Where will rent prices head after the pandemic?
Landlords don’t always act rationally, notes USC Marshall’s Marco Giacoletti, whose research shows how they might adjust to a reopening society.
The New York Times
Repairing generations of trauma, one lotus flower at a time
USC Dornsife’s Duncan Ryuken Williams helped organize a Buddhist ceremony to heal the recent rise in anti-Asian violence. “It is less about atoning for sin,” he says, “and more about trying to take some responsibility based on awakening to the fact that we are multiple, we are interconnected, we are interlinked and our destinies are very much intertwined — because that is how karma works.”
CBS Los Angeles
Aiming for herd immunity, city of L.A. offers COVID vaccinations without appointments
Some areas may have already reached herd immunity when you factor in the aftermath of the January and February surge, says Jeffrey Klausner of the Keck School of Medicine.
Today
What Riz Ahmed’s Oscar nod means to South Asian, Arab and Muslim artists
The Sound of Metal star is the first Muslim to receive an Oscar nomination for best actor. “What is striking to me is that there are just so many communities who have been marginalized and underrepresented or demonized in Hollywood,” says USC Dornsife’s Evelyn Alsultany, “and just how meaningful it is for various communities when you see yourself finally represented.”
Los Angeles Daily News
California will lose a seat in Congress for first time: What it means
Early census counts show the state will drop from 53 to 52 House seats. That increases the gap between the state’s economic contributions and its political representation, says USC Price’s Dowell Myers.
KPCC-FM
Is social media the key to California’s gubernatorial recall?
If a recall election happens, the frontrunners to challenge Gavin Newson might not be the candidates with the most political clout but those with the most social media influence, USC Annenberg’s Christina Bellantoni notes.
The Guardian
Study reveals alarming trend in U.S. death rates since 2000
USC’s Jessica Ho blames a combination of behavioral and structural factors, like poor health behaviors and patchwork access to health care.
USA Today
Have social platforms reached their peak? Survey shows little user growth since last year
Two exceptions: YouTube and Reddit, which USC Annenberg’s Karen North notes “has evolved into a really powerful set of communities where important conversations are happening.”
CBS Sacramento
The debate over COVID-19 vaccination passports
Jeffrey Klausner of the Keck School of Medicine of USC looks at the push for and against them: “The idea of vaccine passports is not new. You need vaccinations to go to school, to go to college, to travel certain places.”
NBC News
What to do to ensure that stroke victims get care quickly
The technology to effectively treat strokes exists, provided it’s delivered properly and quickly. But William Mack of the Keck School of Medicine of USC notes that nearly 20% of stroke patients die from their condition and many more are left permanently disabled.
The Sacramento Bee
‘Disappointing’ 2020 Latino turnout found in new analysis; youth voting also lagged
“We thought we’d have a story of a more representative electorate,” says Mindy Romero of the USC Price School’s Center for Inclusive Democracy.
The Hollywood Reporter
Golden Globes’ sponsor unveils plans for reforming organization
Grappling with diversity issues, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has turned to USC’s Shaun Harper for help. The executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center will serve as the association’s strategic diversity adviser for five years.
The Guardian
Why has there been a rise in anti-Asian hate crime in the U.S.?
The increase during the pandemic is forcing the U.S. to reckon with a racism that goes back centuries, USC Dornsife’s Adrian De Leon explains.
The Washington Post
What really works to help an aging brain
If you’re a smoker, quitting is the No. 1 thing you can do, says Elizabeth Zelinski of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology: “Smoking is probably the No. 1 risk factor. It affects your nervous system and vascular system.”
The New Yorker
The musicological zest of Switched on Pop
The popular podcast’s cohosts — Nate Sloan of the USC Thornton School of Music and his friend, songwriter Charlie Harding —were inspired by their own deep analysis of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe.” They decided to record their conversations — and the rest is podcast history.
KCRW-FM
Some states are dropping mask requirements, but is now the right time?
California has made a dent in new COVID-19 cases after the winter surge, but people need to remain cautious. “This does not mean that we can throw our masks away and start attending large parties,” says Rita Burke of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “We still have to be vigilant and practice what our public health experts have told us.”
The Conversation
Why repressive Saudi Arabia remains a U.S. ally
Holding considerable economic and strategic clout, Saudi Arabia is still considered an ally of the United States despite a track record of human rights violations, USC Dornsife’s Jeffrey Fields explains.