News

LONGER FREIGHT TRAINS HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF DERAILMENT, NEW STUDY SHOWS.

WASHINGTON, DC, June 7, 2024 – In February 2023, 38 cars from a 151-car, 9,300-foot-long freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, leading to the release of hazardous materials that required the evacuation of more than 2,000 residents. In recent years, such longer and heavier freight trains have become more common, primarily driven by fuel efficiency, […]

MICROPLASTICS COME FROM EVERYWHERE – YES, FROM SEX TOYS TOO.

WASHINGTON, DC, December 13, 2023 – As more research reveals how many microplastic particles humans are ingesting and absorbing in their bloodstreams, Duke and Appalachian State researchers led by Joana Sipe and Christine Hendren have examined a source for microplastic absorption many would not have considered: sex toys. In a study originally published in Microplastics […]

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS THAT U.S. RENTERSARE HIT THE HARDEST WHEN A HURRICANE STRIKES

Ten years of data indicate that a hurricane disaster leads to rent increases, higher eviction rates, and less affordable housing for renters WASHINGTON, DC, December 13, 2023 –With a severe shortage of affordable housing in the United States, renters living along the East and Gulf coasts are uniquely vulnerable to hurricane disasters. Two new studies […]

EARLY RESEARCH SHOWS GEN Z PERCEIVES MORE DANGER IN LIFE THAN PREVIOUS GENERATIONS.

WASHINGTON, DC, December 13, 2023 – There appears to be a common understanding that there is a mental health crisis among young people, but has society understood why? As presented at the 2023 Society for Risk Analysis Annual Conference, Gabriel Rubin from Montclair State University conducted 40 interviews with members of Gen Z (as of […]

HELPING MORE PEOPLE GET TO SAFETY IN A WILDFIRE

Scientists have developed a web-based tool to help communities design an optimal wildfire evacuation plan WASHINGTON, DC, Dec. 13, 2023 – Wildfires pose an increasing threat to communities at the wildland-urban interface (WUI) – where dry, flammable vegetation borders back yards, often in remote locations. Despite the well-known danger, many communities at highest risk do […]

INEQUITY IN U.S. WILDFIRE EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Research shows that counties with higher black and lower-income populations receive less support in wildfire disasters. WASHINGTON, DC, 2023 – Recent U.S. wildfire events — including the 2023 Maui wildfire in Hawaii, the 2022 Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire in New Mexico, and the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire in Colorado — are tragic examples of how […]

HEAVY METALS IN OUR FOOD ARE MOST DANGEROUS FOR KIDS

Embargoed for Release Until December 12, 2023, 11:15 a.m. Two new studies on dietary exposure to heavy metals clarify their connections to cancers and other serious illnesses. WASHINGTON, DC, 2023, December 12, 2023 – The problem of foodborne metal contamination has taken on new urgency, thanks in part to a 2021 US Congressional Report detailing […]

FOOD WITHOUT MEAT AND DAIRY IS MORE APPEALING IF IT’S NOT LABELED “VEGAN”.

Embargoed for Release Until Dec. 11, 4:30 p.m. WASHINGTON, DC, December 11, 2023 – As presented at the Society for Risk Analysis 2023 Annual conference, Patrycja Sleboda from Baruch College – CUNY and her colleagues from the University of Southern California conducted a national food choice experiment to determine how people respond to labels such as […]

WHAT’S THE RISK OF A MASS SHOOTING AT YOUR SCHOOL?

In new research, scientists estimate the risk of a mass shooting in every state and at specific locations such as schools and restaurants Herndon, Va. (Aug. 22, 2023) – With mass shootings happening randomly every year in the United States, it may seem that there is no way to predict where the next horrific event […]

WHY DON’T MORE CALIFORNIANS PROTECT THEIR HOMES AGAINST WILDFIRES?

New research suggests that insurance could incentivize homeowners to take mitigative action and help prevent their neighborhoods from going up in smoke Herndon, Va. (March 21, 2023) – California wildfires have destroyed entire neighborhoods, as hot embers fly on the wind from house to house. Preventative actions by homeowners – brush clearing, rooftop sprinkler installation, […]