EMBARGOED for Release Until April 15, 2025 Counties in West Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania ranked among the top 10 for violations Herndon, VA, March 25, 2025 — About two million people in the United States lack access to running water or indoor plumbing in their homes. Another 30 million people live where drinking water […]
EMBARGOED for Release Until March 15, 2025 New research reveals differences in how people feel about climate change in different parts of the world Herdon, Va., March 15, 2025 — A global survey of more than 30,000 people in 30 countries has revealed how people around the world feel about climate change, and how those emotions […]
Scientists hope their model will enable risk assessments to more holistically capture the human impact of disasters HERNDON, Va., February 26, 2025 — One of the human impacts of natural hazards is household displacement. Destructive floods, wildfires, earthquakes and hurricanes often force people to leave their homes — some briefly, others for months or indefinitely. Most disaster […]
New research finds that unhealthy concentrations of bacteria are released into the air by toilet flushing Herdon, VA, February 18, 2025 — Bioaerosol emissions during toilet flushing are an often-overlooked source of potential health risks in shared public facilities. A new study published in Risk Analysis found that bioaerosol concentrations of two bacteria — Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
