The Measure of Everyday Life

When we read about the devastating effects of weather-related disasters, we often focus on housing and infrastructure. Such situations also might affect our eating patterns. On this episode, we talk with Lindsey Taillie of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health about her work on food marketing, the ways in which climate change might exacerbate unhealthy eating, and what steps we might take next.

When we hear stories about injuries from violence at the hands of other people or in the face of disasters, we often hear about acute physical injuries but there is more to the story in terms of mental health. How can we best support patients who have suffered trauma? On this episode, we talk with Douglas Zatzick of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington.

Although it is easy to scroll through social media applications to see posts from all over the world, it can be challenging to know what is real and what is artificial and to know about the mindset and wellbeing of people posting content. New tools can help us assess what gets posted online and to turn that into useful signals for interventions to help society. On this episode, we talk with Ana-Maria Staicu of the Department of Statistics at North Carolina State University about her work.

How exactly does language evolve and how do people shape it? On this episode, we talk with Molly Flaherty of Davidson College. She has studied the birth and evolution of a new language: Nicaraguan Sign Language. 

Rob Faure Walker, an insightful author from University College London, explores the relationship between love and market dynamics. He critiques society's fixation on negative news and the transactional nature of human connections. Walker discusses the historical shift in market perception impacting our values and the need for community and emotional ties. Delving into cultural influences from the 1960s and the importance of conscious engagement, he advocates for embracing wonder and authenticity in our daily lives.

We have seen recent innovations in our efforts to detect medical conditions in infants through genetic screening, including a program called Early Check based in North Carolina. The service now provides parents in North Carolina a free scan and review of a baby’s entire genetic blueprint to look for hundreds of conditions. On this episode, we talk about the initiative with researcher Heidi Cope of RTI International and pediatrician Elizabeth Jalazo of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Each of us has a sense of our own identity. Sometimes, though, people make judgements about what another person’s racial or ethnic identity is. How do people make those appraisals? On this episode, we talk with Raj Ghoshal of Elon University about his nationwide survey research.  

What happens to children who have been adopted from foster care as they become adults? On this episode, we talk with Rose Domanico and Heather Ringeisen of RTI International and Nancy Rolock of Case Western Reserve University about the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being Adoption Follow-Up Study and additional analysis funded by RTI International.

Although the threat of gun violence is common for some Americans, how exactly court officials, law enforcement professionals, and survivors each tend to talk about weapons is not something we often read about in news headlines. On this episode, we talk with two researchers who study how domestic violence survivors and law professionals talk about weapons and conflict: Allyson Corbo of RTI International and Beth Moracco of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Carl Ohman, an author and academic from Uppsala University, delves into the fascinating world of digital data after death. He discusses the ethical challenges of managing digital legacies, prompting listeners to consider their own online footprints. Ohman also explores how our understanding of mortality has evolved with technology, connecting ancient burial practices to modern memorialization. The conversation highlights the implications of preserving digital content on social media and the potential impact of deceased individuals' data on future technology and research.