In Praise of Congee

My rice cooker was cheaply made and cheaply bought, a squat device of rounded plastic and metal. I chose mine from the selection at H Mart because it had only two settings — cook and warm — and pastel flowers stamped across its curve. I found this flourish charming: My rice cooker tries. I try,…

The Next Great Image Makers

In the wake of the social justice movement and the pandemic, a new generation of image-makers is reinventing the look and feel of fashion media. Among those challenging antiquated ideas of beauty, celebrity and style are Kennedi Carter, 22; Quil Lemons, 23; and Ahmad Barber, 30, and Donté Maurice, 26, who work together as AB+DM.…

What Is a Climatarian?

Determining exactly how to do that when it comes to your diet, however, isn’t easy. While many climatarians aren’t vegetarians, since they believe that chicken or lamb are much better choices than beef, some eschew meat altogether since vegetables overall have a lower carbon footprint. Mike Tidwell, 59, the director of the Chesapeake Climate Action…

Survey measures health care delays during pandemic’s beginning

At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, a University of Illinois Chicago researcher conducted a survey asking respondents if they experienced health care delays because of the pandemic. In addition to learning about the types of delays, the study also presented a unique opportunity to capture a historic moment at the pandemic’s beginning.  Elizabeth Papautsky, UIC assistant professor of biomedical and health information sciences, is first author on “Characterizing Healthcare…

Researchers use environmental data to assess prostate cancer diagnosis factors

Environmental quality is associated with advanced-stage prostate cancer at diagnosis, according to a new study by University of Illinois Chicago researchers.  Prostate cancer is up to 57% heritable, with the remainder attributed to environmental exposures. However, studies on those environmental factors and prostate cancer aggressiveness have previously been limited. For their study, “Association between environmental quality and prostate cancer at diagnosis,” published…

Study: Culture influences mask wearing

Around the world and within the U.S., the percentage of people wearing masks during the Covid-19 pandemic has varied enormously. What explains this? A new study co-authored by an MIT faculty member finds that a public sense of “collectivism” clearly predicts mask usage, adding a cultural and psychological perspective to the issue. The study uses…