Content by Bob Holmes, Knowable Magazine
Speaking of Pandemics: The Art and Science of Risk CommunicationPublic health messages should be loud and clear, so that everyone listens and stays safe. But that’s easier said than done.
Tue, 08/04/2020 - 12:03
This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine. Infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci. Coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx. County health officials across the United States. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the emergence of a…
Telemedicine’s Tipping PointVirtual healthcare has been pushed into the mainstream. Will we go back to doctors’ waiting rooms?
Wed, 07/29/2020 - 12:01
This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine. In February 2020, the month before Covid-19 hit Boston, Partners Healthcare, the huge health system that includes Massachusetts General Hospital, treated 1,600 patients via video visits. By…
How We Make Decisions During a Pandemic‘The idea is if people just have information, then they will make the rational choice. And that’s just wrong.’
Wed, 07/01/2020 - 12:02
This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine. From mask wearing to physical distancing, individuals wield a lot of power in how the coronavirus outbreak plays out. Behavioral experts reveal what might be prompting people to act—or not…
What Is a Cytokine Storm?An immune reaction gone wild may be linked with severe cases of Covid-19. Here’s what happens.
Wed, 05/06/2020 - 12:03
This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine. As Covid-19 cases fill the hospitals, among the sickest and most likely to die are those whose bodies react in a signature, catastrophic way. Immune cells flood and attack the lungs they…
What Makes Food ‘Local’?More people are choosing what to eat based on where it was grown, made, or created
Wed, 04/29/2020 - 12:01
This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine. An anthropologist looks at the myriad ways we link food to place—and whether it really could make a difference. “Local food” is a term loaded with virtue for many people. Some with…
Robots Designed to Self-ConstructRobot researcher Mark Yim offers a look inside the promising field of modular reconfigurable robotics
Tue, 03/24/2020 - 12:02
For most of us, the word “robot” conjures something like C-3PO—a humanoid creature programmed to interact with flesh-and-blood people in a more or less human way. But the roster of real-world robots is considerably more varied. The list includes…
Measuring Surgical QualityDoctors are developing new ways to test—and improve—operating room performance
Mon, 11/18/2019 - 12:02
Any patient scheduled for surgery hopes, and maybe assumes, that his surgeon will do a high-quality job. Surgeons know better. Nearly three decades of research have made clear that some hospitals and surgeons have significantly better outcomes than…
What Electronic Games Can Teach UsDigital play can enhance certain types of learning, but how to harness that potential for the classroom?
Thu, 10/31/2019 - 12:02
This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine. When my kids, ages 11 and 8, bang through the back door after school, often the first thing out of their mouths is: “Mom! Can we play Prodigy?” After a quick mental calculation of how much…
The Power of Brands, Conscious and UnconsciousEconomists explore the forces that shape what ends up in your shopping cart and how that might change in the online marketplace

Wed, 10/16/2019 - 12:03
Imagine yourself in your local supermarket, doing your usual grocery run. In aisle after aisle, countless brands vie for your dollars and attention. Colgate, Crest, and Aquafresh toothpaste. Smucker’s, Welch’s, and Dickinson’s strawberry jam. Coke,…
Analytics Wind Up for a Shot in Ice HockeyBringing moneyball-like statistical tools to the ice has proved challenging. That might soon be changing.
Thu, 10/03/2019 - 12:01
If you think it’s hard to tell how you’re doing at your job, imagine being a hockey goalie. Let’s say you block every shot in a game. Was that performance due to your superior skills? Or maybe just to a lack of skill in your opponents? Evaluating…