With Good Reason

Access to health care is still a major challenge for many Americans, even with the recent government overhaul.  In Appalachia, access can be even more limited.  With the nearest  health specialists sometimes hundreds of miles away, many people rely on free clinics for their medical, dental, and vision needs.  Thousands travel to Wise, Virginia each year for a weekend of teeth [...]

You know what it’s like to have a song stuck in your head. But what if your brain was constantly making music of its own without your knowledge? “Brainwave Chick” Paras Kaul (George Mason University) has found a way to tap into the natural melodies of her mind, convert them to digital sound, and make [...]

Before Harry Potter had a cloak that made him invisible, the Romulans had a cloaking device that made their space ships invisible to crew of the Enterprise on the TV series Star Trek.  Sir John Pendry says the power of invisibility could soon become a reality thanks to the use of materials which bend light.   [...]

Author and media critic Jack Shaheen has watched over 1,000 films from the last century to see how Middle Eastern characters fare.  Not so well.  More often than not, the silver screen resorts to demeaning Arab stereotypes.  Hanadi Al-Samman (University of Virginia) studies contemporary Arabic literature and culture and joins the conversation.  Also featured:  Iraq [...]

In the 18th century it was hard cider, not beer, that was the alcoholic beverage of choice. Even children often drank hard cider with breakfast and dinner because it was safer than the water.  So how did this preference for hard cider disappear from the American palate?  David Williams (George Mason University) investigates the demise [...]