Infotrak

The US Forest Service has been given taxpayer funding to plant more than a billion trees across the country in the next nine years. Peter Clark, Applied Forest Ecologist at University of Vermont, explains a troubling bottleneck that could threaten these efforts, and what can be done.

Surveys show that most adults see the value in testing to detect cognitive decline. But a majority of seniors have never been tested. J. Scott Roberts, PhD, from the University of Michigan, explains the results of a recent poll. The poll also found very low awareness of blood tests that can help detect Alzheimer’s disease.

As the new academic year gets underway, some are predicting chaos in college classrooms as few universities are offering clear guidelines and professors grapple with students using and abusing artificial intelligence. Anna Mills, textbook author and member of a joint Artificial Intelligence task force with the Modern Language Association and College Conference on Composition and Communication, explains why there is such great concern.

Inflation has hit the pocketbooks of consumers in a huge way. The greatest impact may be in the car buying market. Karl Brauer, Executive Analyst at IseeCars.com, shared his research that found that while the cost of gas-powered cars has skyrocketed, prices of used electric vehicles have collapsed.

Firearms contribute to the deaths of more children ages 1-17 years in the US than any other type of injury or illness. Sophie Kjærvik, doctoral candidate in communication at Ohio State University, co-authored a recent study that examines an effective tool for parents who own firearms.

Hidden forces and random events can impact how your doctor makes medical decisions regarding your health. Anupam Bapu Jena, MD, PhD, from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital, co-author of "Random Acts of Medicine: The Hidden Forces That Sway Doctors, Impact Patients, and Shape Our Health," offers some eye-opening examples.

It's a nightmare that many homeowners across the country are experiencing: squatters move into a house and refuse to leave. Paul Pilibosian, a Houston attorney specializing in real estate law, explains why getting rid of them is difficult, even with the law on your side.

Do vitamin D supplements lower the risk of suffering a major cardiovascular event among older adults? We'll get the answer from Rachel Neale, PhD, from the Population Health Department at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia.

Over 2 million cars in America have been issued urgent safety recalls, but the car owners aren't taking action. is your car at risk? Patrick Olsen, Editor-in-Chief of CarFax, explains how you can see if your car is on the list.

Recent research has found that some low income households using certain taxpayer-funded food assistance programs are consuming excessive amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages. We'll learn what the common denominator is, from Prod. Kate W. Bauer from the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

An American child is killed every five days in a train collision. Morag MacKay, Director of Research, Safe Kids Worldwide, says these most of these tragedies are preventable. She outlined the most common scenarios and explained how parents can teach their children to avoid dangerous situations with trains.

Has the traditional doctor-patient relationship been damaged by the lure of big profits? F. Perry Wilson, MD, MSCE, Associate Professor of Medicine, Director, Clinical and Translational Research Accelerator at the Yale University School of Medicine, author of "How Medicine Works and When It Doesn't," explains how and why the doctor-patient relationship has eroded in recent years.

A frightening new scam is sweeping the country: next-gen thieves are utilizing sophisticated new artificial intelligence generated voices--that criminals can now clone from social media profiles--to easily con parents or grandparents out of significant sums of money. Haywood Talcove, CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions' Government Group, suggests three steps every family should take to defend themselves

You've been told your dishwasher uses less energy and water than traditional hand-washing. Greg Keoleian, Director of the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, tested the claim and shares the results.

A recent study found that food allergies have the greatest effect among certain racial groups and income levels. Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH, board-certified pediatrician and health researcher from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Clinical Attending at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, founding director of the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research, talked about potential reasons for these findings and the importance of getting a proper diagnosis.

The hottest thing in emerging tech is artificial intelligence and millions of people are already using ChatGPT. Pam Baker, author of "ChatGPT For Dummies," shares the many ways ChatGPT can impact our daily lives and how you can use it most effectively.

Many households avoid discussions of money matters. According to Lori R. Sackler, Senior VP and family wealth advisor at Morgan Stanley, and author of "The M Word: The Money Talk Every Family Needs to Have about Wealth and Their Financial Future," a shocking number of families lose assets and peace of mind when a family member passes, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Crooks are targeting the familiar US Postal Service blue mailboxes, as well as residential mailboxes, to steal checks and potentially drain your bank account. David Maimon, PhD, Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University, explains the scope of the problem and how to protect yourself from this growing crime.

If you are a US military veteran or know someone who is, our first guest Paul R. Lawrence, former Under Secretary of Benefits at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and author of "Veterans Benefits for You: Get What You Deserve," who explains how vets should apply for service benefits, including several ways to document a service related injury, request medical records, and more.

At what age do you plan to retire? That question is more complex than most people think! Beth C. Truesdale, PhD, Research Fellow at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research and, co-editor of the book "Overtime: America's Aging Workforce and the Future of Working Longer," explains why many workers are unable retire as late as they would prefer.