Infotrak

A tsunami of unemployment fraud is sweeping the states, costing taxpayers BILLIONS of dollars. We’ll examine the reasons and what to do if you are targeted by fraudsters, with expert advice from Mark Eichorn, Assistant Director in the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Privacy and Identity Protection.

Does age discrimination cause older women in the workplace to pull back from high-powered roles? Bonnie Marcus, author of “Not Done Yet! How Women Over 50 Regain Their Confidence and Claim Workplace Power” thinks so. She explains how older women can reclaim their confidence and power.

Parents may think if a kid isn't showing motivation to work hard in school, that may never change. But, Kui Xie, Professor of Educational Studies at Ohio State University, says recent research shows there's a key to unlock motivation.

Every 30 minutes, a child in the U.S. is injured from a TV or furniture tip-over incident. We’ll get critical advice for parents from Kim Dulic from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, on how to secure televisions in homes where young children live or visit.

Surprising results of research has found that street lights, neon signs, and other nighttime light pollution can increase the likelihood of a preterm birth by almost 13%. Laura Argys, PhD, Professor of Economics, University of Colorado, Denver, will explain.

Each day, millions of Americans are participating in virtual meetings--otherwise known as Zoom meetings-- leading to a very real concern: Zoom fatigue. But there are ways to avoid video conferencing burn out. We'll get useful tips from Jeremy Bailenson, PhD, founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, and Thomas More Storke Professor in the Department of Communication.

The pandemic lockdowns created many challenges for every American, including social isolation, which has had a severe impact on teens and young adults. We'll talk to Gregory Koufacos, Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor who specializes in working with young men, author of "The Primal Method: A Book for Emerging Men," who says research has found high levels of anxiety and depression in this age group. He'll discuss the issue and the surprising value of video gaming, outdoor activities and jobs for young men who are struggling.

The nation was shocked at the recent collapse of the Texas electrical grid. Are other areas of the country at risk of similar outages? We'll find out from Ed Hirs, PhD, Lecturer and Energy Fellow at the University of Houston Department of Economics.

While they may be annoying, experts say humans couldn't exist without insects. We'll hear from Akito Kawahara, PhD, Associate Professor at the University of Florida, Curator of the Florida Museum of Natural History's McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, to learn why everyone should be concerned by studies that sound the alarm about plummeting insect numbers and diversity.

A recent study found a surprising link between a student's achievements in music and math. Martin Bergee, Professor of Music Education and Music Therapy at the University of Kansas, shares his findings.

How can workplaces be more supportive and accommodating to employees with disabilities, physical and otherwise? Diversity and inclusion expert Tova Sherman, the author of “Win, Win, Win!: The 18 Inclusion-isms You Need to Become a Disability Confident Employer,” says it all begins with having the right mindset.

Are you paying too much for your insurance--possibly way too much? Jeff Arnold, consumer advocate, and author of "How to Beat Your Insurance Company," says there may be discounts that can save you money.

Black children are removed from their families for abuse and neglect at much greater rates than any other ethnic group. Mical Raz, M.D., Ph.D., M.Sc., from the University of Rochester, and author of "Abusive Policies: How the American Child Welfare System Lost its Way" discusses the role of race, poverty and substance abuse in the issue.

High blood pressure is unhealthy, and your doctor may recommend a daily brisk walk to bring it down. Phil Chilibeck, PhD, Kinesiology Professor at the University of Saskatchewa led a recent study that points to an even more effective activity to lower your blood pressure.

A study of suicides and alcohol and drug-related deaths shows a disturbing rise in these “deaths of despair” over the past year. Casey B. Mulligan, PhD, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, explains how the deaths of elderly people diagnosed with COVID-19 differs from the rising self-destruction of younger Americans in 2020.

Over half of adult Americans--who already owed money on their credit cards--added more to their card debt in the past year. Ted Rossman, Industry Analyst at CreditCards.com, shares the findings of a recent survey that shows the millennial generation was hit hardest.

A recent study suggests that without the right messaging, wearing masks could actually lead to more COVID-19 infections. Eline van den Broek-Altenburg, PhD, Assistant Professor and Vice Chair for Population Health Science at the University of Vermont, found that mask mandates often cause people to increase the number of daily contacts they have with other humans, which is a key risk factor driving transmission of the disease.

Is your tap water safe to drink?  It's common knowledge that chemicals are used to treat the your community’s water supply. But Carsten Prasse, PhD, Professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, found that the use of some of these chemicals, such as chlorine, can also lead to the formation of hundreds of unregulated toxic byproducts.

The pandemic has changed many things. One troubling trend is that some parents wait longer before bringing their sick children to the emergency room. Michelle Macy, MD, Pediatric Emergency Care Specialist at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University, offers examples of the most common ER visits that were left untreated and why this is such a great concern.

How we spend and save our money is influenced by psychological factors and ingrained habits according to Rachel Cruze, personal finance expert and author of “Know Yourself, Know Your Money: Discover WHY You Handle Money the Way You Do, and WHAT to Do About It!”