no imageColumbus Magnet School student Skye Martin named a National Invention Convention winner
The Norwalk Board of Education is proud to recognize Columbus Magnet School Student Skye Martin for having placed first... (Read more)
9 / 18 / 2021
Opinion archive
Letters to the Editor, Opinion columns, Editorials
Showing 9/18/2021 to 6/28/2021
no imageno imageA volcanic eruption 39 million years ago buried a forest in Peru – now the petrified trees are revealing South America’s primeval history
In the hills outside the small village of Sexi, Peru, a fossil forest holds secrets about South America’s past... (Read more)
9 / 5 / 2021
no imageDanish children struggle to learn their vowel-filled language – and this changes how adult Danes interact
Denmark is a rich country with an extensive welfare system and strong education. Yet surprisingly, Danish children have trouble... (Read more)
9 / 3 / 2021
no imageMelting Mongolian ice reveals fragile artifacts that provide clues about how past people lived
In the world’s high mountain regions, life needs ice. From the Rockies to the Himalayas, glaciers and other accumulations... (Read more)
9 / 2 / 2021
Dinosaurs were already in decline before the asteroid wiped them out – new research
Some 66 million years ago, on the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico, a 12 kilometre-wide asteroid crashes to Earth. The impact... (Read more)
9 / 1 / 2021
Global evidence links rise in extreme precipitation to human-driven climate change
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Human activities, such as burning... (Read more)
8 / 31 / 2021
no imageThe ocean is full of tiny plastic particles – we found a way to track them with satellites
Plastic is the most common type of debris floating in the world’s oceans. Waves and sunlight break much of... (Read more)
8 / 30 / 2021
no imageFar more adults don’t want children than previously thought
Fertility rates in the United States have plunged to record lows, and this could be related to the... (Read more)
8 / 28 / 2021
no imageWhat is ISIS-K? Two terrorism experts on the group behind the deadly Kabul airport attack and its rivalry with the Taliban
An attack on a crowd gathered outside Kabul’s airport Thursday has left at least 60 people dead, including at... (Read more)
8 / 27 / 2021
no imageWhile debate rages over glyphosate-based herbicides, farmers are spraying them all over the world
As North America enters its peak summer growing season, gardeners are planting and weeding, and groundskeepers are mowing parks... (Read more)
8 / 26 / 2021
no imageWhat is Pegasus? A cybersecurity expert explains how the spyware invades phones and what it does when it gets in
End-to-end encryption is technology that scrambles messages on your phone and unscrambles them only on the recipients’ phones, which... (Read more)
8 / 24 / 2021
Taking a break
Folks, it’s not obvious yet but I’m on vacation. I’m still posting things but soon we’ll be shutting off... (Read more)
8 / 24 / 2021
no imageBiden made the right call
The images coming out of Afghanistan are heartbreaking, but the rapid takeover by the Taliban is not a reason... (Read more)
8 / 19 / 2021
no imageThe Taliban are megarich – here’s where they get the money they use to wage war in Afghanistan
This article was originally published on Dec. 8, 2020. The Taliban militants of Afghanistan have grown richer and more... (Read more)
8 / 17 / 2021
Time to combine Planning and Zoning Commissions
Following the recommendation of Norwalk’s new Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), the Ordinance Committee of the Common Council... (Read more)
8 / 17 / 2021
no imageAs Afghanistan falls, what does it mean for the Middle East?
In the 19th century, the phrase “The Great Game” was used to describe competition for power and influence... (Read more)
8 / 16 / 2021
no imageComplicity and silence around sexual harassment are common – Cuomo and his protectors were a textbook example
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation came after more than a week of bad news, starting with a damning... (Read more)
8 / 12 / 2021
no imageWhy refusing the COVID-19 vaccine isn’t just immoral – it’s ‘un-American’
Decades ago I helped organize a conference that brought together vaccine skeptics and public health officials. The debate... (Read more)
8 / 11 / 2021
no imageWhat are COVID-19 variants and how can you stay safe as they spread? A doctor answers 5 questions
With the delta variant making up over 93% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. at the end of July... (Read more)
8 / 11 / 2021
no imageShould fully immunized people wear masks indoors? An infectious disease physician weighs in
With the highly infectious delta coronavirus variant spreading at an alarming rate, the World Health Organization in late June... (Read more)
7 / 27 / 2021
We need to act now to make sure more people are vaccinated this fall
It has been more than two months since the State of Connecticut lifted virtually all mandates related to the... (Read more)
7 / 25 / 2021
no imageLawsuits over bans on teaching critical race theory are coming – here’s what won’t work, and what might
As states and school districts started threatening teachers with disciplinary action for teaching about systemic racism, the question naturally... (Read more)
7 / 25 / 2021
no imageHow effective is the first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine? (Part II)
Maybe you’ve postponed your second COVID-19 vaccine appointment, whether because of scheduling hassles or general reluctance. But how safe... (Read more)
7 / 20 / 2021
Crime as political campaign fodder; misinformation, too.
From all appearances it seems that crime politics have returned to center stage in our state for the first... (Read more)
7 / 18 / 2021
no imageCritical race theory: What it is and what it isn’t
U.S. Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana sent a letter to fellow Republicans on June 24, 2021, stating: “As Republicans,... (Read more)
7 / 16 / 2021
no imageExtend the Governor’s emergency powers to defeat the COVID pandemic
Alex Knopp served two terms as Mayor of Norwalk (2001-05) and eight terms as Norwalk State Representative (1987-2001). He... (Read more)
7 / 14 / 2021
no imageTrump can’t beat Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in court – but the fight might be worth more than a win
From condo salesman to reality TV host to leader of the free world, Donald Trump has occupied several lifetimes’... (Read more)
7 / 13 / 2021
no imageThe neuroscience behind why your brain may need time to adjust to ‘un-social distancing’
With COVID-19 vaccines working and restrictions lifting across the country, it’s finally time for those now vaccinated who’ve been... (Read more)
7 / 5 / 2021
no imageThe ethical questions raised by COVID-19 vaccines: 5 essential reads
The U.S. is edging closer by the day to seeing half of its population fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Although... (Read more)
7 / 3 / 2021
no imageMillions are rejecting one of humanity’s best weapons for saving lives: Vaccines
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by employees at a Houston hospital who did not want to... (Read more)
6 / 28 / 2021