Your airplane is a flying petri dish

As the coronavirus spreads across the globe, public health officials are growing more concerned about how to contain the illness... [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 26 February 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair [Lynne Anderson] A note from... Lynne Anderson Senior Health + Medicine Editor As the coronavirus spreads across the globe, public health officials are growing more concerned about how to contain the illness. Two scholars from the University of Arizona wonder whether the outbreak is a time to consider a strong preventive measure to thwart epidemics before they wreak havoc – by [requiring proof of vaccination to fly](. Airplanes can be flying petri dishes, spreading pathogens onboard and also bringing them to new locations, write Christopher Roberts, a professor of law, and Keith Joiner, a professor of medicine. Today, The Conversation’s collaboration with WBUR and NPR’s live national talk show [“On Point”]( features University of Dayton professor of human rights and law [Shelley Inglis](, along with historian and Russia expert [Cythia Hooper]( from the College of Holy Cross. Both will be discussing the role of truth in politics, the media and power. Also today: - [How to avoid political disinformation]( - [Explaining explainable AI]( - [Former female insurgents in Columbia]( Top story Bill Chen at San Francisco International Airport after arriving on a flight from Shanghai. Chen said his temperature was screened at the Shanghai airport before he departed. AP Photo / Terry Chea [Airplanes spread diseases quickly – so maybe unvaccinated people shouldn’t be allowed to fly]( Christopher Robertson, University of Arizona; Keith Joiner, University of Arizona Air transportation unquestionably spreads disease. Should airlines be more proactive by requiring proof of vaccination? 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Nunley, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Success in finding an internship is tied to factors that range from prior experience to local unemployment rates, new research has found. Science + Technology - [People prefer robots to explain themselves – and a brief summary doesn’t cut it]( Mark Edmonds, University of California, Los Angeles; Yixin Zhu, University of California, Los Angeles Having robots and other AI systems tell people what the AIs are doing makes them more trustworthy. A study finds that how a robot explains itself matters. 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Today’s chart - [Enable images to see the chart]( From the article: [Americans are drowning in a sea of polls]( [Michael Traugott] Michael Traugott University of Michigan [Help fight misinformation and science denial. Support The Conversation.]( [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111